Based on a short story, “The Christmas That Grandma Grew Up”
by Mildred Robison Stutz
Cast
Daddy – Kevin Gunnell
Mama – Tanya Carney
Eleanor – Sophia Johnson
Lela – Lily Smith
Mildred -Penny Bailey
Brooks – Kyle Hathaway
Sarah – Alethia Jorgensen
Daniel – William Carney
Ed – Dallin Heftel
John – Tyson Smith
Rose – Summer Johnson
Nancy – Nancy Gunnell
Jed (Bear) – Oliver Carney
The Band
From Fat in the Fire:
Sara Gunnell, fiddle
Jorgen Sorenson, guitar
also featuring
Heather Bosshardt, piano
Crew
Directors ~ Kevin & Khaliel Kelly
Associate Director ~ Hillary Smith
Sound and Lighting ~ Tim Bingham, Jeff Heftel
Spotlight ~ Cassandra Heftel
Photographer ~ Heidee Pehrson
~ Backstage Crew~
Sidney Bird, Meagan Heftel, Lacy Jorgensen
~ Set Design and Construction ~
Marc Anderson, Janet Dowland, Randy Dowland, Kevin Gunnel,
Jason Quinn, Sullivan Quinn Ryan Smith, Bryan Spencer
Musical Numbers
Scene 1
The Robison Family Farmhouse, Delta, Utah 1932
“Christmas Comes in a Barrel”
Ensemble
“Not Like a Christmas Card”
Mildred
“Chaperone Square Dance”
Daddy & Company
Scene 2
The Old Jalopy
“Side by Side”*
Ensemble
Scene 3
The Mines
“Christmas in the Air”
Ed, Eleanor & Company
“Be Still”
Eleanor, Ed, & Mildred
Scene 4
The Old Jalopy
“There is a Light”
John & Company
Scene 5
A Sheep Camp
“Fear Not, Little Flock”
Rose & Company
“Fear Not, Little Flock” Reprise
Jed, Nancy, & Rose
Scene 6
Back at the Farmhouse
“‘Cause There’s Love at Home” **
Ensemble
“Christmas in the Air” reprise
Mildred & Company
“Jesus Came as a Whisper”
Mildred & Company
Intermission
Country Christmas Carol Sing-along
Ensemble
“Joy to the World”
Words in your program
“Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“First to Greet Messiah”
Summer & Sophia
“I Heard the Bells”
“Oh, Come All Ye Faithful”
“The First Noel”
“Christmas First”
“Jesus Came as Whisper” & “Silent Night”
Ensemble & Audience
*”Side by Side,” written by Harry Woods (1927)
**”Love at Home,” original text: Karen Lynn Davidson, music: A. Laurence Lyon
Dear Friends of Fairview,
Thank you for joining us for the premiere of “A Christmas Card.” We have loved Mildred Robison Stutz’ coming of age Christmas story ever since we heard it read over the pulpit as a young married couple. We’ve treasured it and read it every Christmas since then. Kevin wrote a musical version of it for a dance company, and our son, Cameron, wrote a screenplay. But neither version was ever produced. So, we’re thrilled to offer this Depression Era story as a country musical to our friends in Fairview. The story has its roots in Central Utah, and we feel it will especially resonate with all of you.
This production would not be possible without the generosity of the North Bend Entertainers.
It’s easy to take for granted what we have here in Fairview. This theatre company has been serving us for the last twenty-five-years, making our community unique and cohesive. When we moved to Oak Creek twelve years ago and discovered Fairview not only had a modern stage facility housed in this charming, restored dance hall, but in addition, a theatre company with seasonal productions, we knew we’d moved to the right place. What a gift NBE has been to us. We’ve had the privilege of directing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and performing in You Can’t Take it with You, plus enjoying many of their productions over the years.
Working with the NBE board members, we’ve seen this devoted crew spring into action, providing us with everything we need—set building, lighting and sound production, and promotions. Randy and Janet Dowland were instant supporters of the script. Hillary Smith, our associate director, has been our guardian angel. Randy and Marc Anderson created our charming sheep camp; Bryan Spencer and Jason Quinn our authentic Model-T Ford, then all of them collaborated on the Robison family farmhouse set. Tim Bingham came to lots of rehearsals to figure out our complicated sound. Jeff Heftel did our effective lighting and helped with sound. Several others have helped with the promotions. Sara Gunnell, our fiddler, put together a top-notch bluegrass band. And our backstage crew is simply the best.
We love our cast. They’ve put in so many rehearsal hours. Memorizing a script and musical numbers that are being workshopped and constantly changing is a challenge for professional acting companies. But this amateur cast was amazing. They’ve been extremely flexible and remarkably patient with all the last-minute adjustments.
Our greatest wish is that “A Christmas Card” will give you the true spirit of Christmas and kick off the season with “Christmas in the Air” for you and your family.
