A holiday tradition continues as Port Townsend’s own Christmas musical, “Spirit of the Yule,” returned for its third year with an opening gala Dec. 7 at Key City Public Theater.

The iconic transformation story — in which a miserly Port Townsend proprietor gains holiday joy after a series of visits from three Christmas spirits — remains the same as in previous years. Yet each year’s version results in a different experience for the audience.

“This year, half of the 10-person cast is new,” said Linda Dowdell, who co-wrote the play with KCPT Executive Director Denise Winter. “That’s a big change.”

The musical is based largely on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” but it’s set in Port Townsend in 1889, with a female Scrooge.

Her name is Miz Henrietta Maynard, a famous sharpshooter and twice-divorced proprietor of the Delmonico Hotel on Water Street. She is visited by her deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, and takes a trip down memory lane with three Christmas spirits.

More than just a re-creation of Dickens’ famous novella, “Spirit of the Yule” adds song and dance to the timeless tale. Many of the characters, including Henrietta Maynard herself, are based on real Port Townsend historical figures, bringing the town’s history to life.

This year, both Miz Maynard and Jacob Marley are played by new actors, and the play also has a new assistant director, Genevieve Barlow, who is in a year-long apprenticeship at KCPT.

“Having new cast members was the best part about the rehearsal process,” Winter said. “You want to have as many voices explore the script to hear how it can be done in different ways. Having both a new Maynard and a new Marley has affected how both of these roles are played, so we did do a bit of script development this time.”

For Barlow, assistant directing “Spirit of the Yule” was an opportunity to delve into the dramaturgy while working alongside the play’s creators.

“It’s an opportunity to understand the original artists’ intent, while simultaneously bringing a perspective where you’re not so close to it,” Barlow said.

Actress Vickie Daignault, who is from Chicago but has been performing recently in Florida, plays Henrietta Maynard and brings a fresh set of eyes to the role.

“She was a sharpshooter, she was an entrepreneur, she was a woman alone, basically,” said Daignault, who added that she has enjoyed bringing to life a historical character, while taking some artistic liberties in her portrayal. “She was a lone wolf amongst a sea of men in business.”

For Consuelo Aduviso, who is returning for the third year to play Tze Hong, watching the play evolve throughout the years has been a rewarding experience.

“When we were workshopping it, I saw the cast grow from five people to now 10,” Aduviso said. “I love the music of this play, and I love getting the opportunity to sing. I also get to portray someone who lived in Port Townsend at the time of the play.”

Working with the actors on perfecting their characters is one thing Barlow wanted to focus on during her assistant directorship.

“What I’ve really been enjoying is working with actors individually to create and grow their characters so that everything is being highlighted in like little jewel boxes,” Barlow said. “I very much enjoy the opportunity to bring a new eye to look at things and the opportunity to learn more about the history of Port Townsend. It’s something I really enjoy and am passionate about.”  

“Spirit of the Yule” will run through Dec. 30 on alternating nights with “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some),” which will run through Dec. 29. To get tickets, go to keycitypublictheater.org or call the box office at 360-385-5278.