The past, present and future intermingle in an enchanting new site-specific parlor performance of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" taking place in the Chelsea townhouse and theater space, Torn Page, 435 West 22nd Street, from Thursday November 30 to Friday December 15. Produced by Origin Theatre Company, the one-man version of the story features the distinguished African-American opera singer and actor Elmore James, and is directed by Erwin Maas.
Adapting Dickens' little-used original performance text, Origin's immersive staging transforms the Chelsea home of the actors
Rip Torn and
Geraldine Page, filling the 19th century townhouse with the sights, sounds and smells of both a large Victorian home, and a more modest dwelling circa 1853, which will heighten the inter-dependence of the haves and have-nots inherent in the story. Mince pie and mulled wine, prepared on the premises, will be served during the performance. A small, multi-racial chorus singing period carols, will also evoke the season.
1853 is the year Dickens began performing his popular story in front of large theatre audiences. First published in 1843, "A Christmas Carol" was adapted for the stage within weeks of its publication. But it was Dickens' own command performances that drew huge crowds in large theatres across England, and in a famous tour of America in 1867-68, earning him what could be described as rock-star status of his day.
Maas, Origin's director of programming, directed last season's critically acclaimed "Poison" -- a NY Times Critic's Pick -- and the North American premiere of the internationally acclaimed Swedish novelist and playwright
Jonas Hassen Khemiri's "The Hundred We Are," in the spring of 2016. Both were Origin mainstage productions.
A versatile performer, James made his opera debut in the celebrated
Peter Sellars's "Don Giovanni," and was featured in the Metropolitan Opera's "Porgy and Bess." He is a veteran of five Broadway productions. Since 2012 he has starred in "Soul to Soul," an innovative cross-cultural exploration of African-American and Yiddish music. Produced by the
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, in association with hip-hop icon
Russell Simmons and Rabbi Marc Schneier, "Soul to Soul" tours internationally and is presented annually in New York to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Origin first dusted off the annotated performance text (a manuscript copy resides at the NY Public Library) at the American Irish Historical Society in 2014.
Under the artistic direction of George C. Heslin and now in its 15th season, Origin Theatre Company is the city's only theatre company devoted to presenting the American premieres of impactful plays by diverse contemporary writers from Europe, in new productions with New York-based artists. It also is known for producing the annual Origin's 1st Irish Festival, the 10th annual edition of which will take place in January 2018, the Festival's new time slot. A Festival announcement will be made shortly.
Since its founding in 2002, Origin has introduced works by 162 playwrights to US audiences, from such countries as the Netherlands, Sweden, Romania, Macedonia, Norway, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Origin also organizes symposia to explore cultural trends in different cities and communities across Europe.
Torn Page and resident company Apartment 929 curates classes, events, theater and film along with their international community of artists. The space occupies the townhouse where Geraldine Page and Rip Torn lived and worked, and is managed by their son, the actor and director Tony Torn.
Origin's site-specific "A Christmas Carol" starring
Elmore James runs a total of 14 performances from Thursday November 30 to Friday December 15. Performances are Tuesday to Sunday as follows: Thur Nov 30, Fri Dec 1; Sat Dec 2; Sun Dec 3; Tue Dec 5; Wed Dec 6; Thur Dec 7; Fri Dec 8; Sat Dec 9; Sun Dec 10; Tue Dec 12; Wed Dec 13; Thur Dec 14; Fri Dec 15. All shows at 8pm. Tickets are $65 (includes wine and holiday treats during 7:30pm pre-show). For tickets call
866-811-4111 or visit
www.origintheatre.org.
