Joseph Passarella is about to tackle all the characters on stage in “A Christmas Carol.” His favorite, however, is a surprise.
Sorry Tiny Tim.
Too bad Bob Cratchit.
Scrooge you, Ebenezer.
“I have great affection for all the characters, but if I had to choose one that I identify with most, it would be Charles Dickens himself,” Passarella said. “All these characters are really an extension of Dickens.”
Passarella will perform his own adaptation of “A Charles Dickens Christmas Carol.” It will be held Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Melon Patch Theatre, 311 N. 13th St., in Leesburg. For information call 352-787-3013, or go to:
Passarella is a bit of a renaissance man himself. He lives in the Village of Caroline and when not on stage, works as a server at the Mallory Hill Country Club Restaurant.
“Serving is a lot harder than most people think,” Passarella said. “I’ve been in and out of the hospitality business my whole life and it (can be very hard).
“But I just try to keep upbeat and focused. My theater background allows me the opportunity to do just that.”
When asked to describe his background in theater, Passarella says, “It’s just what I do.”
And playing all the roles in “A Christmas Carol” on stage this time of year serves up joy to an audience that cherishes the classic holiday story.
The theater website describes the show this way:
“Joseph Passarella cleverly adapts this story for the stage and invites audiences to listen to this beloved novella in the very words of Charles Dickens himself….Joseph takes on all of the characters you have come to know and love and get into the spirit of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come!
As for Passarella, he’s thoroughly enjoying playing the whole Christmas Carol gang.
“It’s so interesting to bring these timeless characters to life,” he said.
Tony Violanti covers music and entertainment for Villages-News.com. He was inducted into The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame as a music journalist
