BY MEGAN BOISVERT

Sometimes the best-laid plans do not come to fruition. This holiday season, dive into the chaos that sometimes occurs in live theater in this hilarious, unique take on the classic Dickens tale A Christmas Carol.

In A Christmas Chaos, by Michael Wehrli, The Royal Shakespeare Company has not arrived to perform A Christmas Carol, leaving the community-theater actors and technicians to put together their own production in only seven hours. After all, the show must go on!

Audiences will be delighted as two talented Tiny Tims (played by Giovanni Frasca and Oria Stokes) fight for their chance in the spotlight; a confused actor thinks they’re in every show but A Christmas Carol (Griffin Williams); and a serious but vain lead actor (Drew Hurley) attempts to hold the performance together.

The fast-paced humor continues as one actor is coerced into playing both Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit (Matt Williams), while an out-of-control director (Brandon Jackson) and a stressed-to-the-nines stage manager (Liz Lavery) attempt to tackle their biggest and toughest project yet … saving the show.

Full of theater havoc and a charming cast that pulls together in the midst of mayhem, this farce is sure to bring a laugh to all ages.

Come out and celebrate the holiday season Dec. 1-3, 8-10 and 15-17 at Shoestring Theatre, 380 S. Goodwin St. in Lake Helen.

Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for senior citizens, and $15 for students. (Student tickets may only be purchased in person or through the box office.) Reserve your seats online at shoestringtheatre.net or call the box office 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday at 386-228-3777.