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Amidst the flurry of costumes, props, hurried one-liners and shouts of laughter from the audience, The Fredericktowne Players are confident they can still capture the spirit of the holiday season with "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)."

"It's fast and funny with lots of costumes and props amidst some general chaos," said director DC Cathro.

Kicking off at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Cultural Arts Center in Frederick, the family friendly show runs for the next two weekends. Set in modern times, the play features a cast of three actors busy rehearsing "A Christmas Carol," until one in the group decides that he is tired of that show.

"So they decide they're going to try to do everybody's favorite show in just an hour and a half. And they end up doing ‘A Christmas Carol' during the second half, but even that goes awry," said Cathro.

With clips from "Rudolph," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "It's Christmas, Charlie Brown" and "It's a Wonderful Life," among many others, the production will pay homage to shows that should resonate with everybody in the audience.

For Thomas Scholtes, of Frederick, his favorite part is portraying a character with an Australian accent.

"I studied there for a semester and I like that I get to draw upon my experience there," Scholtes said.

Cathro strived to incorporate each actor's individual talents into the show. Dance instructor Christine Galante, the only female cast member, incorporates dance moves into the play, while lead JP Nichols uses his community theater skills to provide a sort of narration.

"Since I'm the anchor of the show, I end up doing less characters than the other two actors," said Nichols, of Pennsylvania.

Scholtes, particularly, has many costume changes, with four coming in at just under a minute.

"It's crazy," he said, noting that he regularly throws on outfits and runs onto stage to say one line, before racing back behind the curtain.

This is the first Fredericktowne Players production for all three actors, said Cathro, adding that each do a "fantastic" job.

A recent addition to the Maryland Ensemble Theatre's Comedy Pigs lineup, Scholtes had been looking to get involved with community theatre since his return from college.

"‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told,' seemed really interesting and funny," he said. "I'm really excited to be a part of it."

Nichols is having a blast with rehearsals. The most challenging aspect for him? Playing a character from Iceland during one segment.

"I had to come up with an Icelandic voice even though I have no idea what one sounds like," Nichols said.

When the Cultural Arts Center approached members of The Fredericktowne Players to kick off the holiday season with a special event, Cathro knew he had to direct.

"We wanted to do something that would appeal to everyone," Cathro said, noting that while he stayed true to the original script, he updated cultural and local references, and even created a pre-show DVD featuring commercials and holiday references to help audiences get into the spirit.

Cathro and his cast are looking forward to opening night on Saturday. Although they got a late start, Cathro is confident the talents of both cast and crew will shine through.

"Our rehearsals have been absolutely hysterical," he said.

‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told'

When: 8 p.m. on Saturday and

2 p.m. on Sunday; 8 p.m. Nov. 27-28 and 2 p.m. Nov. 29

Where: Cultural Arts Center,

15 W. Patrick St., Frederick

Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for children and students

For information: 301-662-4190