CHARLES DICKENS BEGRUDGINGLY PERFORMS ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ AGAIN Comes to the Den Theatre

 Jeff Award-Winner Blake Montgomery will present Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, December 5 - 22. The schedule includes preview performances Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec.7 at 8 p.m. with a press opening Sunday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., with the exception of the closing performance on Sunday, Dec.22 which will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 29 (general admission: $32; previews: $16) and may be purchased at TheDenTheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830. Learn more about the show at DickensAgain.com. Charles Dickens Begrudgingly … is recommended for ages 15+. 

Reflecting on the revival of his solo performance, Montgomery shared, "Performing a solo show is always a challenge, but revisiting a piece after a decade is a unique thrill. When I re-read the script, it immediately took me back to the heart of the performance—the vibrant connection Charles Dickens forged with his audience. It's lively, passionate, ridiculous, heartfelt, and warm. I knew then that I had to bring it back to the stage this holiday season. I’m excited to step into the wig and coat once again, as Dickens himself, to personally welcome the audience to the theater this December.”

Charles Dickens Begrudgingly … originally charmed audiences during its Chicago debut at The Building Stage in December 2011 and 2012. This one-of-a-kind holiday production, which imagines a still-living Dickens forced to perform his famous A Christmas Carol for the 171st consecutive year, lovingly celebrates and skewers the famous author and our Christmas traditions. Now, ten years after the closing of The Building Stage, former Artistic Director Blake Montgomery revives his Jeff Award-winning solo performance for the 2024 holiday season. 

 ABOUT Blake Montgomery

Blake Montgomery began his career in Chicago directing ensemble clown theater and performing with a variety of non-naturalistic Chicago theaters, most notably Redmoon with whom he collaborated for over a decade. In 2005, Montgomery founded The Building Stage, a theater company and performance space, where he served as Artistic Director until its closing in 2013. The company was known for its ensemble-devised, director-driven creations, particularly in literary adaptations like their Jeff Award-winning Moby-Dick and the poetic, clown-inspired Dawn, Quixote. Montgomery’s artistic approach draws on his training at the École Jacques Lecoq, the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theater, and Middlebury College. A member of Actor’s Equity, his performances in Chicago include work with The House Theatre, Hypocrites, Remy Bumppo, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, and Writers Theatre.

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