Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Presents A New Baltimore-Inspired Adaptation Of A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) continues its 20th anniversary season with a brand-new adaptation of the holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Featuring a vibrant mix of original music and holiday cheer, this will be the eighth staging of the production at the company's historic theatre in downtown Baltimore. A Christmas Carol runs Nov. 30 - Dec. 23, with previews on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and press night on Dec. 2.

The original novella by Charles Dickens was first adapted for the CSC stage by Founding Artistic Director Ian Gallanar in 2014. For 2022, CSC presents a brand-new adaptation by historian and CSC Company Member Laura Rocklyn. "Dickens' Christmas Carol is one of those transcendent stories that is just as captivating in our modern world as it was to the 19th century audience for whom it was written," says Rocklyn. "While working with Dickens' original Christmas Carol text and with Dickens' account of visiting Baltimore in his American Notes, I kept an eye to highlighting the holiday magic that audiences expect, while keeping the mysterious, darker undercurrents that give Dickens' story its enduring power."

The CSC adaptation is set in Victorian Baltimore, a time when the city is one of the largest urban centers in the country. Company Member Gregory Burgess returns for the eighth time as Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly Baltimore businessman who must battle his ghostly past in an incredible journey from a lifetime of greed to a hope of redemption.

The production is an annual tradition for the company. "Our version has been a hugely popular audience pleaser, but we have always prized its role as a classic tale of atonement and a beloved ritual of the holiday season," notes Producing Executive Director Lesley Malin. "With this exciting version of Christmas Carol, we are refreshing the production with new music and a fast-paced expressive style."

Shanara Gabrielle directs a charming cast featuring local professional actors and children from area schools and acting programs, including The Studio at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. "I'm a newcomer to Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, and I'm thrilled to direct in one of the most beautiful theatre spaces in the country," says Gabrielle. "Reimagining the classics is a particular passion of mine, and this brand-new production does this in the best ways: virtuosic storytelling, joyfulness, and Baltimore lore infuse one of the best ghost stories ever told. With a fresh perspective and a diverse cast and creative team, our audiences will get to hear Dickens's beautiful language as if for the first time."

A Christmas Carol opens Friday, Dec. 2, with previews on Nov. 30 and Dec.1, and closes the Friday before Christmas, Dec. 23. Visit www.chesapeareshakespeare.com for more information or call the box office at 410-244-8570. Press night is Friday, Dec. 3.

A Christmas Carol

Adapted from the Charles Dickens novella by Laura Rocklyn

Directed by Shanara Gabrielle

CAST LIST (in alphabetical order)

Greta Boeringer** - Mrs. Dilber, Frances Party Guest

Brad Bowers - Jacob Marley, Nicholas

Gregory Burgess** - Ebenezer Scrooge

Ellie Cattle - Fiddler

Morganne Chu - Belle

Madalaina D'Angelo - Swing

Lauren Davis** - Frances

Emilia Endy - Belinda Cratchit

Kate Forton** - Mrs. Pickersgill, Business Person 3

Kyle Hermary - William, Peter

Troy Hopper - Christmas Present, Joshua

Lauren Erica Jackson - Christmas Past, Business Person 2

Alex Jones - Freddie, Belle's Son, Turkey Boy

Jade Jones - Martha Cratchit, Betsy, Belle's daughter

Ryan MacDonald - Child Swing

Molly Moores** - Mrs. O'Leary, Mrs. Fezziwig, Frances Party Guest

Shaquan Pearson - Young Scrooge, Frances Party Guest

Benny Pope - Frances Party Guest, Fezziwig Guest, Business Person 1

Samuel Richie - Bob Cratchit

River Robinson - Tiny Tim

Michael Salconi - Mr. Fezziwig

Jake Stibbe - Swing

Emily Zinski - Mrs. Cratchit

** Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Resident Actor

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is located at 7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, two blocks north of the Inner Harbor. Parking is available for the discounted rate of $5 at the Arrow Parking covered lot on 204 East Lombard Street. The theatre is also accessible using the FREE Charm City Circulator and is located on the Purple Route. For more detailed information about directions, parking, and public transportation, click here.

Adult tickets start at $55, tickets for youth under 25 start at $29, and preview tickets are $28. To purchase tickets, visit ChesapeakeShakespeare.com, or contact the Box Office directly by calling 410-244-8570 or visiting in person at 7 South Calvert Street. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more and active-duty military. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

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