As the air grows nippy and people begin to nurture thoughts of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, the students at Saint Patrick High School have their sights set on a very different type of holiday roasting.

“Inspecting Carol” tells the comic tale of a small regional theatre group preparing to stage its annual “cash cow,” a production of “A Christmas Carol.” Their four-day rehearsal schedule is looking woefully inadequate as Tiny Tim leaves for a better offer. Then, the company accountant tells the director that low ticket sales have left them on the verge of bankruptcy. To make matters worse, the National Endowment for the Arts is considering pulling its $30,000 grant due to “significant artistic deficit,” and is sending a representative to investigate. An inept actor wanna-be arrives on the scene, is mistaken for the inspector, and things go from bad to worse amid falling scenery and troubled romances.

“What makes the play so universally funny is that audiences, particularly in the Chicago area, are so familiar with the original ‘A Christmas Carol’ that everyone knows how badly off-track this crazy cast and crew are,” says Kevin Long, Theatre Program Director at Saint Patrick High School. “It’s a backstage seat as the worst production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ literally unhinges before your eyes.” The production team includes Long, director, Rebecca Hamlin, set designer, Andrew Nelsen, lighting designer, Jane DeBondt, costume designer, Rory Murphy, sound designer, Gena Long, props designer, and Karl Sullivan, technical director. The cast includes Jonathan Chavez, Dominic Clemente, Jr., Brendan Crowley, Rachel Fusello, Ginka Jakubowska, Kevin Kaucher, Catherine Keating, T.J. Nicol, Brian Rachmaciej, Jeremy Schultz, Steven Stojak, and Mrs. Marilyn Wenzel, school librarian, playing the cameo role of the inspector.

If you are already cranky and burned out at the prospect of the upcoming holidays, whose “cheer” seems to be spread from October to January, plan on seeing Saint Patrick High School’s production of “Inspecting Carol.” It’s a production that is guaranteed to lighten up your holiday spirit.

“Inspecting Carol” opens November 3 and runs through November 5. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinee starts at 2:00 p.m.

All shows will be performed at the Saint Patrick Performing Arts Centre, located at 5900 W. Belmont Avenue. Tickets are $7.00 and can be purchased on line at http://www.stpatrick.org, or by phoning the box office at 773.286.8470.