Great Lakes Theater To Present A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The stage of the Mimi Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square, will welcome Great Lakes Theater for its 36th production of Charles Dickens' timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, running November 23 – December 22, 2024. 

The show has delighted approximately 850,000 people in its history, making it one of Northeast Ohio's most-loved and best-attended holiday events.

This year, audiences will meet a new Scrooge! Nick Steen*, who has portrayed Bob Cratchit for several seasons, is now being fitted for his top hat to take on the iconic role of the beloved curmudgeon. This marks an exciting transition for Nick, who brings years of experience with GLT to this new challenge. He succeeds the esteemed Lynn Robert Berg*, who brought Scrooge to life for seven unforgettable seasons from 2016 through last year. As Lynn embarks on new career ventures, we thank him for his lasting contribution to GLT's holiday tradition.

Along with Steen, we share a remarkable cast of seasoned GLT performers, and those making their GLT debut that will bring this holiday favorite to life this season: Eileen Brady, Domonique Champion*, Aamar-Malik Culbreth, Madeline Curtis, Jodi Dominick*, Sutton Garver, Laci Grace Glasser,  Jeffrey C. Hawkins*, Alex Fynn Kenney, Anthony Patrick Kenney, Morgan Lehman, Paige Lewis, Kyle MacDonald, Amber Hurst Martin*, Jessie Cope Miller*, Marlowe Miller, James Alexander Rankin*, Ada Shapiro, David Anthony Smith*, Fiona Thackaberry Stevens, M.A. Taylor*, Ángela Utrera*, Boe Wank*, Laura Welsh* and Joe Wegner*.  *Member of Actors' Equity 

Since its debut in 1989, A Christmas Carol has remained a cherished tradition, honoring the original vision and talents of its creators while also benefiting from the expertise and dedication of new designers and Production Team members who have contributed over the years. These include Original Director/Adaptor Gerald Freedman; Scenic Designers John Ezell and Gene Emerson Friedman; Costume Designer James Scott; Lighting Designers Mary Jo Dondlinger and Jeff Herrmann; Sound Designers Stan Kozak and Tom Mardikes; Choreographer David Shimotakahara: Music Adaptor and Arranger Robert Waldman; Music Director Matthew Webb; Production Stage Manager Nicki Cathro* and Assistant Stage Manager Imani Sade*.

Freedman's adaptation of A Christmas Carol is presented as a story within a story. The fictitious Cleaveland family gathers in its Victorian-era parlor on Christmas Eve to read Mr. Dickens' book. As Mrs. Cleaveland reads the story to her family, her youngest child, Master William, re-imagines familiar faces as characters in the story: the Cleaveland's crotchety manservant becomes Scrooge; Father becomes Bob Cratchit; Mother becomes Belle, and the Cleaveland children become the Cratchits, with Master William becoming the beloved Tiny Tim. In all, more than 60 Dickens characters are brought to life on stage. 

The John P. Murphy Foundation and U.S. Bank generously support Great Lakes Theater's 36th production of A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol's production media sponsor is R43 Limited. The residents of Cuyahoga County, through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, provide generous support for Great Lakes Theater's 2024-25 season. Great Lakes Theater programming is also supported by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.  

GLT continues its tradition of featuring different Northeast Ohio choirs 30 minutes before performances of A Christmas Carol, allowing audiences to enjoy festive holiday classics performed by local talent inside the Mimi Ohio Theatre. This cherished pre-show program, part of A Christmas Carol for nearly 20 years, has welcomed over 200 choirs since 2005. Visit www.GreatLakesTheater.org/ACCChoirs for the full performance schedule. Choirs interested in participating are encouraged to contact Amy Essick for more information.

Great Lakes Theater's production incorporates theatrical special effects to preserve a strong sense of the supernatural, emphasizing the novel's origins in folktales and myth. Designers for the GLT production blend exceptional stagecraft with dramatic effects that evoke the magical and mysterious aspects of a traditional ghost story.

Great Lakes Theater's 36th production of A Christmas Carol begins on Saturday, November 24, at 1:30 p.m. at the Mimi Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square. Curtain times for all evening performances will remain at 7:30 p.m., with a 1:30 p.m. curtain time for Saturday matinees and a 3:00 p.m. curtain time for Sunday and select weekday matinees. An audio-described and sign-interpreted performance is scheduled for Sunday, December 1, at 3:00 p.m. For an extra touch of holiday cheer, patrons attending the December 5 performance are invited to a special Santa Meet and Greet in the Mimi Ohio Theatre lobby just before the show, where ticket holders can meet Santa, share their holiday wishes, and capture the moment with photos.

Single performance tickets range in price from $40-$89, with $30 tickets for patrons 25 and under. Tickets are available by calling (216) 241-6000, ordering online, or visiting the Playhouse Square Ticket Office. Visit https://www.playhousesquare.org/contact-us for Playhouse Square Ticket Office operating hours. Groups of ten or more save up to 45% by calling (216) 453-1066.

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