Merry Christmas,
Kevin & Khaliel Kelly
CAST BIOS
Kevin Gunnell hails from northern Cache Valley in Idaho. He grew up as the youngest of an animated family of seven kids, watching all of his siblings in different school and community productions. He started his own onstage ventures in 7th grade as one of the small husbands in the high school production of Lil’ Abner. After this initial taste of thespianism, he performed in memorable roles such as the Pirate King (Pirates of Penzance), Tom Sawyer (Big River), and The Baker (Into The Woods) among others throughout middle and high school. Kevin and his wife Sara moved to Mt Pleasant in 2009 and joined North Bend Entertainers in several productions and involvement, with various hiatus to focus on raising their family. Kevin is excited to again be participating with this great community group and the awesome people who comprise it. Aside from theater and wrangling five kids, Kevin and Sara spend their time renovating a pioneer era home, traveling and exploring nature, playing roadie to Sara’s band(s), and attempting to do a spot of gardening between it all.
Tanya Carney is becoming quite the seasoned actress – this is her third show with the North Bend Entertainers – and she is the newest member on the NBE board. She wears many other hats on a daily basis though too. She is a busy wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister, friend, furbabies’ mama, homeschool teacher, cook, chauffeur, and so much more. Though always lovingly caring for others, if she gets a moment to herself she enjoys reading and might get a wink of sleep and a bite of chocolate. She’s constantly unearthing new talents she didn’t know she had, some of which she is using in this show. We’ve hit the real goldmine finding Tanya and her beautiful talent!
Sophia Johnson is thrilled to make her debut in this play! She is an enthusiastic singer, she loves being surrounded by her friends and family. Special thanks to her sisters for encouraging her to take this leap, and to her parents for their unwavering support. A heartfelt shoutout to the incredible directors for their guidance, and to the rest of the amazing cast!!
Lily Smith is a drama student at NSMS. This production is her first play, and she is so excited to be a part of it. Lily has three brothers, whom she loves to tease. She is very artistic and loves to draw, paint, and create in her spare time. Lily would like to thank Mrs. Ray, her drama teacher, for helping her be more confident on stage. Finally, she wants to thank her parents for helping to make this opportunity possible.
Penny Bailey is 10 years old and lives in Fountain Green. She is in 5th grade and attends Fountain Green Elementary. She has one older sister and five brothers. Penny enjoys tumbling and volleyball. She studies music in various forms including the piano, violin, and choir. She has performed in the Lamb Day Production each year for the past 4 years. She has attended many plays in her life and is excited to be a part of this production. Thanks to Khaliel, Kevin and Hillary for working with our Penny!
Kyle Hathaway is the son of Jake and Robyn Hathaway. He is currently in 3rd grade and loves reading Calvin and Hobbes and playing soccer. He was recently baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is his first play. He has had a great time learning to act and how to do a square dance.
Alethia Jorgensen is a bright and talented little girl who is excited to perform in our Christmas Card production! Alethia is taking voice lessons and learning to play the piano, which she loves very much. Music is a big part of her life, and she enjoys sharing her talents with everyone. When Alethia isn’t practicing her singing or playing the piano, she loves dancing ballet. She also enjoys playing sports like softball and soccer, where she has fun with her friends and learns new skills. Alethia is a big animal lover too! She has a special place in her heart for horses and dogs, and she enjoys spending time with them whenever she can. We are so happy to have Alethia as part of our production, and we can’t wait for you to see her shine on stage!
William Carney is making his debut in this play. He is the quietest, most calm baby you’ll ever meet. He hasn’t made an (unscripted) sound throughout all the rehearsals. He seems to have a bright future ahead of him onstage, though he may be typecast as he clearly fits a more specific type of role. We’re so glad to have William in our play!
This is Dallin Heftel‘s first play as an actor, but he has been involved in other ways with previous plays, such as Amelie with North Sanpete High School, and Scrooge Macbeth with North Bend Entertainers. He also enjoys other things such as golf and soccer at the high school. “Thanks to Hillary I am in this play, and I have no regrets. I have had so much fun in this play and look forward to doing more.”
Tyson Smith is excited to be onstage again! He has been in previous productions such as A Fairy Tale Christmas Carol and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He’s had a lot of experience helping with other plays as well, since his family loves to be involved with theatre. Tyson enjoys playing games and spending time with his dog. He is good at finding interesting “fun facts” and trivia, and enjoys being a part of organizations such as Student Council and FBLA in school. He’d like to take a moment to say thank you to all his fans…but that would take a lot longer than just a moment!
Summer Johnson is a 17-year-old with a lifelong love for singing, is excited to be part of her third musical and second production with North Bend Entertainers. As a section leader in her high school choir, Summer is always ready to bring energy and heart to the stage. She can’t wait to share the incredible story behind this musical with the audience!
This is Nancy Gunnell’s first foray into theater, but she has been performing violin since she was four. She is the youngest of her four siblings and resides with her parents Kevin and Sara Gunnell in Mt. Pleasant. Nancy enjoys spending her time playing with siblings, friends and pets, making up stories with her dolls, and smiling at anybody she sees to make their day better.
Oliver Carney is excited for the opportunity to perform onstage for the first time – and especially to do so with his mom! This guy loves exploring the world around him, and learning about astronomy, animals, and all things related to nature. He is an “old soul” in a child’s body, and hopes to become an archeologist when his body catches up to his mind. Shout-out to his siblings, who he loves to involve in everything he is involved in, as much as possible!
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