BY MATT AUERBACH
Staff Writer
JEFF GRANIT staff Glenn Klein plays Rabbineezer Scrooge in “Winnie-the-Pooh’s Christmas Carol” at the Forum Theater in Metuchen.
METUCHEN — For the third consecutive year, the inhabitants of the Hundred-Acre Wood have hunkered down at the Forum Theater.
In what is fast becoming a holiday tradition, "Winnie-the-Pooh’s Christmas Carol" is back, delighting audiences of every age.
The musical is the creation of two New Jersey talents, Paul Farinella, Somerset, who wrote the music and lyrics, and Glen Ridge’s Paul Whelihan, who wrote the book and directs the show.
In the show, Christopher Robin decides to read "A Christmas Carol" to his stuffed animal, Winnie-the-Pooh. As Robin reads, Pooh comes to life and declares that he will become a character from the story. It’s not long before Winnie is joined by Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, Owl and Kanga as the whole group acts out their own unique twist on "A Christmas Carol."
JEFF GRANIT staff Cast members perform “Winnie-the-Pooh’s Christmas Carol,” a play written and directed by Paul Whelihan, at the Forum Theater in Metuchen.
The show is the brainchild of Whelihan, who also serves as the director of programs and services for the Forum Theater Company. He began his association with the company in 1987, in the position of director of development.
"That means I raised a lot of money," he said.
Whelihan’s credits reveal a penchant for show business on both sides of the curtain.
As an actor, producer, playwright, arts administrator and director, he’s practiced at both the creative and practical ends of the business.
His commitment to children’s entertainment runs deep as well: He is the resident director of Pushcart Players, a leading, touring theater company for family audiences.
When asked what the trick is to successfully write for a younger audience (he’s also written the book for productions of "Thumbelina" and "The Velveteen Rabbit" for A Kid’s Forum, the theater’s program for children), Whelihan gladly revealed his secret.
"My style is to take kids’ shows and characters and skewer them just slightly," he said.
The idea to mix "Winnie-the-Pooh" and "A Christmas Carol" came from Ellen Beattie, the artistic director of A Kid’s Forum, back in 2000.
As soon as he heard the idea, Whelihan said, something clicked.
"I always loved ‘A Christmas Carol’ with Alastair Sim," he said, referring to the classic 1951 film. "And I got to appear in a production of it with my son."
The creation of "Winnie-the-Pooh’s Christmas Carol" was not some long, drawn-out process.
"It took Paul and me five weeks to write it," Whelihan said. "We met four times. Then we rehearsed for three weeks with the cast and that was that."
"Winnie" was not the first time Whelihan and Farinella had worked together.
"Paul and I met when I directed ‘Pocahontas’ here at the Theater," he said. "He wrote the songs for that one, too."
Whelihan said that although all age groups can enjoy the show, the target audience is pre-K through 10.
"The younger ones get the experience," he said. "The older ones get the point."
Whelihan has learned not to underestimate a young audience.
"Kids are the most honest critics," he said. "You know if they don’t like something pretty quick."
He tries to keep in mind a quote by the late acting teacher, the legendary Constantin Stanislavsky.
"Someone asked him how you act for children," Whelihan said. "He answered: ‘The same as you would act for adults, only better.’"
Whelihan said the moment when the kids give themselves over to the story happens at the same time at every performance.
"When Winnie makes his first appearance on-stage through the trap door," Whelihan said, "you can see it on their faces. They’re suspending disbelief."
This is a special year for the Forum Theater Company. "We’re celebrating our 20th anniversary," Whelihan said.
The theater itself has been around since 1928, initially as a vaudeville house and later as a movie theater. The theater company took up residence in 1983.
"Winnie-the-Pooh’s Christmas Carol" runs through Dec. 28.