The Farmville Community Arts Council's latest production, "Scrooge, The Musical," is literally a family affair.

There are several sets of family members in this year's show.

Andrew Barrett and his two daughters, McKenzie, an East Carolina University student, and Madison, a middle-school student, are in the production. John and Jessica Kabakjian are another father-daughter duo in the Farmville production.

"Scrooge, The Musical" will be presented at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16-17 and at 3 p.m. Nov. 18 at the historical Paramount Theatre in downtown Farmville.

Dr. Leo Waivers, who is playing the main role as Scrooge, is working with his daughter Katie, 14.

"She's playing the role of my nephew's wife," Waivers said. "It's been great, she helps me out."

Waivers has participated in several productions with the arts council over the last few years. Prior to that, he hadn't acted since high school and college.

Last year, Waivers played the Spirit of Christmas Present in "Scrooge, The Musical."

"It was the Santa Claus role," he said. "Playing Scrooge is more difficult for a couple of reasons; there are a lot more lines and the character itself is difficult to play.

"You have to really concentrate on being mean."

Katie assists her dad in learning his lines on the drive from Greenville to Farmville each night for rehearsal.

"She also sings, so she helps me learn my songs," Waivers said.

Katie is a freshman at J.H. Rose High School and has been involved in local theater for many years.

"She's done some plays with the Smiles and Frowns Playhouse and, when she was really little, she played the shrunken Alice in 'Alice in Wonderland,'" Waivers said.

The Drake sisters, Andrea, 18, JoJo, 12, and Abbie, 10, also got involved in theater at an early age.

"The first time I was in a show, I was in third grade," JoJo said. "I was in 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.' I've always participated in church musicals whenever they come up, and I thought this would be fun."

So did JoJo's little sister Abbie.

"I did it last year and I had a lot of fun," she said. "It's a challenge, but I've really enjoyed doing them."

Abbie is in fifth grade and has the role of Tiny Tim. She and her sister JoJo are both home schooled.

The girls' mother, Lori Drake, encourages her girls to participate in the local theater productions.

"We've always gone to see plays and musicals," she said. "We play a lot of music in the house. I think the arts are important."

Lori Drake uses her daughters' roles in "Scrooge" as a learning opportunity as well, teaching them about Charles Dickens and the original work that the musical is based upon.

Andrea doesn't have a role on stage; she's behind the scenes as the production's stage manager.

"I'm having a blast backstage," she said. "I don't have to memorize anything. I like it better because I get to know the actor more and understand the play better."

The Farmville Central High School senior said that while she's not a great singer or dancer, she still wanted to be involved in the show. She assisted Corina Rice, the director of the show, last year behind the scenes. She also stage-managed Farmville's production of "Eenie, Meenie, Murder Moe" earlier this year.

"(Rice) asked me if I would be the stage manager for this show," Andrea said.

She believes that the leadership role is excellent experience for her goal of becoming a teacher.

"I plan on majoring in elementary education," she said. "I want to work with special education and the deaf. I want to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most."

Contact features writer Kelley Kirk-Swindell at 329-9596 or kkirkswindell@coxnc.com.