SCROOGE AND MARLEY: The Musical Comes to the Hoover-Leppen  Theatre Next Month

From the creative team behind the 2012 indie film Scrooge & Marley, a modern day, queer variation on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," comes a fully realized musical version reimagined for the stage. Scrooge & Marley: The Musical follows the familiar outline of the beloved tale of Ebenezer "Ben" Scrooge - the man who hates the holidays and who is reformed after memorable visits by three ghostly spirits. Traveling from Scrooge's youth in the disco era of the 1970s to Christmas, 2015, the year that same sex marriage was legalized in the US, the magic of Dicken's timeless tale comes alive from a fresh perspective in this joyous, heartfelt musical adaptation.

"We are delighted to bring this innovative, unabashedly queer outlook on Dickens' timeless classic to the stage," says the musical's lyricist and co-writer of the libretto Richard Knight, Jr. "The decision to expand on the original songs we wrote for the movie and create a full stage version proved irresistible - though it took us ten years to get it just right!"

Dan Ferretti (National tour of Hairspray) and Eustace Allen (Jack Off the Beanstalk) lead the cast as Scrooge & Marley. Actress/comedian Lexi Alioto (Second City) plays Freda, Scrooge's warm-hearted, big voiced niece. Derek Demkowicz (Queer Eye: The Parody Musical) and Patrick O'Keefe (Sweeney Todd) portray Young Jake Marley and Young Ben Scrooge (along with Bob Cratchit and his husband Drew). Joe Dennis (Little Shop of Horrors) plays Bill, Ben Scrooge's ill-fated boyfriend, Anna Weatherwax (Sunday in the Park with George) plays Freda's wife Mary and the Ghost of Christmas Past. Caitlin Jackson, currently a sensation in Sweeney Todd at the Chopin Theatre, plays the robust Ghost of Christmas Present. Shane Hendrix (Chicago P.D.) rounds out the cast as Fezziwig, the king of the 1970s nightlife.

Music for Scrooge & Marley: The Musical has been composed by Lisa McQueen (Music Director of Second City, The Annoyance and the film composer of Scrooge & Marley) with Lyrics by Richard Knight, Jr. (Scrooge & Marley's co-writer/co-director), script by Knight and Ellen Stoneking (Scrooge & Marley's lead writer) and Music Direction by Heiu Nguyen. Scott Ferguson (Schoolhouse Rock Live!, We Three Lizas) directs this premiere one night staged musical reading event at Center on Halsted (3656 N. Halsted) in the Hoover-Leppen Theatre on Monday, December 12 at 7 pm. Free admission (reservations suggested). Cash bar available. https://www.centeronhalsted.org/scroogeandmarley.html

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