A Christmas Carol" is a story most people are well acquainted with; Charles Dickens' timeless tale has been reimagined many times and adapted for nearly every medium. At Solanco High School, the cast members of this year's fall production are pushing their physical and creative limits to put on the familiar fable as you've never seen it before.

Solanco High School Drama Troupe No. 1004 will present "A Christmas Carol" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19; Friday, Nov. 20; and Nov. 21, in the school's auditorium, located at 585 Solanco Road, Quarryville. An additional matinee performance will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m.

Adapted for the stage by English teacher John Biles, the production will incorporate darker tones and comedic elements as it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. The ornery miser will be played by senior Jedidiah King, whose interpretation of the character draws inspiration from Michael Caine's role in the 1992 film "The Muppet Christmas Carol." Jedidiah also cited the show's director, Dillon Maurer, as an influence, and he nearly collapsed a lung while attempting to emulate Maurer's laugh during rehearsal. "It's not easy to sound old and British when you're American and 17 years old," Jedidiah said. "But I'm loving the role of Scrooge as a whole and how varied the character is."

Jedidiah is not the only cast member experimenting with vocal techniques at rehearsal. Senior Ben Ginter said he has prepared for his role as Scrooge's phantom business partner, Jacob Marley, by learning how to lower the pitch of his voice and delivering his lines with a growl.

"I like to give my actors a lot of leeway with their characters," Maurer said. "We have such a well-rounded cast, and everybody is bringing something different to the stage." Maurer added that the cast of this year's fall play is much larger than usual, and the production crew will augment the show's gothic tone with dynamic lighting effects and organ accompaniment.

Although some students have looked to other adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" for inspiration, cast members such as senior Grace West have added depth to their characters by feeding off of their fellow actors' energy. "It's nice to find parts of the character within myself as well," added Grace, who will play the Ghost of Christmas Past.

The Ghost of Christmas Present, played by senior Tony Koch, is less ghoulish and grim than other apparitions that appear in the story. "The Ghost of Christmas Present has a big, booming voice," Tony said. "This role is going to be fun, I'm just going for it."

"We have a very young cast, and this show is an awesome opportunity for students to grow as actors and crew members," said Maurer. "They're doing an outstanding job, and I think the rest of Lancaster County should look out for this cast and the talent we have coming out of Solanco."

Tickets will be available to purchase online in advance or at the door before each performance. For more information, visit http://www.solancosd.org.