A Few Questions With Caroling by Gaslight Director and Playwright Skyler Goff

Caroling by Gaslight opens on December 2nd, 2022! Everyone knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the tightfisted old miser. But if you thought he was bad, wait until you get a load of his neighbors. Find out what really happened that fateful night in this hilariously devious R-rated retelling of the Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol.

We reached out to Skyler Goff to find out more about him and his experience working on this production!

Do you relate to your character or to any character in the show? How similar / different are you?

Each of these characters is some part of me. There is no escaping that. The one thing they all have in common of course is that they are indebted to something or someone. I have worked my entire adult life to become debt free and I have watched myself push my moral and physical limits aside to achieve that goal just as these characters do. They are incarnations of my desperation and struggles due to the capitalistic nature of the world we live in, something I am very eager to escape.

What's your favorite line in the show? Why?

"Is she suckin your knob, Bob?" Because it rhymes.

What is your favorite version of A Christmas Carol (film / TV / stage)?

Check out the award-winning animated version from Chuck Jones of Loony Tunes fame. Made in 1971, they bring back Alister Sim from the 1951 version to voice scrooge. The imagery is haunting and touching. If you can abide by the mediocre singing and acting, 'Scrooge ' starring Albert Finny has a hilarious scene where the people of London literally dance on Scrooge's coffin while putting on a parade. Amazing.

How did you get into theatre?

I decided to give theatre a try in high school. On the first day, I walked into the auditorium and every senior girl in the room squealed, leapt out of their seats, and embraced me in a large group hug while shouting, 'it's a boy! it's a boy!' I've been addicted ever since.

How is working with The Magnetic different from working with other theatres?

I find that The Magnetic has a level of professionalism that many local theaters could aspire towards. Not only do they pay everyone involved with their productions, but they also hold their actors and crew to high standards. They also were one of the last companies in the area to lift the vaccination mandate for audiences, giving their actors, crew, and staff a few more months of safety as Covid fluctuated in the county and communicated their reasoning clearly and transparently.

Biography

Skyler Goff is a published author, educator, online merchant, and actor. He has performed for and worked with children in schools all over the country, specializing in programs involving horror, escape room building, and zombie survival. He would like to give special thanks to his wonderful family. Without their constant support, open minds, and flair for the dramatic, this show would never have existed. He also want's to thank his partner in crime and passion, Ashleigh Goff who accepts him at his best and his worst and, more importantly, makes him laugh on a daily basis.

Caroling by Gaslight is showing at The Magnetic Theatre in Asheville, NC December 2-17, 2022. Grab your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=132413