DTC to Bring A CHRISTMAS CAROL to Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 11/21-12/24

Dallas Theater Center brings a brand new adaptation of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol To the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center for the first time. DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty wrote the new adaptation and will direct the holiday favorite, with choreography by Joel Ferrell. A Christmas Carol makes its Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre debut on November 21 and runs through December 24. Single tickets to A Christmas Carol are on sale now at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org and by phone at (214) 880-0202.

"Dallas audiences have embraced DTC's A Christmas Carol as part of their annual holiday traditions since 1969," says Moriarty. "This brand new production will bring the beloved classic to the Wyly Theatre in a fresh new production that will include flying, singing, dancing and lots of holiday cheer."

Brierley Resident Acting Company member Kieran Connolly (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity; Next Fall) assumes the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the first time. Additional Acting Company members include Chamblee Ferguson (Clybourne Park, FLY) as Jacob Marley; Tiffany Hobbs (A Raisin in the Sun; Clybourne Park) as the Laundress; Liz Mikel (A Raisin in the Sun; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Mrs. Fezziwig; andChristie Vela (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; God of Carnage) as Mrs. Cratchit. Making their debut as Company members are Daniel Duque-Estrada as Scrooge's nephew Fred and Alex Organ (previously in DTC's Fly By Night) as Young Scrooge.

Akron Watson (To Kill a Mockingbird) returns to DTC to play Bob Cratchit. Other members of the cast include Jeremy Dumont (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Sonny Franks (Gypsy) and Joseph Holt, who is making his DTC debut. Southern Methodist University students in the cast are Ashlee Elizabeth Bashore, Susanna Batres, Thomas Gelo and Charles BranDon Potter. Members of the youth cast are Christine Adkins, Tatiana Angustia, Leonella Arguello, Jacob Barnes, Devion Camp, Abby Chapman, Gregory Hill, Nathan Javier Mendoza, Patricia Meza, Ava Rose Mitchell, Marhly Murphy, David Allen Norton, Liam Taylor, Tristan Thomas and Jennifer Udoh.

The new production will make great use of the Wyly Theatre's flexible architecture, placing the audience in the midst of the set, with the action happening all around them. Set designer Beowulf Boritt, who transformed the Wyly into a stunning white island for The Tempest, brings the vibrant world of the play to life. Jennifer Caprio's (The Odd Couple; It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman) costume design includes fresh interpretations of traditional Victorian garb. Jeff Croiter (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Arsenic and Old Lace) returns to DTC as lighting designer; Broken Chord returns for sound design (The Odd Couple; Henry IV); Stephanie Williams, who has worked on previous productions of A Christmas Carol, is handling wig design; and makeup design is by Louise Zizzo, with support from MAC Cosmetics.

For the sixth year in a row, DTC is partnering with the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) to raise money for that organization. Members of DTC's administrative staff, crew, Brierley Resident Acting Company and the A Christmas Carol cast will spend a day volunteering at one of the Food Bank's two Dallas facilities. During performances of A Christmas Carol, DTC will provide a location in the Wyly lobby for patrons to donate canned goods to the NTFB. Members of the cast will also collect monetary donations for them after every performance. Over the last five years, DTC patrons have donated almost $240,000 to the NTFB.

"DTC believes in partnering with local organizations to support our community. Our ongoing partnership with the North Texas Food Bank allows us to invite audience members to help provide food for the hungry in our community, as Charles Dickens would have wanted," says Moriarty.

Jan Pruitt, President and CEO of North Texas Food Bank says, "We are extremely grateful to Dallas Theater Center for their continued partnership over the past five years. Through their performances of A Christmas Carol, patrons and DTC have contributed almost $240,000, which in turn provided 720,000 nutritious meals for families in need in our community. With 318,000 Tiny Tim's going hungry in North Texas, their partnership, which combines the magic of theatre with the stark reality of hunger, is truly invaluable."

A Christmas Carol opens with previews on Friday, November 22 at 7:30 pm with a Pay-What-You-Can performance. Tickets to this performance will be available for purchase online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org beginning Monday, November 18. Any unsold tickets to the PWYC performance will be available for purchase at the Wyly Theatre box office the night of the show beginning at 6:00pm. Tickets for A Christmas Carol are on sale now. Ticket prices start at $15 and are available online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org or by phone at (214) 880-0202. DTC's Come Early sponsored by Wells Fargo will take place one hour before every performance and will be led by Chamblee Ferguson. Patrons will have the opportunity to learn about the play prior to viewing the production. DTC's Dr. Pepper Snapple Stay Late, moderated for this production by Christie Vela, will take place after each performance. Patrons will have the opportunity to engage with artists, learn about the production and share insights about the play in a lively discussion. Details for Come Early and Stay Late are available online. A Christmas Carol is also part of this season's Student Matinee Series. Teachers interested in reserving seats for their students should send an email to studentmatinees@attpac.org.

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