"Branham's doing the same show," said sophomore Clayton Lawrence, who plays the Ghost of Christmas Future in Leigh's production. "We've invited them to ours and vice versa, but they're on the same weekend."

Center Stage Productions, Leigh's drama boosters club, is producing A Christmas Carol, which boasts a cast of 34 and a crew of 24. Some cast members rode a float in the Los Gatos Children's Christmas & Holidays Parade on Dec. 6.

Since A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843, the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge has become part of popular culture. But the student performers at a recent rehearsal said they don't mind that the play treads ground the audiences might find overly familiar.

"Christmas is Christmas, no matter what they say, and this play is fun to watch," said junior Diana Katra, a Los Gatos resident who portrays Belle. "It's my first-ever production, and I'm wondering why I haven't done it before. It's been a blast."

Katra said the hardest thing about acting has been "staying in character on stage and not cracking up."

For other young actors in this show, mastering the dialect of Victorian London has proven difficult.

"The hardest part is getting the accent," said senior Erica Jenoff, a Los Gatan who portrays Mrs. Crachit. "We're just hoping there are no British people in the audience."

A Christmas Carol also marks Jenoff's first stage role. She said it's been fun watching the show come together. "You wouldn't believe the talent these kids have," Jenoff added. "You know them on campus, but you see them on stage and they're so different."

Ryder Bach, who plays Scrooge, is one of the more seasoned performers in Leigh's cast. His professional credits include The Sound of Music at American Musical Theatre of San Jose and West Side Story at San Mateo Performing Arts.

Bach said it's challenging to bring something new to a character who's been portrayed so many times by so many different actors. "It's hard because I'm young and it's an old character," said the sophomore. "I've never really seen the show, and I haven't watched it since [I was cast]. I figured I might as well create the role anew."

Los Gatos resident Annalisa Giardiana, a sophomore who plays a solicitor in A Christmas Carol, also has performance experience outside of school, including some Shakespearean training. Like Shakespeare's works, Giardiana said, Dickens' story has a timeless quality to it. "I've always wanted to do this show," she added.

"A Christmas Carol" plays Dec. 11­13 and 19­20 at Leigh High School. Performances are at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees on Dec. 13 and 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6­$8. For more information, call Debra Ullmann at 408.997.2590.