Punahou students have reenacted Charles Dickens’ classic tale, “A Christmas Carol” as a three-part audio series, presented by the School’s Theatre and Advancement departments. Adapted for radio by Anthony E. Palermo, cast members brought to life the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish, greedy businessman who transformed after being visited by the ghost of his former business partner and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.
This was Punahou’s first “radio drama” performance, a theatrical pivot necessitated by the pandemic. To create the timeless adaptation, students recorded their respective audio tracks during professional studio sessions. “Our rehearsal process was short (but sweet), with individual and small group coaching held via Webex,” Theatre Director Melinda Moore said in the show’s program. “Over two weekends, one scene at a time, students gathered in Dillingham (socially distanced and wearing full PPE), to lay the acting tracks. The raw files were then sent to a fabulous editor to combine with sound effects and music, creating what you hear tonight.”
Moore describes the collaboration of talent as “simply magical.” “You could feel the warmth of the students’ smiles right through their masks,” she said. “We all learned so much and had a jolly good time! Most exciting to me is the number of “new-to-Punahou” and “new-to-theatre” students taking part in this production.”
Here are some behind-the-scenes shots of the “A Christmas Carol” recording:
