It’s in the singing of a street corner choir! It’s going home and getting warm by the fire! It’s true, wherever you find love— it feels like Christmas! And it is— the season of the spirit— the message if we hear it— is make it last all year! And since Tidewater Players is getting you into the season of the spirit a good six weeks ahead of time, we figured we could pick some of the featured players’ brains all about their upcoming production of A Christmas Carol. In a sit-down interview series, we’ve spoken to some members of the Christmas Carol team in an attempt to get you excited not only for their upcoming production but for the season itself as it makes its way into town in these final two months of 2024.

Thank you for sitting with us, oh Madam Director. Do us a favor and tell us who you are?

Sarah O’Hara: I am Sara O’Hara— the one and only!

Yes you are. But this is not your first time directing, is it?

Sarah: No. I have directed with Artistic before (Artistic Synergy of Baltimore.) I got to do Arsenic & Old Lace (2022) which was awesome. It was so good. I loved it! I put everything into that one, I loved it. And now Tidewater has opened up the door just by putting the advertisement on Instagram. I saw it and I was excited. Because at that point I had been at several other auditions in the area, and when you’re at auditions, you look at yourself as a character and you think ‘what are they going to cast me in?’ And I was feeling a lot of ‘I think I’m going to land ensemble’ in those shows I was auditioning for. And I wanted to see what else I could do. It seemed like a good season for me to direct instead.

I’m excited to see what you can do with the project. I was excited to see your name migrate this far up I-95! Now you have directed, but you’ve never directed A Christmas Carol before, right?

Sarah: Correct.

So you saw the post on Instagram, figured you’d come out and shoot your shot, but why Christmas Carol?

Sarah: It’s actually really personal. I’m an open book and I don’t mind sharing and it’s special to me. My brother died a year ago. He was hit by a car while he was crossing the street. I’m one of eight children, so we’re down to seven now. But we grew up very poor. Before I was 18, two houses foreclosed, we had times where my mom was sleeping in a storage unit. I had my first apartment when I was 18, Ashley (twin sister Ashley Merrill, playing Ghost of Christmas Future and others) shared an apartment. I was making $7.25 an hour and I had my own apartment.

Oh my. How times have changed!

Sarah: My how times have changed is right. The original story— for A Christmas Carol— Charles Dickens wrote this because of child labor. Because of his disappointment in the world and watching the way it changed children as they grew up. It was a little bit external and a little bit internal; he himself had his own father be arrested for debt, the father went to debtor’s prison, and Dickens himself had to go to work at an early age. And even though it’s a stretch, because I do have the honor of living in America, and I’m not homeless or anything like that, I do remember being bathed from a bucket by an oil lamp. I do remember having our house in the paper all the time. I do remember having an extension cord through the window, only hooked up to the fridge so that we wouldn’t lose our food. Because of the kindness of our neighbor Miss Suzanna.

Where my brother’s story connects is— he was 44 years old. He had four children. He never had a chance to change. He had a problem with alcohol and there were times when it would get better and times when it would get worse, like it does for a lot of people who have problems with alcohol. Even when you don’t have problems with alcohol, when you start off already at a disadvantage, everything is so much harder. And I personally, when my brother was hit by a car, I had not had a car for three years at that point because I could not afford one. And I was walking to work every day. So when Jimmy passed, I was crossing Bel Air Road every day to get to work. And it could have been me. It was terrifying all the time.

So when I looked at this and I looked at the story of A Christmas Carol, something just fit. I directed Arsenic & Old Lace because I did that with my sister in high school and the show is freaking hilarious. It meant something to me and I loved being able to bring older women great roles. Because we don’t have them!

Women of a certain age get marginalized right out of the window and off the stage!

Sarah: We are gone. There is this invisible period between Belle and Mrs. Potts. You’re just invisible! That’s why I directed Arsenic. But A Christmas Carol feels very close to me. I really want people to understand that joy has nothing to do with how much money you make. And that every little choice you make matters to the external world. You can say ‘hello’ to people and that might change their day. If you donate a coin to the ‘charity men’ in our show, you’re making a difference. Scrooge gets this opportunity to see his life and all the bad decisions he made, and we don’t. We as people living our lives don’t.

I call it the ‘George Bailey Effect’ we never get to see how what we do really touches and impacts the lives of others…obviously with George Bailey it’s positive and good and significantly less so for Scrooge. And I love that every year a hundred different theatre companies will do A Christmas Carol in the season of the spirit and all that, but I think you’re hitting quite close to my favorite quote from Dicken’s original text, which is this:

“I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” (~Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)

Sarah: I love that. I absolutely love that. That’s why I wanted to do this show.

Okay now that we’ve sunk into the deep…what has been like getting to work here at Tidewater Players?

Sarah: You learn something new in every single go, wherever you are. That’s the goal. What I’ve learned is that it’s a little bit harder when you’re outside of your area. With ASoB, I knew everything that was in the back of the house, I knew what I could go grab and start nailing together. It’s different here. I have to rely on other people. I’ve been able to utilize the people in this space more than I was able to utilize the people in my neighborhood. Like Bill Price? He’s just working! I had one mind for the set, he came in, and he said, ‘this is what the stage is like, this is what this is like, let’s do this.’ And it’s been great. I’m using the people who have the advantage of education to my benefit this time around.

Excellent, I’m really pleased to hear that. Do you have a favorite version or presentation of A Christmas Carol?

Sarah: I have to say The Muppets. I have to say THE MUPPETS!!! I just have to! It’s too good! And it’s so romantic. I love it. Muppets.

Okay that is almost seven for seven! I also think Muppets is the version. For years, when I was growing up, I would run around insisting that Dickens just got it wrong somehow, and that there actually were two Marley Brothers…Jacob and Robert. Because Statler and Waldorf. TWO. There are TWO Marley Brothers!

Sarah: It’s true! Facts! I actually wish I could the cast gifts of little Muppet versions of each of who their characters are.

I love this so much. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie in general?

Sarah: Oh shoot. I have to throw this out there, in case it makes it into the article, because I think it has not gotten enough attention. Jingle Jangle on Netflix. Have you seen it?

Yes I have! It’s very cute!

Sarah: Right now I think that one is it for me. There are so many old favorites, but Jingle Jangle needs a mention, because it needs to be in everyone’s new-favorites cycle. It’s part of my rotation.

I’ll trade you a mention as well then. I watched it during the pandemic but apparently it came out before that, also on Netflix— it’s called Klaus. And it is this charming like ‘origins story’ tale of how Santa and his toy-workshop came to be…because of this spoiled-brat post-man character who needed to learn the lesson that money cannot buy happiness. It is definitely a part of my holiday rotation. Right up there with Muppet Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, and all the old Rankin & Bass Claymation movies.

Sarah: I just binge them all. Like I said, I grew up in a really poor home, and there were a lot of Christmases where we came downstairs and there were literally— I’m sorry mom— but there were school supplies under the tree. Like pencils and paper. And in my stocking was a toothbrush.

But there were presents.

Sarah: Yes there were. BUT! We had so much freaking fun. Even if the presents were school supplies. That’s what Christmas is about. When I chose to direct this, I told DJ and I told Becky (co-stage-managers DJ Flickinger & Becky Flickinger), and I’m not telling the cast this…though I guess they’ll know it now if they read this interview…but I have my own agenda! It is Christmas Spirit! And that is the goal I have succeeded in. I can tell you, of all things, that goal has maintained. The entire cast is so happy. I haven’t heard any complaints. Everybody is happy with each other. I just wanted everybody to leave this production— because it will be the end of November as they leave it— they’re walking right into Christmas with it. And they won’t have to be busy with a Christmas show. They will be done and they’ll get to enjoy their families.

And they will hold that feeling close in a thankful heart!

Sarah: Exactly that. That’s what I’m hoping for. That we all have a low-key Christmas ‘spiracle.’

Spiracle. A Christmas Spirit Miracle. I love it. What is your favorite song in this production that you’re working on?

Sarah: My least favorite has become my most favorite, which happens. And it is “Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Christmas Ball.” And of course it was least favorite initially listening to it because it’s got all those ‘rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat” in it. But watching the cast do it on stage? It’s a party I would like to be invited to. It’s become my favorite because they are just having a really good time with it. And that’s fun to watch.

I love hearing that. I would also like to be invited to the party. Now what is your favorite Christmas song, where it’s just not Christmas until you hear it— either on the radio, or wherever the kids are listening to their music these days?

Sarah: Oh no. That’s hard! Um, I’m going with “Charlie Brown.” (Sarah started singing beautifully but we’re not setup for that.) 🎵 ‘Christmas time is here…’ 🎵 That Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, I love it all. I have the record.

