Imagine settling down on a couch in front of a fire as the snow falls gently outside of a nearby window. Add some peppermint hot chocolate and stockings and all of sudden the scene becomes very festive. If you’re looking to complete this with a classic Christmas movie, one of the first to come to mind is often A Christmas Story, the 1983 classic about a boy from Indiana whose desire for a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas drives the plot of the whole film. However, this Christmas, you can trade that couch for an auditorium seat and get the same holiday fix at the Civic Theater’s live production of the film, where freshman Ashlyn Fitch has a role in the musical.

Fitch, who has been acting since third grade, decided to begin theater after seeing a friend perform in a Children’s Creations production. Since she did not enjoy sports as much as her other friends, she thought theater would be a perfect fit, and she was right. From her first role as a munchkin in a Children’s Creations performance to now in her seventh year acting, Fitch has enjoyed every part of the ride. However, Fitch had previously acted with Civic in their traveling troupe and enjoyed the experience immensely. For this reason and many others, Fitch and was was thrilled when the auditions came around for the Christmas show.

“Ashlyn knew she wanted to audition for this musical as soon as it was announced at The Civic,” said Fitch’s mother Renee. “We watched several videos from the Broadway version and it was funny, and had lots singing and a tap dance number. She was also excited because the Christmas show is always a musical and it is the longest running show each year. She loves to sing and was excited that there were several roles for children. She watched the movie for the first time once she decided to audition and she loved it.”

Ashlyn agreed, saying that she loved the story line and the music and dances which went with it. She also loved that the story had lots of surprises and loved seeing the audience’s reaction to them, making it a fun production to get involved in.

After getting a role, Fitch moved forward to rehearsing. This was a large commitment, as rehearsals were 6 days a week for 6 weeks for 2 or more hours a night.

“The most stressful and nerve racking thing going in was balancing school and the show,” Ashlyn said. “I get lots of homework and my grades are important to me so I wanted to make sure I was still keeping my grades up and getting my work in.”

Although Ashlyn was nervous at first, balancing the two proved to work out well. Even with a difficult schedule, the joy Ashlyn found in singing, dancing and performing made everything worthwhile. The cast and crew are also a large part of why Ashlyn loves the show, as she has become very close to them all.

“My cast mates and director are awesome!” Ashlyn said. “Our director, Bruce Tinker, and the rest of the production staff have done such an amazing job bringing the story to life. The cast is so supportive which is really cool. There are constant high fives, hugs, and compliments which is a big part of what makes it so fun! It is a such talented group of people!”

On top of a supportive cast, Ashlyn’s family has been there for every step of her acting career.

“As a family we help Ashlyn practice her lines and listen to her sing,” Renee said. “We are her audience before the shows performances begin. We also take her to dance and voice lessons, as well as her rehearsals.”

Since her start in third grade, her parents have also allowed Ashlyn to take all of the theatre wheel acting classes at the Civic Theatre before Ashlyn auditioned for shows there, along with letting her take voice lessons once a week and take dance twice a week when Ashlyn is not in a show. This is something Ashlyn knows is a huge commitment, and is grateful to her family for doing.

“My family has been so supportive of me throughout this show,” Ashlyn said. “My parents drive me there and back almost every night and go to so many shows. My sister is always there too which I am so thankful for. This really hasn’t just been a commitment to me, but to my whole family and I know I wouldn’t be in this show without them!”

Following in the footsteps of an uncle on Broadway, Ashlyn has seemed to find her presence on stage and hopes to possibly pursue it as a career one day. Her mother agrees, saying that she hopes that Ashlyn continues to perform after graduation, whether professionally or as a hobby.

“I love watching Ashlyn perform on stage,” Renee said. “Ashlyn is a little more timid in her everyday surrounding but once she is on stage, I can see a confidence about her. I also love to listen to her sing. She embraces her characters and isn’t shy about being in front of an audience full of people. ”

You can see Ashlyn perform in this production as Mary Beth, a school kid and part of the kid’s ensemble, at the Civic Theater everyday until December 20th with two shows on that day.