A CHRISTMAS STORY: Shown at one of the final rehearsals for Theatre Orangeville's production of A Christmas Story, which opens tonight are Adam Bartley and Terry Hart. For ticket information, call the Box Office at 519-942-3423 or book on-line at www.theatreorangeville .ca It is part of the magic of theatre that, no matter how chaotic the last rehearsals seem to be, everything comes together as the curtain goes up.

Countless are the times when this truth has surprised even the participants. Perhaps, the theatre is protected by its own brand of fairies, but, whatever makes it happen, we are all grateful.

It is, of course, also due to the weeks of intense rehearsals and the inner nobility of the actor who, having done the work, is able to completely focus. In harmony with the other equally ready and focussed people on the stage, the play is delivered as wanted and expected.

The rehearsal at the beginning of this week for Theatre Orangeville's Christmas play, A Christmas Story, was typical. An 18-foot step ladder towered over several seats, giving the brave techie who would climb it access to the lights above. Tins of paint were stationed along the floor between the aisles in case of lastminute touches to the set. There were cloths and tools and a seat piled with jackets.

The stage was full. The set, brilliantly devised as always, covers the stage, with a "bedroom" to one side and a department store setting to the other. Some of this will slide out of sight; some will remain for the duration of the play. The lighting will do the rest.

Along a line two thirds of the way to the back of the theatre is the technical set up: the lights, sound and, for rehearsals, director David Nairn. For several minutes, the lights danced across the stage, flicking on and off as the crew made last minute decisions about the precise placing of the spots. The nuances; the details. Every lighting manoeuvre is a contribution to the whole, the understanding, the enhancement.

Stage manager Kate Brown called the crew and cast to order. Terry Hart went up on the stage while the rest of the cast scooted off stage ready for their cues. They were starting with Act Two.

This was the time of the "10 of 12" rehearsals: 12 hours a day (noon to midnight) with 10 hours of rehearsal in the theatre, bringing all the work of the last weeks from the rehearsal hall to the stage itself.

This is the intensive work of, really, learning the play again to include the lights, the stage setting itself, the costume changes and the tricks.

Terry took his cue from Kate and delivered his opening lines. As he spoke, some of the kids came on stage. They lined up in their over coats, ready to meet Santa at the department store. All the boys were shorn according to the fashion of the time, a convincing cowlick adorning the crown Christopher's head.

There was some action and, then, "hold it there, Terry," from the lighting director and several more minutes of adjustment. As before, the lines were offered over and over, with stops and starts, and start- agains: acting is no profession for the impatient soul.

Enter Susie Burnett and Jamie Williams. They went into their routine, only to be interrupted for a discussion about the extraordinary lamp on the table — whether and when it ought to be lit, which is done, of course, not on stage by an actor but from the computers at the back.

Kate Brown sent me out to the foyer to chat to some of the youngsters who had been excused for the moment. On my way, I spoke to Terry about the young members of the cast.

"I can hardly believe how good they are," he exclaimed. "They're kids but they're so professional — they're really great — this whole experience is extraordinary."

But I was interrupting things and Kate whisked me away.

The kids were dressed in costumes for another scene, a fantasy of Ralphie's, about being in a swamp.

They were learning how to deal with the demands on their patience.

Sam said, "Sometimes, [with all the repetition] you lose the buzz."

"How do you get it back?"

"In our breaks, we have some fun then," he told me.

Their breaks must also carry some of the burden of keeping up with the school they are missing for, basically, two months. They all promised they were keeping abreast of their studies.

Daniel related the good news about his principal: "My teachers are maybe a bit worried about me being away but my principal has been great. He says: 'Good job, go for it.' I was really surprised — I thought he'd be the one worried but he's really for it."

Commenting further on the tedium of repeating and waiting for the adjustments to the technical aspects of the play, Jayde remarked: "This is the hardest part of the rehearing but it's the most important. I don't really mind." For Jayde, even at age 12, this is her life. She has no notion of doing anything else but work in the theatre.

How were they keeping in good health, I asked them. Jayde told me her mother was very strict about food and extra vitamins; Jacqueline, Sam and Alex concurred with lists about the supplements their parents were adding to their diets.

They generally admitted that their social lives were on hold to some extent, although they were keeping in touch with their friends on line, as one might expect.

I offered them the last words of this series.

"Come and see the play," Daniel said.

The choruses rang out: "Come and see it 10 times."

"That's not enough, come a zillion times!"

"Bring your friends and grannies!"

" And everybody else!"

Recommended for all ages seven and up, A Christmas Story opens tonight (Thursday) and continues through to December 20, with 3 p.m. Saturday matinees. For tickets, call 1-800-424- 1295 book online at www.theatreorangeville .ca