The Firehouse Theatre Presents ESTRELLA SCROOGE

Just in time for the holidays, The Firehouse Theatre is bringing audiences a magical musical created with new cutting-edge technology that is sure to become new a holiday tradition - the World Premiere of Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist! Tickets are now on sale until January 3 and may be purchased at https://bit.ly/FirehouseEstellaScrooge; or visit the company's website at www.TheFirehouseTheatre.com

The production features a cast of 24 award-winning Broadway notables, and is the creation of John Caird, (the Tony and Olivier Award-winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby), and Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice). Caird and Gordon also paired to create Daddy Long Legs, which The Firehouse Theatre recently produced and is still available for streaming.

The story follows Estella Scrooge, a modern-day Wall Street tycoon with a penchant for foreclosing. A hotelier in her hometown of Pickwick, Ohio has defaulted on his mortgage and Estella fancies the idea of lowering the boom personally. A freak snowstorm forces Estella to take refuge. That night, just as it happened to her ancestor Ebenezer, she is haunted by three visitations. A modern day take on Charles Dickens' beloved 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, Estella Scrooge also wittily incorporates characters and plot lines from Dickens' other great novels, Great Expectations, Little Dorrit and Bleak House, among others.

Betsy Wolfe (Waitress) stars as Estella. Clifton Duncan (The Play That Goes Wrong) stars as Philip 'Pip' Nickleby. 2020 Tony Award nominee Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill) stars as Dawkins. The production also stars Tony Award nominees Patrick Page (Hadestown) as Mr. Merdle, Carolee Carmello (Parade) as Marla Havisham and Danny Burstein (2020 Tony Award Nominee, Moulin Rouge!) as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Tickets are $29.99 for 72-hour viewing for each household, or $44.99 for a VIP Premium Theatre Experience, which includes unlimited viewings, a download of the CD and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.

Estella Scrooge is the first digital theatre piece filmed entirely during the pandemic, utilizing cutting-edge technology. The fully realized production, a dazzlingly cinematic musical theatre adventure, was filmed using tracked green screen techniques, with 3-D surreal digital environments created in post-production merged with the actual footage of the actors to bring the story to life in a brand-new way. =

The cast also includes Megan McGinnis (Little Women) as Betty Cratchit, Adam Halpin (Dear Evan Hansen) as Bob Cratchit, Sarah Litzsinger (Beauty and the Beast) as Sissy Jupe, Tom Nelis (The Visit) as Dedlock, Em Grosland (Emotional Creature) as Smike, Phoenix Best (Dear Evan Hansen) as Charity & Mercy, David Bryant (Original Marius in Broadway's Les Misérables) as Mr. Podsnap, Gabrielle Reid (Beautiful: The Carol King Musical) as Mrs. Pumblechook, Samuel Lee Roberts (Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular) as Mr. Flopson, Michael Francis McBride (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) as Mr. Dombey, Michele Lee (Nutcracker Rouge) as Mrs. Noggs, Kristen Faith Oei (The King and I) as Ms. Skiffins, Meg Gibson (The Gabriels) as Molly, William Youmans (Wicked) as Magwitch & Bagstock, Kevyn Morrow (Moulin Rouge!) as Jasper Jaggers, Joziyah Jean-Felix (The Lion King) as Young Pip, Brooklyn Shuck ("Evil") as Young Essy and Willow McCarthy (The Ferryman) as Tiny Tammy.

Director/co-book writer John Caird says, "I'm so happy to bring this new musical to life in the midst of these mad and maddening times. The creative team nimbly learned new techniques to bring the actors and their characters together. It's wonderful to provide employment for the theatre community while we enliven the classic Christmas Carol story, refashioned with a new twist for today. At a time of great conflict and hardship, I hope we can shine a little ray of optimism into the surrounding darkness."

Co-book writer/composer Paul Gordon adds, "This piece was a joy to create, from the first beat of the idea to the culmination of the film. Discovering how these Dickensian characters (from different novels) would interact together and tell a cohesive story with a distinct musical voice was both a challenge and a thrill. I believe in finding new ways of sharing the magic of musical theatre with the world and now it's more important than ever to escape for a few hours with a message of love and hope. I'm proud to be part of this creative team and to bring our community together in a responsible way during these challenging times."

Estella Scrooge is produced by Streaming Musicals in association with Michael Jackowitz of Witzend Productions, Michael Alden and David Bryant. Executive Producers are Jeffrey Grove and Kevin Surace and for StreamingMusicals, Tom Polum and Stacia Fernandez. Co-Executive Producers are Jeffrey Grove, Allan Herzog and Dawn Smalberg/Bev Ragavoy.

It was originally developed through over two holidays seasons at Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura (Karyl Lynn Burns and James O'Neil, Artistic Directors), with further development and support from Rhinebeck Writers' Retreat.

For over three years, StreamingMusicals has been creating content that is a hybrid between theatre and film, with in-theatre and soundstage captures that provide worldwide access to musicals that would not be as widely seen otherwise.

Estella Scrooge features musical supervision by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins), choreography by Natalie Lomonte (Every Woman Biennial) and casting by Tara Rubin Casting (Dear Evan Hansen). Director of photography and editor is Tyler Milliron (Streaming Musicals' Pride and Prejudice), production art design is by Zach Wilson (Beauty and the Beast), costume design is by Somie Pak ("Mélange"), hair and makeup design is by Dena Olivieri (Forbidden Steps) and props design is by Katherine White (Streaming Musicals' Marry Harry).

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