Holiday Classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL to Reopen the Alley's Hubbard Theatre After Hurricane Harvey

The Alley Theatre's holiday production of A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas celebrates the return to the Alley stage and reopens the Hubbard Theatre following Hurricane Harvey.

Alley's seasonal favorite is a re-telling of Charles Dickens' classic story, which follows Ebenezer Scrooge's journey with the three ghostly apparitions who visit him on Christmas Eve.

Performances of A Christmas Carol are scheduled to begin Friday, November 24 and will run through Saturday, December 30. Tickets are available now at the Alley Theatre Box Office at 713.220.5700 and online at www.alleytheatre.org.

"We are especially pleased to be able to produce A Christmas Carol this year, as it has been an annual holiday tradition for many Houston families. The production is a celebration of the holiday season, but also a celebration for our artists, crew, and staff who have been working so hard to bring us back to our home - the Alley Theatre," said Managing Director Dean R. Gladden.

"This holiday season is one to especially embrace. And we all need the exuberance and joyful spirit of this wonderful production more than ever this Christmas. The Alley family and artists take a particular happiness in performing A Christmas Carol every year - and this season finds all of us more eager than ever to bring this bright, brilliantly theatrical tale to everyone. It's a very special moment for all of us to celebrate," said Artistic Director Gregory Boyd.

In spite of the impact felt by Hurricane Harvey, the Theatre is back and ready to open its doors again to the Houston community for the 30th production of Michael Wilson's adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The themes in the play of rebirth and restoration have a deeper meaning this holiday season for the Houston Theater District. The production serves as a celebration for the arts community and an important mark that the Alley artists, staff, and crew are moving forward.

The production, directed by Alley Associate Director James Black, features more than 40 cast members, including many Alley Resident Company members. Alley Resident Company Member Jeffrey Bean is celebrating his 10th season as Scrooge.

"It is a remarkable achievement," says Boyd, "to watch this brilliant Alley artist take on what has become a signature role for him. It is an experience to be cherished."

"For me the theatre has always been, among other things, a healing balm, reconnecting me to my humanity and the world around me; a comfort in times of difficulty. There's little doubt that all of us could use such a thing this year perhaps more than most. What better way to celebrate the bond we share as a city overcoming all we've been through than to join Scrooge as he reconnects with his world, his fellow travelers through life, and learns the joy of community?" says Jeffrey Bean.

The full cast of A Christmas Carol includes Alley Theatre Resident Company members Jeffrey Bean as Ebenezer Scrooge, Elizabeth Bunch as Mrs. Cratchit/Mrs. Fezziwig, Chris Hutchison as Bob Cratchit, Paul Hope as Second Solicitor/ Mr. Fezziwig, Charles Krohn as Undertaker/Old Joe, Melissa Pritchett as Mary Pidgeon/Spirit Of Christmas Past, David Rainey as Bert/Spirit Of Christmas Present, Jay Sullivan as Fred/Scrooge At 21, and Todd Waite as First Solicitor/Fiddler

Rounding out the cast are Adam Gibbs as Apparition/Dick Wilkins/Mr. Topper, Dylan Godwin as Mrs. Dilber/Jacob Marley, Mitchell Greco as Apparition/Party Guest, Gabby Greer as Apparition/Martha Cratchit/Wendy, Shawn Hamilton as Mr. Marvel, Mark Ivy as Apparition/Lamplighter/Travis, Chelsea McCurdy as Apparition/Beggar Woman/Fred's Sister-In-Law, and Teresa Zimmerman as Apparition/Rich Lady/Patricia.

A Christmas Carol is adapted and originally directed by Michael Wilson. The production is directed by James Black and features Tony Award-winning scenic designer Tony Straiges (Alley's The Heiress, The Importance of Being Earnest) with costumes by Alejo Vietti (Alley's A View from the Bridge, Around the World in 80 Days). Lighting is designed by Rui Rita (Alley's The Old Friends, Freud's Last Session), and original music is composed by John Gromada (Alley's The Elephant Man, Dividing the Estate, Ether Dome). Choreography is by Hope Clarke.

In addition to the adult cast, more than 20 children from the Greater Houston community will be participating in various roles in this production, and a future announcement of those casting details will follow.

TICKETS: Tickets to A Christmas Carol are now on sale and start at $26. Discounted tickets are available for military and senior, and any student, regardless of age, with a valid student ID for $16 for designated performances in designated sections. Tickets can be ordered online (alleytheatre.org) or by phone (713.220.5700).

Performances of A Christmas Carol are Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A Christmas Carol is recommended for general audiences, ages 6 and up.

Additional performances on December 6 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. and 19 at 2:30 p.m. have been added to the production schedule. Schedule may vary. Check alleytheatre.org for a current schedule

Alley Box Office staff are in the process of contacting patrons with existing tickets to November 17 through 22 performances of A Christmas Carol To reschedule tickets to any other performance at no charge. Patrons may reach out directly via email at boxoffice@alleytheatre.org or call 713.220.5700, 7 days a week from noon to 6 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENT: DECK THE TREES November 24, 2017- January 2, 2018: This year the Alley Theatre presents Deck the Trees . . . A Season of Giving. While Deck the Trees has been a favorite Houston holiday tradition for the past decade, we have expanded the event to serve as both a recovery and sustainability event supporting the renovation of the theatre while also funding the Alley's educational and artistic endeavors.

This annual tradition brings new and longstanding supporters together to celebrate the myriad of gifts that the theatre infuses into the lives of young people and those young at heart. The Deck the Trees Celebration will transform the Alley Theatre lobby into a winter wonderland of trees, festively decorated by Houston's leading designers and sponsored by generous businesses and individuals.

The Alley Theatre, one of America's leading not-for-profit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company led by Artistic Director Gregory Boyd and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden. Home to a Resident Company of actors, the Alley creates a wide-ranging repertoire and innovative productions of classics, neglected modern plays, and premieres. Alley All New, the initiative to commission and develop new work year-round, features the Alley All New Festival each season presenting workshops and readings of new plays and musicals in process. Additionally, the Alley serves 65,000 students annually with award-winning education and community programs including in-school arts integration residencies, school tours and student matinees. A recipient of the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Alley has brought productions to Broadway, 40 American cities including New York's Lincoln Center and internationally to London, Berlin, Paris, and St. Petersburg throughout its 70-year history.

After a year-long, $46.5 million renovation during the 2014-15 season, the Alley Theatre now has one of the most technically advanced non-profit theatre complexes in the nation. With more than 450 performances in 2016-2017, the Alley will produce more shows than all other performing arts organizations in the Houston Theater District combined.

Pictured: Jeffrey Bean as Ebenezer Scrooge (center) and The Company in the Alley Theatre's A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas. Photo by John Everett.

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