Photo provided CAROL WEAKLAND will perform the “Cricket on the Hearth” live online on Dec. 14.

MOUNDSVILLE –Actor, author and director Carol Weakland will perform “The Cricket on the Hearth,” as a special holiday Live Virtually program for the Moundsville-Marshall County Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14 via Zoom or the library’s Facebook page. This online theatrical storytelling event is free and open to the public.

This classic Charles Dickens tale was adapted by Weakland to be an hour-long play in which she brings the various characters to life in a magical blend of storytelling and theater.

A wonderful holiday event for the whole family to enjoy, this program is especially suited to adults and school-age audiences.

“The Cricket on the Hearth” is set in Victorian England on Christmas Eve. The Cricket is a sort of guardian spirit, safeguarding the Peerybingle family. When Dot Peerybingle is accused of betraying her husband, John, with a mysterious stranger, the Cricket intercedes on her behalf. As the Cricket narrates the story, the audience will also meet the poor toymaker Caleb Plummer, his miserly employer Tackleton and the young woman, May, being forced to marry him. Mysteries will be revealed and a heartwarming conclusion will brighten everyone’s yuletide season.

Carol Weakland’s past performances of this adaptation have been hailed as “amazing” and “wonderful” by audiences treated to this holiday gem. Her talent for adapting literature into captivating live performances has kept people coming back for more. She performs a wide range of one-woman shows based on famous literature.

She also has performed in films, such as the award winning Victorian murder mystery “A Murder Party” and the comedic thriller “Overdue,” as well as working in commercials and traditional theater. Weakland is the founder of Great Expectations Theatrical Productions, based in Youngstown. She is the author of the Morgen of Avalon series, Land of the Twilight Mist and “The Arthurian Trilogy.”

The Library is offering a variety of virtual events and extra digital resources since most in-person programming was suspended due to COVID-19. The Zoom Webinar platform being used for this event will permit you to join as an unseen audience member while the presenter offers an online performance. Find the Zoom link on the Moundsville Library’s Facebook Page or call or email the library. Zoom is easy to use and may be downloaded for free. The Zoom Webinar ID number for this event is: 819 7551 3186. The Webinar Passcode is: 305494. You may also watch the event live on Facebook (a Facebook account is not required; just do a search for “Moundsville Library Facebook”) or listen in by phone. Those joining on Zoom will be able to ask questions or make comments through the platform’s Chat function. The program will finish in about an hour.

This online event is sponsored by the Robert Baker Family. For more information, call the Moundsville Library at 304-845-6911.