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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Spirits haunt every aspect of Nathan Granner's one man production of Dicken's Christmas Carol adapted by Greg Oliver Bodine. 

This fresh interpretation of the traditional favorite is akin to the Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Winters, Orson Wells, radio drama variety with songs and carols setting the mood and forwarding the action.   There are no big budget sets, props or costumes. The minimalist approach and the exciting new gallery venue have inspired an installation-like, performance art setting.  "Focus is more subconscious, than a literal description of past reality" says Granner.

An operatic tenor well known for his work as one of Sony's American Tenors, Granner is possessed by ghosts of Christmas Carol's past.  Having been in numerous productions of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's version, the actors he worked alongside sometimes haunt his new characterizations. His "Scrooge" is inspired by actor and friend Gary Neill Johnsons' famous scratchy voiced version.  Granner humbly inhabits other personal theatrical heroes audiences may recognize.  

Ghosts take center stage at the Hemmingway Gallery, a new performing arts space at 132 W 19^th Street. The big yellow building in the Crossroads district is a perfect home for the spirit world. "It used to be an old jail and two ghosts have been haunting it for years."

Using a voice modulation pedal, Granner is able to replicate the ghost of Christmas Past in all of its singsong glory.  Neither male or female, young or old, the voice switches genders and ages amid Scrooges confusion, joy and fear.  The Ghost of Christmas Present is more like Nathan in his full bore "opera man" persona and the Ghost of Christmas Future is eerily silent. 

Voicing the entire cast of characters is a challenge that seems to invigorate the multi-talented Granner.  Giving each character a distinctive laugh, Granner moves from the oily rich laugh of Fezziwig to the cackling old maid with ease. 

Spirits of another sort will enliven the event.  Alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations will be available for purchase. Audience members can also feel good about contributing to the creation of a new opera.  A Christmas Carol is a fundraiser for The Gospel of Judas, an opera by Jeffery Rukaman currently in pre-production.


PREVIEW:
 A Christmas Carol
December 4, 2009 at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm
December 10^th and 11^th at 7:00 pm
Pre-performance reception at 6:30 pm all nights
Hemmingway Gallery
132 W 9^th Street, Kansas City, MO
Tickets available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/89211

For more information call 816-914-4822 or online at www.nathangranner.com

By Megan Browne Helm

Classical, Vocal and Theatre Contributor

Megan Browne Helm grew up singing, dancing and acting.  Inspired by Emma Kirkby as a high school student in St. Louis she went on to study voice and sing with the Collegium Musicum at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she also had a radio show of contemporary classical music on WOBC.  At the University of Kansas she had the pleasure of working with former Kings’ Singer, Simon Carrington in his Collegium Musicum and Oread consort. Years later, she was a choral fellow at the Yale School of Music’s  Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.  She is currently singing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under the direction of Charles Bruffy. 

 As a freelance music and culture writer her work can be found on KCMetropolis.org, presentmagazine.com, the Lawrence Journal World, Shawnee Magazine, Leawood Lifestyle Magazine and KC Parent.  She was one of 26 journalists in the country chosen as a NEA Institute Fellow for Classical Music and Opera at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. 

Her current interest is how classical music remains relevant through active collaborations with artists in different fields, including science.  She also sees a connection between classical music, travel and food as a way to engage all of the senses in a 360 degree cultural experience.  She blogs at raworganum.wordpress.com.