'Miracle on 34th Street' at Schoolhouse Arts Center

SEBAGO LAKE - The Schoolhouse Arts Center at Sebago Lake will present "Miracle on 34th Street" from December 3 through December 19. In “Miracle on 34th Street,” the actor playing Santa at the Macy’s Department Store Thanksgiving Day parade is discovered to be drunk by a whiskered old man. Doris Walker, the no-nonsense special events director, persuades the old man to take his place. The old man proves to be a sensation and is quickly recruited to be the store Santa at the main Macy's outlet. While he is successful, Ms. Walker learns that he calls himself Kris Kringle and he claims to be the actual Santa Claus. Despite reassurances by Kringle's doctor that he is harmless, Doris still has misgivings, especially when she has cynically trained herself, and especially her daughter, Susan, to reject all notions of belief and fantasy. And yet, people, especially Susan, begin to notice there is something special about Kris and his determination to advance the true spirit of Christmas amidst the rampant commercialism around him and succeeding in improbable ways. This hilarious, tender and charming show for the entire family is a Christmas classic.

The cast of "Miracle on 34th Street" includes Steve Morin (Gorham) as Kris Kringle, Karyn Diamond (Standish) as Doris Walker, Brett Stewart (Gorham) as Fred Gailey, Holly Akey (Standish) as Susan Walker, Sumida Sferes (Windham) as Cleo, Charlie Cole (Windham) as Mr. Shellhammer, Heidi Libby (Limerick) as Miss Adams, Rebecca Cole (Windham) as Mrs. Sawyer, Keith Halliburton (Limerick) as Mr. Macy, Chip Burnham (Standish) as Charlie Halloran, Vin Brown (Raymond) as Judge Harper, Janet Gallaher (North Waterboro) as Mrs. Harper, Ted Tocci (Standish) as Jim the zookeeper, Dennis Libby (Gorham) as Mr. Mara, Denise Libby (Gorham) as Mrs. Mara, Kristen Watson (Gorham) as Dr. Pierce, Ashley Pettengill (Gorham) as Dr. Rogers, Greg Copeland (Arundel) as radio announcer; Jamie Eckstein (Standish) as the photographer, as well as Rebecca Morin (Gorham), Cristina McBreairty (Gorham) and Danielle Raitt (North Waterboro) in various roles.

Performances of "Miracle on 34th Street" will be held on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for students and seniors and $14 for adults. Tickets make great early Christmas gifts. "Miracle on 34th Street" is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French. Schoolhouse Arts Center is located on Route 114, just north of the intersection of Routes 114 and 35, in Sebago Lake Village.

Call 642-3743 or log onto www.schoolhousearts.org for more information.

READY FOR PERFORMANCE - Steve Morin from Gorham as Kris Kringle and Holly Akey from Standish as Susan Walker from "Miracle on 34th Street" at Schoolhouse Arts Center from December 3-19.

"MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET" - The cast and crew of "Miracle on 34th Street" at Schoolhouse Arts Center from December 3-19. Cast and crew includes people from Arundel, Cornish, Gorham, Limerick, Limington, Naples, North Waterboro, Raymond, Windham, Standish and other surrounding areas.