A different kind of Scrooge
Published 10:43am Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A Realtor by day and Ebeneezer Scrooge by night, Laura Johnson does it all. Johnson has been cast as the famous grumpy lead in the local production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” This year’s local production by producers/directors Kade Wells and Nick Suridis will have a “Tim Burton feel,” said Johnson.
Johnson, who has the challenge of playing a male part, said “When I found out I got the part of Scrooge, I was just thrilled. It was the part that I wanted.”
“I really like the challenge of playing a male part being a woman,” she added. “It is a lot of thought. As a woman, you are so used to using your hand in a certain way or expressing your emotions with facial expressions, carrying yourself and walking a certain way. You really have to stop and think how a 75-year-old man would act.”
Johnson said the hardest part of the character is trying not to let her female voice slip through in moments of strong emotion.
“During the play, the audience will really understand why Scrooge is the way he is and why he has become such a scarred and bitter man,” she said. “The transition from when Scrooge is at his lowest and most traumatic state and he awakens to realize how much he has missed out on, it goes from one extreme to the complete opposite in literally 15 seconds. That was very difficult for me to capture.”
The play is completely cast from local actors. There are 20-plus actors playing the parts.
“That is what I love about local theater,” said Johnson. “It is hard to go and watch the play and not know somebody in it. That is what will fill the theater and why I enjoy it so much.”
Johnson’s theater career started when she was 14 years old.
“I did plays all through high school,” she said. “I really loved it.”
Johnson when on to become a theater major at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Now 46, she is not only performing in local theater productions but also works for a company in Fargo, Ultimate Image, where she does casting, commercials and voice overs.
“I love Fergus and I plan on staying here,” she said. “It’s a great location. This will be my fifth production with A Center For The Arts and I sure hope there will be more opportunities to do what I love.”
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