THEATER | Yuletide treasure

Over the Moon Productions presents The Holly and the Ivy, an award-winning 1950 British drama by Wynyard Browne, Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Browne’s play, set in 1940s England, begins on Christmas Eve and slowly unfolds over 24 hours, during which time secrets are revealed and lives are changed. Tom Lawton plays Martin Gregory, an elderly pastor who refuses to retire. Cared for by his loving daughter, Jenny (Megan Cady), Martin bumbles on, completely unaware that Jenny has fallen in love with their neighbor, David (Joey Cruse). The pair long to marry and travel to South America, but Jenny cannot bear to leave her father alone at the vicarage. Things come to a head when the family – made up of an errant daughter with a penchant for whiskey (Aasne Vigesaa), two fussing, aged aunts (Nancy Cole, Linda Schneider), a carefree cad of a brother (Jonah Walker) and Martin’s cousin (John O’Connor) – descend on the vicarage for the festive season. Directed by Kevin Purcell.