Christmas Radio Shows to be performed on historic Port Jervis stage this weekend

Sharon E. Siegel
13 hours ago
5 min read

By Sharon E. Siegel

PORT JERVIS, NY – This holiday season holds many opportunities to enjoy local shows, concerts, parades, and other venues where enthusiasm and local talents shine. One such event – featuring two shows – will take place this coming weekend (December 12, 13, and 14) at MLR Holy Church and Cultural Center, 28 East Main Street, Port Jervis.

The first show, Thankful at Christmas, is a modern retelling of A Christmas Carol. The second, Miracle on 34^th Street, is a beloved seasonal classic. Both are being performed by Tri-State Players, a local theater group now in its third season that entertains audiences with radio drama shows performed on stage. They are in the format of a radio station show, complete with radio ads.

The shows take place on the historic top floor stage of the vintage former Deerpark Reformed Church, circa 1868, now owned and operated by MLR.

Thankful at Christmas was composed by Milford resident Paul Stefany, and is a radio adaptation and modern retelling of the classic A Christmas Carol. While Stefany has written many children’s productions as a teacher, this marks his first step into community theater.

Micah Sweeney, founder of Tri-State Players and director of this weekend’s shows, said he is grateful for Stefany and for the cast and crew he has been preparing with for the upcoming weekend.

“Our performers range in age from 10 to 76, and we have a wonderful blend of seasoned veterans and complete newcomers. Some cast members have been performing for over 50 years, while others are stepping onto the stage for the very first time. Family participation is also a hallmark of this group,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney noted that parents and their children often perform together on stage.

On a personal note, his mother, a pianist and retired music teacher, is stepping out of her former experiences in holding supporting parts to fill a major character role that she has been developing in the spirit of her role.

Sweeney explained that the group’s radio shows are theater shows that have been adapted to the format of a 1940s-style radio station, with performances before a live studio audience. Stagecraft is used to create visually appealing environments, with scripts acquired from the Lux Radio Theater and Campbell Playhouse archives.

“My team has done an excellent job adapting our equipment to the space, and the new owners have been very accommodating,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney noted that he and his group have found it wonderful to practice and perform in such a historic space.

“Many people don’t realize that the upstairs of MLR houses a small auditorium complete with a stage. It was once home to the Upper Room Players under the direction of Chris Thompson, a close personal friend of mine. It’s a privilege to be part of the next generation performing in the same room,” Sweeney said.

This weekend’s shows will feature Thankful for Christmas – an approximately half-hour production. The show’s author/composer, Stefany, will be introduced and briefly interviewed on stage. There will then be a brief intermission, with concessions and a chance to visit with Santa during all three show dates. The second show, Miracle on 34^th Street runs about an hour, followed by a second chance to visit and take photos with Santa.

While the radio-style format may be slightly different from traditional theater formats, Sweeney said it is designed to create immersive experiences. When all the elements (acting, foley (sound effects), music, lighting, and storytelling) synchronize, audiences are transported back to a time when families gathered around the radio to hear classic stories, serials, and film retellings. Without the usual supports of traditional theater, Sweeney noted, Tri-State Players' actors must fully sell their performances, bringing a stronger, more focused, and remarkably enjoyable theatrical experience result.

The actors and actresses in the group seem to agree. In speaking with just two of them during a practice break, both praised the format, the group, and the stories they deliver.

“I like the 40s and 50s look, and the format is more stationary – less blocking,” said Suzette Houdershield, who plays a teacher in Thankful for Christmas, and the lawyer’s wife and a secretary in Miracle on 34^th Street. “Also, Christmas is my vibe and they (fellow actors and actresses in the group) love Christmas as much as I do. It just puts more spirit of the season in your heart.”

Sam Mitschele-Dauenhauer plays multiple parts in both shows; Alfred, Sawyer, Pierce, a postman. He learned of this theater group through a friend, and has been in five or six shows with Tri-States Players since joining. Now 29, he performed as a student at Wallenpaupack High School and has continued to enjoy acting ever since.

“I’m more of an actor than a singer. I joined the high school choir mainly just to get better acting roles,” chuckled the seasoned actor. “I’m outgoing and I am able to make friends and socialize while learning what I can with each show. This show is about Christmas, and it just gives people a chance to come away feeling even more in the Christmas Spirit.”

That takeaway reaction, besides putting their best effort into each aspect of each show, is a goal of everyone in the group.

"Both of this weekend's shows embody the spirit of the holidays by emphasizing transformation, generosity, and the power of belief. They lean toward the religious and reflective aspects of the season, inviting audiences to experience a sense of wonder and the miraculous," Sweeney said. "Together, these productions help us enter the heart of the holidays with warmth, gratitude, and renewed hope."

Below are the show dates and each show's cast list.

(Having attended a recent dress rehearsal, I can tell you that for a really enjoyable time you won’t want to miss getting out for one of these performance dates.)

December 12: 7 p.m.

December 13: 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

December 14: 2 p.m.

Concessions are open ½ hour before each performance time.

Thankful at Christmas

Narrator — Carly McElhaney

Announcer — Christy Jane

Edna Fernbright — Diane Sommer

Spirit Past — Sira Alahverdian

Spirit Present — Savannah Baumgartner

Spirit Future — Adele Coogan

Agnes Bun — Ruth Sweeney