Truman Capote's holiday classic, “A Christmas Memory” comes to life in a one-woman show featuring master storyteller Dolores Hydockat 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, in the courtroom of the historic Monroe County Courthouse Museum.
Ms. Hydock's performance is the signature event for the 11th Annual Fruitcake Festival, to benefit the museum.
The poignant story is thought to be based on Capote's own childhood memories of the last Christmas season he would spend with his best friend, an older, eccentric cousin. It is told through the eyes of seven-year-old Buddy, and set in a poor, rural community, much like Monroeville, in the 1930s.
“Dolores' ability to capture the enthusiasm and love and innocence of these main characters is remarkable,” said event spokesperson Kathryn Taylor. “She takes you into their hearts and heads, and pulls you right into the story alongside them, whether they're visiting the bootlegger, baking fruitcakes, or getting tipsy off the last of the whiskey. It's a sweet story the whole family will enjoy.”
“A Christmas Memory” was first published as a short story in 1956 for Mademoiselle magazine. It has since been adapted into award-winning productions for stage and screen, and has been produced recently as a musical.
A holiday reception and fruitcake tasting will follow the program at the museum. Specialty fruitcakes and Christmas rocks also will be sold after the Friday performance, and on Saturday, while they last. Tickets are $35 general admission, $25 for museum members and $10 for students. Tickets are available at the museum and by phone, 251-575-7433.
The event is sponsored by the Monroe County Museums Endowment Board, in coordination with the museum staff.
