A CHRISTMAS CAROL to Play MAC, 11/28-30

The College of DuPage Theater Department presents Charles Dickens" A Christmas Carol," adapted by William J. Norris and directed by COD Director of Theater Connie Canaday Howard, at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) Nov. 28-30. This marks the 14th time the Department has presented this beloved tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the true meaning of the Holiday season."

"We are thrilled to bring Norris' adaptation of Dickens' classic holiday tale to the newly renovated Belushi Performance Hall," says Canaday Howard. "We had performed other adaptations, but Bill's was an instant success when we first performed it in 2004 and we've been performing his version ever since. Bill's adaptation reflects his marvelous insight into all the wonderful characters enriched by his very personal experience of appearing in approximately 1,200 Goodman Theatre "A Christmas Carol" performances, nearly half in the role of Scrooge. And I know in the hands of our incredible cast and design team, this year's production is guaranteed to be a highlight of the Holiday season."

"A Christmas Carol," a novella by Charles Dickens, was written in a span of six weeks and was first published Dec. 19, 1843. It tells the story of bitter old miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation inspired by supernatural visits from his deceased partner Jacob Marley and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success with London literary magazine Athenaeum, hailing it as, "A tale to make the reader laugh and cry - to open his hands, and open his heart to charity even toward the uncharitable." Stage adaptations began to hit theaters the following year and today hundreds of productions take place throughout the world every year.

William J. Norris (adapter) has been a performing arts professional for more than four decades. Local acting credits include the Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and Writers Theatre; and international credits include The Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, the Mickery Theatre in Amsterdam andVienna's English Theatre in Austria. He has been honored for his work as actor, director and writer with awards that include an Emmy, a Jeff and five Artisans.

The 49-person cast for the MAC production of "A Christmas Carol" is drawn from two dozen Chicago area communities and includes Villa Park's Luke Thornton as Ebenezer Scrooge, Elmhurst's Richard Petry as Bob Cratchit, Wheaton's Micah Callaway as Tiny Tim Cratchit, Brookfield's Fred Willis as Jacob Marley and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to come, Bloomingdale's Cassie Collins as The Ghost of Christmas Past and Aurora's Kara Barios as The Ghost of Christmas Present.

The design team includes Downers Grove's Connie Canaday Howard (director), Aurora's Michael Moon (set/properties design), Chicago's Alison Amidei (costume/hair/makeup design), Glen Ellyn's Jon Gantt (lighting design) and Chicago's Christopher Kriz (sound design). Hanover Park's Ed Garzaro is stage manager and Wheaton's Will Austin is assistant stage manager.

In spirit of the holiday and the play, the cast and crew of "A Christmas Carol" and the MAC staff encourage all "A Christmas Carol" audience members to bring one or two non-perishable food items for the MAC's food drive in support of the People's Resource Center. The People's Resource Center food pantry serves more than 3,000 families from across DuPage County each month. For more information about the People's Resource Center visit peoplesrc.org.

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