For more than 130 years the Lorain County Historical Society has boasted a mission to not only collect, preserve and share the history of the county but also educate and inspire present and future generations.

For more than 130 years, the Lorain County Historical Society has boasted a mission to not only collect, preserve and share the history of the county but also to educate and inspire present and future generations. That's why for its Christmas 2020 celebration, the nonprofit is taking to heart its mission by turning to its past to entertain the present. The Lorain County Historical Society's Hickories Museum, 509 Washington Ave., is an 1895 mansion that combines Richardsonian Romanesque and Shingle-style architecture. In 1912, owner Mary Garford opened her Washington Avenue home in Elyria to 50 ladies for a reading of "A Christmas Carol." Inspired by the idea, the historical society is presenting an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic performed online by local actors. "This was important for us to do for several reasons," said Kathryn Dean-Dielman, a member of the historical society's Board of Directors who is directing "A Christmas Carol." "The most important is that as many nonprofits are having problems during this pandemic, we're not an exception to that. "We've had most of our revenue streams shut off because we give programs here and in the schools. We can't do any of that now. Also, and this is equally as important, people are looking for something to do for Christmas. So what we're doing is we are going to be (performing) a dramatic reading of 'A Christmas Carol' with eight actors, including myself. I'll be the narrator." The livestream Zoom shows, which are scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 6, find the actors performing from the safety of their own homes. While initially Dean-Dielman admitted she wasn't sure what kind of response she'd get, early on it became apparent the theater community was hungry for any type of creative outlet. This was definitely the case for Avon High School English teacher Preston Postle, who is playing Scrooge. "He was so excited, he already had a script ready to go," Dean-Dielman said. Initially inspired as a child by Chuck Jones' animated version of "A Christmas Carol," Postle played Marley and other roles in a Huntington Playhouse production, and he directed an Avon High School production. It wasn't until Bay Village Community Theater was looking for a staged reading of the Christmas classic that he volunteered to adapt and direct the Dickens text into a stage production. "That's the script that I had lying around when I was asked to do this Zoom production for the Lorain County Historical Society," Postle said. "I've never played Scrooge before, and I've never done a Zoom production before either. There are several challenges in a Zoom reading." This includes the actors looking at the camera when you're trying to read lines, as well as learning how to react when not speaking. "We kept the cast small for the simple reason the fewer people, the less technology the better," Dean-Dielman said. "The more moving parts you have, the more something is going to happen." Having been in rehearsals for about a month, Dean-Dielman is optimistic the show will not only be seamless but also touch an emotional chord — albeit virtually — with the audience. "We're carrying on the Mary Garford tradition," Dean-Dielman said. "Usually at Christmastime you can open up the Hickories and see everything decorated. We can't do any of that. We can't share Christmas joy with people right now, so this is the best way. "This is subjective, but I know that in rehearsal last week I almost cried. There are certain lines that really get me. Right now, we need to be taking care of each other even if it inconveniences us and makes us miserable. In the end, we want to see everybody on the other side of the pandemic." WHAT: Lorain County Historical Society presents Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." WHEN: 4 p.m. Today and 2 p.m. Sunday. TICKETS: $10 (per household). INFO: www.lchs.org/events.