[NEohioPAL] Canal Fulton Players- Facts About Christmas Gifts

[DVangaasbe at aol.com]

FACTS ABOUT THE  CHRISTMAS GIFTS

The Canal Fulton  Players at the UMC Family Theatre are proud to announce 
that they will be  presenting an original new play about the Christmas season on 
December 12-14 and  December 19-21.  Entitled The Christmas Gifts, the play is 
an examination  of the use of human emotions as Christmas gifts instead of 
material  objects.  Written by David Van Gaasbeek, director of the play and of 
the  Players, the play offers an in depth look as to how remembrance, 
sacrifice,  honor, love, loyalty, understanding, tolerance, and generosity play a more  
important part of the season than a new video game, piece of jewelry, item of 
 clothing, or toy.
This play is the third one of a trilogy written  by Mr. Van Gaasbeek 
concerning the Christmas holidays.  His first one,  entitled The Second Coming?, was 
written and presented in 1993.  It dealt  with the story of an embittered 
alcoholic who made the ultimate challenge to  God- “Perform a Miracle.  Save a 
wretch like me.”  What happened after  the challenge defied imagination.
The second play, entitled  Merry Christmas Princess, was written and 
presented in 2001.  It dealt with  the story of a relationship of a father and 
daughter over thirty nine  years.  Told over ten different Christmases, the story 
went from the father  becoming a parent until he had to relinquish the role to 
the daughter.  The  play marked the debut of Lisa Van Gaasbeek.
The Christmas Gifts is told  in six stories in modern times.  The first one, 
entitled The Letter,  relates the story of a school teacher who has the day to 
end all days right  before the holiday break.  The second one, entitled When 
the Cheering  Stopped, deals with how remembrance can bring back self worth.  
The third  one, entitled Support Our Troops, deals with the hard choices as to 
war and  peace.  After an intermission, the players will present the story, 
entitled  Goodbye, as death becomes part of the holiday.  It will be followed 
by a  story entitled Love Thy Neighbor, which deals with the manner in which 
people  handle anti-Semitism, hate crimes and apathy.   The last story,  
entitled Punch You in the Nose, is a love story. The stories are intertwined and  the 
actors play numerous parts.
Kathy Devus will be playing the woman  in Punch You in the Nose, the head of 
the PTO in The Letter, and the mother in  Goodbye.  Abby Yaggi has plays the 
Lieutenant in Support Our Troops, the  argumentative teacher in The Letter, the 
young wife in Punch You in the Nose and  the young woman in Goodbye.  Ken 
Hehmeyer is the school principal in The  Letter, the fanatical football fan in 
Support Our Troops, the boss in Love Thy  Neighbor, the man in Punch You in the 
Nose, and the treating physician in  Goodbye.  Jon Neumann plays the young man 
in Support Our Troops, the young  school teacher in The Letter, and the state 
tested nurse‘s aide in Punch You in  the Nose.  
Anita Artzner returns to our stage as the school teacher who  has the bad day 
in The Letter, the nurse in Goodbye, the ticket agent in Support  the Troops, 
and the nurse in Punch You in the Nose.  She is joined by  fellow actor, Drew 
Hutchinson, who plays the second worker in Love Thy  Neighbor.  
Matt King is cast as the bigot in not only The Letter  but also Love Thy 
Neighbor.  Matt delivers a bravura performance as an  anti-semitic bigot.  He also 
plays the egotistical baseball player in When  the Cheering Stopped.  Gary 
Liknes plays the man in When the Cheering  Stopped.  Mike Groom plays a member 
of the entourage for the egotistical  ball player in When the Cheering Stopped, 
the apathetic worker in Love Thy  Neighbor, and the surgeon in Goodbye.  
Steve Long plays the husband of the  school teacher in The Letter and the son in 
Punch You in the Nose.
Dave  Van Gaasbeek takes a turn on the stage as the father in Goodbye, the 
older  worker in Love Thy Neighbor, and the janitor in When the Cheering  
Stopped.
The play will be performed on December 12-14, 2008 at 7:30 pm  at the Canal 
Fulton Players Fellowship Hall Theatre, 363 West Cherry Street,  Canal Fulton, 
Ohio and on December 19-21 at the Kathleen Howland Theatre, 324  Cleveland Ave 
N, Canton, Ohio .  The cost of admission at the Kathleen  Howland Theatre 
will be $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for seniors (65+) and  children under the age 
of 12.
For further information call David Van  Gaasbeek at 330-494-1022 or 
33-854-4387 or Todd at Second April Art Gallery at  330-451-0924.
 


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