Lantern Theater Company Presents an Original Adaptation of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Lantern Theater Company continues the 2019/20 season with a remount of its original adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, commissioned and developed through the Lantern's New Play Program and co-created by Philadelphia-based artists Anthony Lawton, Christopher Colucci, and Thom Weaver. In this wonderfully clear and direct telling of Charles Dickens' beloved novella, acclaimed playwright and actor Anthony Lawton brings the story boldly to life as only live theater can. Back by popular demand for the 2019 holiday season, this heartwarming adaptation captured the hearts of theater critics and audiences alike and inspired a new annual tradition for the entire family. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol runs Friday, December 6 through December 29, 2019, in The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake; a full schedule of performances is included in the fact sheet below.

Written in 1843, Dickens' holiday classic is famous for its ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future who help Scrooge see the error of his ways. But Dickens originally envisioned A Christmas Carol as a social justice pamphlet denouncing child labor and poverty entitled An Appeal to the People of England, on behalf of the Poor Man's Child. England in the 1840s was a time of rapid industrialization, massive population growth, and widening gulfs between the rich and the poor. Throughout his life, Dickens was sensitive to and outspoken about social issues, and particularly those involving children and economic inequality.

"There are some stories so woven into the mythos of a culture that it seems impossible to imagine a time before they existed," said Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon. "A Christmas Carol is one of those stories. Stripped of holiday clichés, it is a devastating story, laying bare all the ugly forces that separate and isolate human beings from one another, turning life into a solitary torment. It is also a joyous story of one person's release from that torment just at the moment when it seems about to clasp him in its grip for all time. We are honored to present again this original adaption of A Christmas Carol, a unique version in which you will hear the simple power of the words and the characters told in a clear and simple human voice."

Lantern Theater Company will delve into the themes of A Christmas Carol on its Lantern Searchlight blog, available online at lanterntheater.org/searchlight. Published articles will explore the world of Charles Dickens, the fascinating circumstances surrounding the writing of this now quintessential holiday classic, A Christmas Carol in the nexus between Victorian economics and literature, backstage interviews with the artists, and more.

Tickets for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol are available online at lanterntheater.org or by calling the Lantern Box Office at (215) 829-0395. Ticket prices are $30 for adults, $26 for seniors age 65 and up, and $22 for teens and children. Discounts are also available for students, U.S. military personnel, and groups of 10 or more. All performances of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be held in the Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St., in Center City Philadelphia.

Anthony Lawton (Co-Creator and the Storyteller) shows his mastery of theatrical narrative as he plays all of A Christmas Carol's roles in this solo tour de force. Lawton is well known to Philadelphia audiences for his original works for the stage - including The Foocy, which had its world premiere production at the Lantern in 2005 and earned five Barrymore nominations including Best New Play, and The Light Princess, which premiered at Arden Theatre Company and earned eight 2017 Barrymore nominations including Best New Play and two wins. Lawton has also created original adaptations of Shel Silverstein's The Devil and Billy Markham and C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce, which he has performed at the Lantern and across the U.S. under the aegis of his Mirror Theatre Company, earning him praise from Philadelphia City Paper as the city's "Best One-Man Theatre." As an actor, Lawton's local and regional stage credits include numerous productions with the Lantern, most recently the title role in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht. His work at other theaters include Arden Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, The Wilma Theater, 1812 Productions, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and theaters in Michigan, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and New York City. His film and television credits include Unbreakable, Invincible, Law Abiding Citizen, Silver Linings Playbook, Hack, and Cold Case. Lawton holds a BA in great books from the University of Notre Dame and an MFA in acting from Temple University.

Christopher Colucci (Co-Creator and Sound Designer) is an eight-time Barrymore Award-winning sound designer, composer, and musician whose 25+ Lantern credits include The Last Match, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Betrayal, Hapgood, Red Velvet, The Gospel According To..., Mrs. Warren's Profession, Arcadia, and the upcoming The Vertical Hour. Other recent work includes The Snow Queen at Arden Theatre Company, The Night Alive at Inis Nua Theatre Company, A Small Fire at Philadelphia Theatre Company, and The Roommate at 1812 Productions. Colucci holds an MA in philosophy from Western Kentucky University.

