“Rude!” Moquin responded, which spurred laughter from the audience at Latitudes Tavern on Wednesday night.

Much of Thunder Bay Theatre’s “A Cheeky Wee Christmas Carol” was scripted, but the talented, hilarious actors ad libbed at just the right times, making for a very entertaining evening.

The event was twofold — a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit, as well as an opportunity to donate to Thunder Bay Theatre’s fire relief fund.

The fire that destroyed the adjacent John A. Lau Saloon in July 2020 caused significant damage to the Thunder Bay Theatre structure, inside and out. The building has been closed since then, but the TBT Board of Directors has been busy working behind the scenes and offering virtual programs as well as entertainment at various venues in Alpena.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Lucas Moquin makes a disgusted face, playing Ebenezer Scrooge in Thunder Bay Theatre’s “A Cheeky Wee Christmas Carol,” while Narrator Lisa Larkin looks on in the background.

Joe Gentry, decked out in ratty robes and chains, explained why he was playing Jacob Marley in the casual play. He has been Marley in the past, he said.

“It’s Christmas,” he said enthusiastically, before the play began. “It’s the theater, and they’re trying to raise money, and still hold attention that the theater is alive, and it’s going to reopen. So, it’s a way of promoting that, and the arts, and have fun. It’s a great group of people.”

Moquin is on the TBT Board, and had just started as TBT artistic director when the fire happened. He was previously an actor at TBT, where he played Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” a few years ago.

“I wanted to stay involved with the theater,” he said prior to inducing uproarious laughter from a jolly crowd on Wednesday. “I couldn’t pass up reprising my role as Scrooge … I wanted to help out the theater in any way that I could, not just because I’m on the board of directors, but because I have a special connection to Thunder Bay Theatre.”

He said letting the public know they are still working to reopen, and offering events like this, is essential to TBT’s success in the future.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley The cast of “A Cheeky Wee Christmas Carol” poses for a group shot on Wednesday at Latitudes Tavern in Alpena. From left are Joe Gentry, Jessica Luther, Isabel Luther, Hannah Matzke, Lisa Larkin, Sarah Fritz, Thomas Jore, Barb Bourdelais, and Lucas Moquin.

“We’re still doing stuff, it’s just not your traditional theater experience,” Moquin said. “And giving people something to do around the holidays, especially since we’ve got this big storm coming, and that’s going to affect people’s travel plans … and being hilarious and stupid.”

He was happy to entertain, along with Joe Gentry, Jessica Luther, Isabel Luther, Hannah Matzke, Larkin, Sarah Fritz, Thomas Jore, and Barb Bourdelais.

“It’s a Christmas classic,” Moquin said of “A Christmas Carol.”

The “Cheeky Wee” version was pared down and developed by Larkin, who narrated the event.

TBT Board President Anne Gentry attended the event as well.

“Last year we did a dramatic reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ at Latitudes, and it was a really fun, casual event,” she noted. “So, we thought this would be a good opportunity to do one final event of the year, and have some fun, and just remind people that we’re still here, working hard behind the scenes to get our building renovated and back up.”

TBT received a Capital Improvement Grant from Michigan Arts and Culture Council that will need to be spent by September 2023, Gentry said. The renovations are estimated to cost $1.2 million, she added.

“We also have another grant that should be announced in the next few weeks, through the state,” Gentry said. “And then, we have some local foundation support that’s committed already, as well.”

She added that insurance will cover the basics, but they want to be able to renovate the whole building, which includes improvements to the upstairs apartments which house the professional actors seasonally, as well as the lobby, bathrooms, and theater itself. Prior to the fire, the lobby and bathrooms had been renovated in 2019, but the rest of the building remained untouched, and was in need of many updates and repairs.

“So, we’re just waiting on our big grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation,” Gentry said, adding that the grant is for $625,000.

“We’re hopeful that, in the early new year, we’ll be able to announce a timeline for renovations, and to have some work start” in 2023, she said, adding that by 2024, they will hope to be able to do in-person programming again.

For more information as well as an opportunity to donate online, visit thunderbaytheatre.org.