The two boys playing Tiny Tim in South Coast Repertory’s annual holiday production of “A Christmas Carol” know the meaning of family tradition.
Parker Cohn’s sister played the part of Belinda last year, and Phillip Swanson’s three older brothers were cast as Tiny Tim in prior years’ productions.
Parker, 8, and Phillip, 9, said director John-David Keller (or “JD,” as Parker refers to him) explained the importance of the show to them.
“JD, the director, said it’s not only a long-running play anymore, it’s a tradition. And since it’s a tradition now, people take their children to see it,” Parker said.
“When they’re all grown up, they take their children, and then when their children are all grown up, they take their children,” Phillip said.
Dickens’ classic tale of the Cratchit family and its effect on Ebenezer Scrooge, the old, embittered miser, is now in its 28th season at South Coast Repertory.
Keller said he looks forward to the changes the children bring to the show each year, keeping it fresh and new for the audience.
He said there are plenty of adults who misbehave more than kids, and he tells the boys that Tiny Tim’s role takes an importance equal to any of the adult character’s.
The boys are eager to work, he said, and very smart.
Keller described Parker as “8 going on 40.”
Parker came up to him a few weeks ago at rehearsal to offer a word or two of encouragement.
“I just want you to know that I think you’re very capable,” Parker told him.
Because of child labor laws, the actor playing Tiny Tim can work only a certain number of hours per day, which is why the two boys trade off in the role.
For such young actors, the boys are well-versed when it comes to explaining the theme of the play and what learning their lines entails.
“Scrooge is like a name that is kind of rude,” Parker said, adding that while Scrooge doesn’t really care about anybody else, he really likes Tiny Tim and changes himself consequently.
“He gets very nice by the end of the story. It changes him and makes him nice,” Parker said.
“He doesn’t want Tiny Tim to die because the family already has too much on their hands,” Phillip said.
The boys have been rehearsing every day for more than a month. They have a lot of lines, they said, and some of them are long, making memorization difficult.
