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Creston’s Footlighters set for light-hearted performance next week

Sorry! Wrong Chimney! will be showing on Dec. 2, 3, 4

After a difficult 20 months for all, Footlighters Theatre Society is thrilled to showcase a comedic play to bring some much-needed laughter to the community.

Written by Jack Sharkey and Leo W. Sears in 1989, the newest production for Footlighters - Sorry! Wrong Chimney! - promises 90 minutes of light-hearted fun.

“This is going to be our first big show back in the theatre, and we knew that people needed to laugh,” said local director Jason Smith, who has been involved with Footlighters for over 10 years.

The story begins with David moonlighting as a department store Santa, so that he can earn some extra cash to buy his wife, Samantha, the perfect Christmas gift. To keep his efforts a secret, David lies to her and explains his absence by saying he’s been working late. When Samantha finds out that he isn’t actually at his office, she suspects infidelity. From there, the hilarious hijinks unfold with a suspected other woman, hypnotism, a man convinced that he’s the real Santa and his gun-toting fiancée, and a very confused policeman.

“It’s a comedy of errors with one confusing mix-up after another,” said Smith.

“There’s a lot of physical humour and slapstick that our audience will love. The actors are running, moving, flipping, falling, and dancing.”

The ensemble cast includes Micah Greentree as David, Michelle Karey-McKenna as Samantha, Zoe Marini as Natalie, Peter Wishlow as William the psychiatrist, Gary Atha as Kris, Lynne Karey-McKenna as Sheila, and Brian Lawrence as the policeman.

Lynne Karey-McKenna, who plays the girlfriend of a wannabe Santa, recently moved to Creston in September and got involved with her daughter, Michelle. Before the move, they had been involved with a different production in the Lower Mainland that was cancelled.

“Footlighters has been a wonderful, friendly group to be a part of,” she said. “I’m so excited to be back in the theatre and back on stage after such a long hiatus with COVID.”

Wishlow, the actor who plays William the psychiatrist, agreed that it has been too long from the lights of the stage.

“It will be great to see everyone back together laughing and having a good time,” he said. “That’s the love of it - seeing the audience react and talk about your performance.”

The cast has been rehearsing for the last two months in preparation for the show to debut on Dec. 2, 3, and 4 at the theatre inside the Creston Valley Secondary School.

Tickets can be purchased at Black Bear Books or Fly in the Fibre for $15 each for adults or $12 for seniors and students (ages 12+). While the play is appropriate for all ages, please keep in mind the humour will be best enjoyed by youth over the age of 12 and adults.

There is limited seating, as the theatre will be capped at half capacity. Any leftover tickets will be sold at the door.

Attendees must follow standard COVID-19 protocols by showing vaccination status at the door and wearing face masks until seated.

To learn more about membership and volunteer opportunities with Footlighters Theatre Society, visit www.facebook.com/CrestonFootlighters.

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Kelsey Yates

About the Author: Kelsey Yates

Kelsey Yates has had a lifelong passion for newspapers and storytelling. Originally from Alberta, she graduated from SAIT Polytechnic's journalism program in 2016.
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