Twelve might just be Rock Hill's lucky number.

Fittingly enough, in Ashland Community and Technical College's 12th annual production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," twelve Rock Hill students will take their theatrical skills to the stage. DeNeil Hartley, Rock Hill Elementary music teacher and musical director for ACTC's theater department, said this is the largest number of Rock Hill students ever to participate in the holiday classic.

"We have never had so many people come out to do it," she said. "When we can get the kids involved, it is always exciting."

Three public showings of "A Christmas Carol" will be performed at 8 p.m. Dec. 2-4

and at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 5 in the J.B. Sowards Theatre at Ashland Community College.

Most of the students were cast as townspeople but three were cast in larger roles. Eighth-grader Maggie Patterson will be portray Martha, the eldest daughter of Bob Cratchit.

Fifth-grader Phillip Thompson will play Young Scrooge and third grader Evan Morris has been cast as the small boy who sings a carol outside of Scrooge's office window.

Starting with ACTC's summer production of "Seussical", there has been a noticeable upsurge of interest in theater among students and others in the Rock Hill area, Hartley said, attributing some of that to the Broadway Jr. musical productions offered at Rock Hill through the After School Mall program for the past two years.

"This sort of interest and support for the arts is something I am excited to see and hope continues for years to come" Hartley said.

Just days from the curtain rising, Hartley said.

"We have a month to put this together. In the middle of that, we have Thanksgiving, Christmas parade and the Magical Night of Giving at the mall," she said. "It is a real rush to put it together but is always exciting to see how it comes together."

Two St. Joe students will also star in the play. Crosby Clyse plays two smaller roles. Tommy Gillespie will portray Fred, Scrooge's nephew.

Tickets are available in advance by calling the ACC Bookstore (606) 329-2999 or at the door the day of the performance.