See mine is “Snoopy’s Christmas” where he’s flying against the bloody red baron and they cease fire and hold their fighting and share a toast because they hear the Christmas bells from the village below. Now, if you performed, and could write your ticket for this show, who would you be?

Sarah: Ashley (twin-sister Ashley Merrill) actually told me that she draws her Mrs. Fezziwig character from me because I’m so over-the-top with everything that I do. And I said, ‘that’s an honor, thank you for drawing character from me.’ That’s really cool. She thinks this part was meant for me, that’s why she’s taking that inspiration from me. So I guess I would say, Mrs. Fezziwig. Which is not who I would have auditioned for, which I guess that just brings back to that “Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!”

Girl, you just wanna be at that party!

Sarah: I do! I want to be at the party! Although I think I might also want to be Mrs. Mops, the housekeeper. She’s really funny.

Do you have a favorite Christmas food that you eat at Christmas?

Sarah: This is an unusual one, but grits.

Ah. Aunt Joyce’s grits.

Sarah: Wait— how did you know about Aunt Joyce’s grits!?

Ashley may have also said that. She also called them cheese-grits but then quickly backpedaled to grits because she couldn’t be sure if there was cheese in them or not.

Sarah: I think there is cheese in them, Ashley. I think there’s cheese and butter. Oh Aunt Joyce’s grits! I think that’s so funny that we picked the same thing!

I love this. Those must be some special grits. I feel like you need to ring up Aunt Joyce and have her make a giant pot for the cast for opening night. Do you have a favorite Christmas Cookie?

Sarah: When they smoosh an Andes Mint into the middle of a sugar cookie. Right into the center of it. That sound good to me. Otherwise, chocolate chip. I feel like Santa would approve of the classic chocolate chip. Also, I want to say, that Santa and Jesus can be partners in Christmas. I’m just putting it out there.

They can be friends and share a sleigh, why not?

Sarah: Share a sleigh, some eggnog, and celebrate. It is not a conflict. They are both here to celebrate.

They all just want to be invited to the party.

Sarah: 100%. We all just want to be invited to Mr. & Mrs. Fezziwig’s Christmas Party no matter what you’re celebrating.

I feel like if more people saw the world the way you see it, we wouldn’t have most of the problems we have. Now, Christmas tradition that you love? That it’s just not Christmas if you haven’t done this one thing?

Sarah: Ever since I had children— and this is just me, so Ashley won’t have the same answer this time— I have been watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve. I hadn’t seen it, for some weird reason, until around 2011 when I had Gabe. I have been watching it every Christmas Eve since, and I always like to get myself some wine. I have a glass of wine, and I sit next to my beautiful Christmas tree, every Christmas Eve. And weirdly, it’s just as special to me as anything else, it might be more special to me than Christmas itself. I just love that moment, when the kids go to bed, the lights are out, and I’m drinking a glass of wine and watching It’s A Wonderful Life.

It’s you and the wine and George Bailey.

Sarah: Yes! Yes!! It’s me and the wine and George Bailey. And I am pretending that it’s me naked behind those bushes, George!

Singing Buffalo Gals! Oh my words and stars! I love this so much. Now, do you have a favorite ornament that goes on your tree?

Sarah: I do! I have this old, ratty, blue and yellow ornament that every year I think it’s going to break. It’s made of fabric and the circle that it hangs from is barely hanging on by a thread. And when I was a kid, I used to sob hysterically like a total whiny baby if someone else hung it up. And since my mom had eight kids, she would sometimes give it to the wrong kid, and I would freak out. So I took it! And now it’s with me. And every year I hang that at the very top so that the kids don’t touch it. It’s just a random blue and yellow fabric ornament. But it means something to you.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Sarah: Rest. Peace. Love.

Absolutely. Why do you want people to come out and see this wonderful production of A Christmas Carol two weeks before Thanksgiving?

Sarah: Because we’re not taking any time out of your December. You get to start celebrating Christmas early. You do not have to worry about December. It is free still to you for all your holiday parties. So come in November and see our Christmas show!

I love this. Best marketing answer ever. If you had to sum up your experience of working here at Tidewater Players, directing A Christmas Carol, using just one word, which word would you use?

Sarah: Opportunity.

A Christmas Carol plays November 15^th 2024 through November 24^th 2024 with Tidewater Players in residence at the Cultural Center at The Havre de Grace Opera House— 121 N. Union Street in historic downtown Havre de Grace, MD. For tickets call the box office at 667-225-8433 or purchase them online.