MCT’s “The Last Noel”

Live on stage at Ben Lomond’s Park Hall, November 20 – December 13

The holiday offering for Mountain Community Theater’s 2015 Season is the comedy The Last Noel by A play by D. Richard Tucker – Directed by local theater veteran Robin Aronson. It is a murder mystery film noir spoof set in Seattle at Christmas time.

The production opens Friday, November 20 and runs 4 weekends through Sunday, December 13 at Ben Lomond’s historic Park Hall, 9400 Mill Street. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday matinees are at 2:00 p.m. Community Afternoon is Sunday, November 29, when all tickets are 2 for $20. Note that there is no matinee on Sunday, November 22. General tickets are $20; Senior and Student tickets are $17.00. Tickets are available at www.mctshows.org or www.brownpapertickets.com

In The Last Noel, murder and mayhem rock the Seattle Christmas caroling community. Sam Chase, a software engineer, is framed for murder when his ex-wife is found bludgeoned to death with a giant candy cane. Attempting to clear his name, Sam turns private investigator and, along with his sidekick Part Time, encounters a corrupt underworld of femme fatales, killer snowmen, homicidal reindeer, rogue department store elves, and other nefarious holiday icons. Along the way he stumbles on the hunt for a mysterious, ancient carol: the Christmas Hymn of Malta.

Dr. Aronson has directed locally for many years throughout Santa Cruz County. Most recently she directed My Three Angels for MCT and Black Snow at Cabrillo College, and is currently directing “Tis a Tale” for the 2016 Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre 8 Tens @ 8 Festival.

The Last Noel stars Andrew Davids as Sam Chase, Sarah Marsh as Part Time; Ann McCormick as Tracy; Kate Cunningham as Detective Feldman; Suzanne Schrag as the King sisters; Gary Edwards as Norman Ivy; Daria E. Troxell as Jessica Holly; Steve Capasso as the Fat Man; Jackson Wolffe as Connie Hanson; Nat Robinson as Jason and Nathan Nicholas; Marty Lee Jones as Jimmy; and ensemble members Alie Mac, Noel Warwick and Sally Munro.

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Mountain Community Theater (MCT) is the longest-running community theater in Santa Cruz County, started in 1982 by a collective of actors. MCT is a member-run non-profit organization that relies on support from its performances, season subscribers, and royalties from its own company-created script, Miracle on 34th Street, the Play. For more about MCT visit www.mctshows.org