Every year, people go out to see the same Christmas shows they have been watching since they were children. You could go to Stars Dinner Theater and listen to Christmas songs, or go to Spotlight or Bakersfield Community Theatre and watch a traditional Christmas show. The Empty Space, however, just has to mix it up.
For the past five years, The Empty Space has had a production of “Hurry Up, Santa!”, a show written by Bob Kempf and Andy Philpot.
This year, the theater is presenting “A Christmas Carol. and a Play in regards to Christmas” written by Bryan Maddern. Maddern, and his fiancée Jennifer Hatzman, direct the show.
The show is an adaptation of the “A Christmas Carol,” the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his acceptance of the Christmas spirit.
The show makes some hilarious changes to the traditional story, introducing Tiny Tim’s brother Big Tim, a variant of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” sung by pregnant women and a beautifully cheesy dance number.
Maddern wrote the script in 2006 while living in New York.
“We booked an off-Broadway stage in Manhattan, and I didn’t even have a completed script,” said Maddern. Even once rehearsals had begun in October, the script was not yet complete. “I refused to do more rewrites after Thanksgiving,” said Maddern.
Maddern had to make some major adjustments to the script for The Empty Space stage. “The script was really geared towards adults,” said Maddern, “so we had to clean it up a bit to do here.”
This year’s production is on a bit of a grander scale than past versions with a very detailed set.
“This is quite elaborate for me,” said Maddern as he looked at the newly painted theater walls, sliding wall panels, and a five foot tall wood furnace.
Hatzman’s work with stage design has turned The Empty Space stage into a mini London that even has cobblestone streets.
Actors Jason Monroe and Jay Campbell play the lead part of Scrooge. Monroe, who suffered major injuries in an ATV accident in September, is making his return to the stage with this show.
Jay Campbell, most recently seen as Feste in “Twelfth Night” at Bakersfield College’s Kern Shakespeare Festival, will be playing Scrooge the first weekend of the run.
The production shows at The Empty Space on Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.
Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10 for students and $15 for general admission.