A Few Questions With Caroling by Gaslight Actor Kai Strange

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 Kai Strange to find out more about him and his experience working on this production!

What is your favorite or least favorite holiday season tradition and why?

I think gift-giving is a really sweet holiday tradition, making or buying thoughtful things for the people you love is really beautiful. At the same time, it's also pretty nasty how we've made gift-giving so much about being consumers, taking quantity over quality a lot of the time.

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

Something that is really special about the show that I have never gotten to experience before is that Skyler wrote these roles with these specific actors in mind. Now, by no means are my characters just myself, Skyler has thrown all sorts of fun challenges my way.

The main character I play (Little Dickens) is in a bit of a situation where he's really the only kid in the story. His amongst many adults, with adult problems and he's just kinda along for the ride. He's definitely motivated by his love for Chastity, and that keeps him moving even when things get very... Let's just say painful.

Well, I personally am not usually motivated by my undying love of the local prostitute, I most definitely relate to Little Dickens as a character. Mainly in the theater world, I am often the baby of the bunch (well, 20-year-old baby, but still a baby to some) and I oftentimes am rather oblivious to certain jokes, or references, which Little Dickens most definitely is.

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

"Gimpy's got a gun." It's just such a fun line. It makes me laugh 😂

How did you get into theatre?

Since the very first play I was ever a part of (a school play, when I was 9) I had felt such a deep love and a calling to do this work. Now, over a decade later that hasn't changed but only grown. Funny enough, some of the very first theater I was ever a part of was with Skyler and his wife Ashleigh who plays our Mistress Bates. They run a very sweet little youth theater program called the Montford Moppets. That's where I did my first theater production that wasn't through school. I was 12 when I first joined Moppets and was a part of it for another 6 years until I aged out of the program. I am delighted to be working with Ashleigh and Skyler in a setting where they are no longer my teachers, but my peers. It has been a phenomenal experience so far.

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

I've mainly worked with the Montford Park Players. Comparing MPP and the Magnetic is very interesting because they are almost complete opposites. MPP is an outdoor theater space with an audience capacity of probably around 800 people. It's huge. They do mainly Shakespeare. The Magnetic is an indoor space, with an audience capacity of probably around 50. While Magnetic does original works from local writers in the area. They are so different, and I love so many things about both!

One of the things I really love about the Magnetic Theater is how incredibly intimate the space is. You are really right there with the audience. With a smaller space, they also have a lot more ease and creativity with set design in the space. Every show I've seen at the Magnetic has had an incredibly unique and beautiful set that works perfectly with the story. I also think it's really cool to have a space where local writers can be supported in having their work shared and performed.

Biography

Kai is delighted to be spending his first season with The Magnetic Theater. He first was in No More Waiting, he also was in this year's One Act festival. Besides The Magnetic, Kai has worked mainly with the Montford Park Players. Some of his favorite roles include, "Dogberry" in Much Ado About Nothing, "The Little Prince" in The Little Prince, "King Louis" in The Three Musketeers. Kai is so excited to be working with this fantastic cast, and incredible Playwright and Director, Skyler Goff. Now without further ado, please enjoy this wonderfully weird show!

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