John Dale, played by Aiden McNally, hands rental store owner Anne Weston, played by Sawyer Hessler, a check to cover the costs of the Christmas Day he is renting.
The play's cast. Back (L-R): Karalee Slaght - John's cook; Cindy Francis - John's housekeeper; Sawyer Hessler – rental store owner; Aiden McNally – John Dale; Abby deRonnebeck – rental store employee and later orphan Jack; Emma McNally – orphan Jean; Kyle deRonnebeck – orphan Willie and Angela Williams – orphanage matron. Front (L-R): Penelope Hunter - orphan Sydney; Matilda Hessler – orphan Lettie; Markie Weymouth – orphan Cynthia and Silas Hessler – Dale's partner Fred.
Mother and father (seated on couch) enjoy watching the children unwrap their presents. In front of them is orphan Cynthia (Markie Weymouth). Sitting to the side are orphans Lettie, Sydney and Willie (Matilda Hessler, Penelope Hunter and Kyle deRonnebeck (hidden)). Behind the couch is Anne's employee Jimmy playing orphan Jack (Abby deRonnebeck).
The cast can't help but crack up as cook (Karalee Slaght) hams it up, dancing around the room on her way to give cookies to the carolers at the door.
Part of John Dale's perfect Christmas experience is wrapping presents for his "children."
OVANDO – Parents, relatives, visitors and a number of younger siblings dressed in holiday attire packed the Ovando School gym to see the student production of "The Rented Christmas" Dec. 20.
The play's story revolves around rich, but lonely, bachelor John Dale (Aiden McNally) who decides he wants the kind of warm family Christmas his business partner has each year. So Dale goes to the rental store and orders a very specific Christmas, one that includes a decorated house and tree, a full Christmas meal, wrapped presents -- and a wife and six children.
Accordingly, rental store owner Ann Weston (Sawyer Hessler) hires six orphans and then finds herself playing the role of wife and mother. Everyone acts their part, as though they are a real family, and Christmas Day is all that Dale hoped for.
But when it comes time to leave, the children are sad, as are Dale's cook and housekeeper. Dale also finds himself unhappy that his "family" is dissolving. In a rapid, but joyful ending, Dale asks Weston to marry him and she, of course, accepts (there are hints that Dale has secretly had his eye on her for some time and vice versa). He also informs her he has already taken steps to adopt the six children.
After the play came to an end, Santa arrived at the gym – to the delight of all those younger siblings, who had squiggled with anticipation throughout the production.
A video of the production, produced by Sheri Ritchlin, is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EV5v8xLkAA&feature=youtu.be
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