Thom Weaver (Co-Creator and Scenic/Lighting Designer) is an award-winning designer whose work has been honored with six Barrymore Awards, two Jeff Awards, and two AUDELCO Awards. His work has been seen locally at the Lantern, The Wilma Theater, Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, New Paradise Laboratories, and Walnut Street Theatre, and regionally at NYSF/The Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, Signature Theatre (NY), Center Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Syracuse Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Shakespeare Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Folger Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Roundhouse Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Hangar Theatre, Spoleto Festival, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Yale Repertory Theatre. He is also co-founder of Die-Cast with Brenna Geffers and a member of Wingspace, an organization of theater artists that fosters conversations on design, strengthening community, and furthering activism in the field. Weaver holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

Founded in 1994, Lantern Theater Company launched its 26th season with a growing patron base and community of theater artists engaged in its productions and audience enrichment events. The Lantern seeks to be a vibrant and contributing member of its community, exposing audiences to great theater, inviting participation in dialogue and discussion, engaging audience members on artistic and social issues, and employing theatrical language and techniques to enrich learning in the classroom. The Lantern's innovative Theater Artist Fair Pay Initiative was featured in American Theatre magazine as a leading national success story for increasing artist compensation through a combination of fundraising and higher ticket sales. Since the inception of the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, the Lantern has been recognized with 106 nominations and 19 awards, including the 2009 Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. Following Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the Lantern's 2019/20 season continues with the Philadelphia premiere of The Vertical Hour by David Hare (Jan. 9 - Feb. 16, 2020; press opening is Wed., Jan. 15, 2020 at 7 p.m.); Othello by William Shakespeare (March 12 - April 19, 2020; press opening is Wed., March 18, 2020 at 7 p.m.); and a world premiere adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope by Peter DeLaurier, commissioned and developed through the Lantern's New Works Program (May 21 - June 28, 2020; press opening is Wed., May 27, 2020 at 7 p.m.). More information is available online at lanterntheater.org.

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

ORIGINAL ADAPTATION BY:

Anthony Lawton

IN COLLABORATION WITH:

Christopher Colucci and Thom Weaver

CAST:

Anthony Lawton as the Storyteller

CREATIVE TEAM:

Anthony Lawton, Co-Creator

Christopher Colucci, Co-Creator and Sound Designer

Thom Weaver, Co-Creator and Scenic/Lighting Designer

Kierceton Keller, Costume Designer

Lydia Stahl, Stage Manager

Janet Embree, Production Manager

TICKET INFORMATION:

Online: www.lanterntheater.org

By Phone: (215) 829-0395

In Person: Lantern Box Office, 923 Ludlow Street in Center City Philadelphia

TICKET PRICING:

$22 and up

PERFORMANCES:

Friday, December 6 - Sunday, December 29, 2019

PREVIEWS:

Friday, December 6 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

PRESS OPENING:

Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.

REGULAR RUN:

Wednesday at 2 p.m. on December 11

Wednesday at 7 p.m. on December 11 and December 18

Thursday at 7 p.m. on December 12, December 19, and December 26

Friday at 2 p.m. on December 27

Friday at 7 p.m. on December 13, December 20, and December 27

Saturday at 2 p.m. on December 14, December 21, and December 28

Saturday at 7 p.m. on December 14, December 21, and December 28

Sunday at 12 p.m. on December 15, December 22, and December 29

Sunday at 4 p.m. on December 15, December 22, and December 29

CLOSING PERFORMANCE:

Sunday, December 29 at 4 p.m.

PLAY SYNOPSIS:

In this wonderfully clear and direct telling of Charles Dickens' novella, acclaimed playwright and actor Anthony Lawton brings the story boldly to life as only live theater can. Come rediscover Dickens' timeless story of a miser's miraculous redemption from a life of bitterness, greed, and isolation. Back by popular demand, this heartwarming original adaptation captured the hearts of theater critics and audiences alike, inspiring a new holiday tradition for the entire family.

PERFORMANCE VENUE:

The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street in Center City Philadelphia

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