The Christmas season is just around the corner, and the most pressing issue in Town Theatre is not last-minute shopping, but instead whether or not Santa Claus exists.
The task of bringing Santa to Columbia falls on Bobby Rogers, who plays Kris Kringle in Town Theatre’s "Miracle on 34th Street." As Kringle, Rogers has to prove in court his worth as the bell-ringing, holiday cheering character trying to spread the gift of love and faith at the famous Macy’s store in New York City.
This is not Rogers' first time on the stage. His passion for theatre started in high school, where he joined a music program because he could not join a P.E. program.
“As I sat there quietly in the back of the class, and having to participate in theater exercises for grade, I found out that I had a hidden talent for entertaining and acting,” Rogers said.
From then on, Rogers pursued acting in a number of groups and is now a regular in Columbia community theatre.
“Being involved in community theatre cultivates relationships and helps strengthen theatrical skills and talents that can be used in other areas of life,” he said.
Rogers first role in Columbia was that William Barfée in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," and since then he has acted in more than four productions with Workshop Theatre. He vividly remembers how special it was performing the production and the experience it gave him.
“That was my first time actually getting into community theatre,” Rogers said. “I’ve done plays before with community theatre, but it more so of a folklore, folk-town-type production. This was actually my first experience with community theatre in Broadway productions.”
Rogers also has experience at Trustus Theatre. He was the vocal coach for 2011’s Mahalia, a musical that is a tribute to Mahalia “The Queen of Gospel” Jackson. Rogers also performed in "Ragtime" and recently, he was part of the cast for Sister Act at Lexington’s Village Square Theatre.
After playing so many characters, Rogers considers himself to be an expert at comic relief. His role as The Ghost of Christmas Present, for example, had room for comedy in its characterization. Now, a year later Rogers returns as a more tangible Christmas figure, but even Santa Claus cannot avoid the Christmas rough and tumble in Manhattan. This more serious and emotional character will be a change for Rogers.
“I think building a character outside of what I'm used to has been the most challenging part of acting,” Rogers said. “In this particular production, working alongside such talented cast members that have been acting for years, it was really challenging to ensure that I match their energy in skill that they bring to the stage.
Nevertheless, Rogers has enjoyed working with the Christmas season’s cast.
“I think the most rewarding part of rehearsing for me would be the interaction between myself and the children,” Rogers said. “And also the amazing individuals who decided to take part in this year's Christmas production as a way to spread Christmas cheer.”
Rogers and the "Miracle on 34th Street" cast will take the Town Theatre stage on Dec. 1 and run every Thursday through Sunday until Dec. 17. Thursday through Saturday shows will be at 8 p.m., while Sunday’s shows start at 3 p.m.