HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE MET FAMILY

As we celebrate this joyous time of year here at MET, we also thank all of our loyal patrons and welcome our new ones. Here's wishing you all a happy and safe holiday, spent with loved ones and friends. After a successful tour of our beloved production of Christmas Carol at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster and the Weinberg Center for the Arts, our festive holiday offerings continue. " The Santaland Diaries" (welcoming sell-out crowds) and the raucous "4 Eggnogs and an Apology" run on the Mainstage through January 3. And, don't miss "The Snow Queen", running on our Family Theatre stage through January 24. In between, many of us will be in South Carolina at our annual company retreat rejuvenating, planning, holding creative workshops, rehearsing for the upcoming production of "Almost, Maine"...and of course, playing.

And finally, here's a bit more holiday cheer from us to you! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO ABOVE:
A MET DISCO CHRISTMAS
featuring some of your favorite MET characters and our newest MET-ster Eve

..Oh and if you are in need of last minute gifts, stop by the box office for mugs, MET scarves, t-shirts, hoodies or gift vouchers!!

MET in the News

We're all over the place this weekend! Not only are there several articles about MET in today's local papers, our shows are also on the covers of both 72Hours in the FNP and the A&E section in the Gazette! Follow the links below to read the stories and reviews:

A nice piece about Julie Herber and a review of 4 Eggnogs and an Apology, in the Frederick News Post.

A story about A Christmas Carol and one about our partnership with Cakes for a Cause, in the Gazette.

A Christmas Carol load-in at the Weinberg

Last Sunday, the day after we closed our run of A Christmas Carol at the Carroll County Arts Center, our crew loaded the set into the Weinberg Center in Frederick. We've been using the same set, designed by Tad Janes, for the last several years, and it's basically a giant erector set, fairly easy and quick to put together. And this year we captured the process on film:

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This is what the set looks like when it's all put together, with lights and special effects:

A Merry Bah Humbug Christmas

MET has partnered with Cakes for a Cause to present, for the first time ever, Scrooge Gear! During our performances of A Christmas Carol at the Weinberg, you'll be able to pick up a Merry Bah Humbug scarf, Cratchit Crackers and Tiny Tim Treats. Below MET board members and owner/founder of Cakes for a Cause Elin Ross model the fabulous scarves (design by Jean Peterson), and Elin displays her baked goodies.

First Row: Ben Mourad, Elin Ross, Shawn Pitts

Second Row: Amy Benton, Dan Kuebbing, Elizabeth Cromwell, Tad Janes, Kara Norman, Beccah Bartlett

Snow Queen Press Round Up

The Snow Queen received lovely press this week, with stories in both the Gazette and the Herald-Mail. Both pieces feature an interview with writer and director, Reiner Prochaska.

Photo: Daniel Cross as Kai, Rachel Sears as Gerda and Carly Lawrence as the Snow Queen. ©2008 Joe Williams

More Eggnog Fun

Check out the 'history and life behind that little frothy brew!' Yes, apparently there is some disagreement about where the name 'eggnog' came from. Was it derived from 'egg'n'grog' or 'egg in a noggin' or 'egg and grog in a noggin'?

Read the arguments and choose a side at the link above! And, come see 4 Eggnogs and an Apology this weekend!

The Fourth Eggnog

Low-Fat Eggnog

Ingredients:
6 cups skim milk
1 cup “Egg Beaters” (or similar)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 teaspoons rum extract
sweetener or sugar, to taste (just remember that this is supposed to be a DIET recipe, and sugar has more calories than a sweetener)
2 x pinch nutmeg,
2 x pinch cinnamon, ground

Directions:
In a medium saucepan (or bowl, if you plan to use the microwave), heat the milk, Egg Beaters and sweetener or sugar. You’ll need to remember to stir continuously if you’re using the stove, and every minute if you’re using the microwave.
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Heat & stir until the mixture thickens slightly – enough that it can coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla essence, rum extract, one pinch of nutmeg & one pinch of cinnamon.
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Remove from heat (or microwave).Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the eggnog has cooled (at least 3 hours). Just prior to serving, ladle your yummy low fat eggnog into glasses, and garnish each with an extra little sprinkle of ground nutmeg & ground cinnamon.