South Coast Rep PCelebrates Their 30th Season Of A CHRISTMAS CAROL 11/28-12/26

South Coast Repertory and Hal Landon, Jr. will celebrate their 30th season of A Christmas Carol this Nov. 28 through Dec. 26. Landon is now the longest-running Scrooge in the West; in fact, he has missed only three performances in 29 years - and that's despite breaking a toe two different times while running around stage in stocking feet. Also returning for his 30th year is director John-David Keller.

SCR Founding Artists Richard Doyle and Art Koustik will reprise their long-time roles as the Spirit of Christmas Past and Joe, respectively. Most of the other actors have been seen in Christmas Carols past as well, including Daniel Blinkoff as Bob Cratchit, Jennifer Parsons as Mrs. Cratchit, Karen Hensel as Mrs. Fezziweg and Tom Shelton as Marley and the Spirit of Christmas Yet-to-Come. All 16 child actors are making their first appearance in SCR's beloved holiday show. (Editors: If you would like a list of the children and their hometowns, please contact Madeline Porter at mad@scr.org.)

TICKETS can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin Nov. 28 and continue through Dec. 26. Ticket prices range from $24 to $59. Low-priced preview performances are available from Nov. 28-Dec. 1. Discounts are available for children under 12 and groups of 10 or more. There will be an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 2:30 p.m.

LOCATION: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theater Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive.

COMING UP: Ordinary Days (Jan. 3-24, 2010), Fences (Jan. 22-Feb. 21, 2010).

Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR's more than 435 productions, 112 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations, with Margaret Edson's Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole in 2007. Located in Costa Mesa, California, SCR in 2002 opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.

CREATIVE TEAM: Thomas Buderwitz (set design), Dwight Richard Odle (costume design), Tom and Donna Ruzika (lighting design), Dennis McCarthy (musical arrangement/composer), Drew Dalzell (sound design), Dennis Castellano (vocal director), Sylvia C. Turner (choreographer), Hisa Takakuwa (assistant director) and Jamie A. Tucker (stage manager).

CAST: Hal Landon Jr. (Ebenezer Scrooge), Christian Barillas (Undertaker, Young Ebenezer), Daniel Blinkoff (Bob Cratchit), Jennifer Chu (Laundress, Belle, Ensemble), Richard Doyle (Solicitor, Spirit of Christmas Past, Gentleman), Karen Hensel (Mrs. Fezziwig, Solicitor), John-David Keller (Mr. Fezziwig, Gentleman), Art Koustik (Joe, Ensemble), Timothy Landfield (Spirit of Christmas Present), Ann Marie Lee (Toy Lady, Sally, Scavenger), William Francis McGuire (Fred), Jennifer Parsons (Mrs. Cratchit) and Tom Shelton (Marley, Spirit of Christmas Yet-to-Come).

HONORARY PRODUCERS: Nancy and Kim Kelley

CORPORATE HONORARY PRODUCER: U.S. Bank

MEDIA PARTNERS: Orange County Register, KOCE-TV

TICKETS: $24-$40 previews; $34-$59 regular performances.

BOX OFFICE WINDOW HOURS: 10 a.m. to showtime Tuesdays through Saturdays; noon to showtime Sundays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and non-performance days. American Express, VISA and MasterCard accepted. (714) 708-5555.

LOCATION: Folino Theatre Center, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa CA 92626. One block east of South Coast Plaza at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway.

Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

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