Local Performer Joins Notable Star in Musical Adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’
Patrick Lose didn’t take to theater right away.
“I started in high school, and the first show I did was senior year,” the Peoria resident said. “I did it on a dare from some friends. I had no idea if I would like it, and I honestly didn’t even know if I could sing the first time I sang in public.”
Fast forward to a few decades later, and the Peoria resident will be sharing the stage with TV, film and Broadway star Charles Shaughnessy as Scottsdale Musical Theater Company presents the musical version of “A Christmas Carol” now until December 23 at Tempe Center for the Arts.
Lose, a Peoria resident, is playing Marley in the production — but it’s not his full-time job. By day he’s a textiles designer, something that came to pass after he began learning back-stage crafts in college. He said it’s a challenge to balance his commitment to performance with his everyday life.
“It’s been pretty chaotic, but that’s one of the thing I love about working with Scottsdale Musical Theater Company,” Lose said. “The rehearsal schedule realizes that people have lives, and they choose cast members who have experience to beable to pick it up quickly, drill it over and over and put the production onstage.”
Lose was even able to design his own costume for the play, which is only the second he’s done in recent years.
“After moving to Phoenix 18 years ago, I didn’t pursue acting much and only recently started auditioning again,” he said. “I’m glad to be back performing. (Marley) is a role I have always wanted to play and to do a musical version is really cool — I would like to do dramatic version as well someday.”
Lose said the musical version of the classic Christmas tale is a bit different, and lends itself well to children’s enjoyment.
“It’s still a very full production, but it tells the story succinctly and the music propels and tells the story,” he said. “It’s mostly music, mostly sung, and that’s really cool because you don’t dwell for long on any one part. Especially for kids — there are lot of kids in the audience and it plays well to their attention span.”
The performance features music by Alan Menken (Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Little Shop of Horrors) and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Seussical). The production is directed and staged by David Hock, with dance choreography by Hock and Hillary Conrad. Musical direction is by Joni Van Rossum with a live 20+piece orchestra conducted by Kevin Hayward.
Tickets range from $42-$58 with special children’s ticket pricing of $25. Now in its 8th year, Scottsdale Musical Theater Company’s goal is “bringing Broadway’s favorites back to life” by presenting full, large-scale productions of Broadway musicals in their original forms.
