The Grinch known as COVID has done its best to steal Christmas this year at Eugene’s Oregon Contemporary Theatre.

But OCT is fighting back and hoping to rescue its holiday show.

OCT’s production of the Jane Austen-inspired play The Wickhams: Christmas At Pemberley was to have opened at the downtown theater on Dec. 2. But a possible COVID infection in the cast caused the theater to cancel the remainder of opening weekend’s performances following a single preview, according to OCT Associate Producer Tara Wibrew; the shutdown then continued into the second week of scheduled performances.

As of Friday, Dec. 9, the show was set to get back on stage — with the original cast — on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Although the OCT website lists the final weekend of performances as completely sold out, some seats will become available once the box office sorts out the demand from ticket holders to the canceled performances.

“We’re holding all seats for now in order to allow ticket holders from the first two weeks to reschedule,” Wibrew said in an email. “As soon as we get those folks re-seated, we’ll release any remaining seats.