A CHRISTMAS CAROL at The Merchant's House to Return for 10th Holiday Season
Audiences will be transported back 150 years in this captivating one-hour performance created from Dickens’ own script.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 16, 2022
This holiday season, Summoners Ensemble Theatre and the Merchant's House Museum will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT'S HOUSE (29 East 4th Street, Manhattan). Surrounded by 19th century holiday decorations, flickering candles, and richly appointed period furnishings, audiences will be transported back 150 years in this captivating one-hour performance created from Dickens' own script. Performances run November 23 through December 29.
It's December 1867 and Charles Dickens has arrived in New York City for a month of sold-out performances of his beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Be transfixed as Mr. Dickens, portrayed by actor John Kevin Jones, tells his timeless Christmas tale in the elegant intact Greek Revival parlor of the landmark 1832 Merchant's House Museum.
"A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens" returns for select performances December 9-26. Toast the season with a cup of "Smoking Bishop" (mulled wine) and a special performance of "A Visit from St. Nicholas," performed by Mr. Dickens himself (John Kevin Jones). The 19th century family room, kitchen, and garden (weather permitting) of the Merchant's House Museum will be open to guests during the reception. Look for "Reception & Performance" on the night you'd like to attend. Limited to 20 people.
Not recommended for children under 10.
COVID-19 protocols. To ensure the safety of their guests, seating for A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT'S HOUSE is limited to 40. Attendees must wear a mask in the Merchant's House and during the performance. The Merchant's House Museum continues to update their COVID-19 protocols in accordance with federal, state, and local guidelines.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT'S HOUSE, Charles Dickens in New York, 1867, is presented by Summoners Ensemble Theatre in association with the Merchant's House Museum. Performances take place in the landmark 1832 Merchant's House Museum, New York City's only 19th century family home preserved intact, inside and out.
To be announced in November 2022: Their virtual offering of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT'S HOUSE will be available by pay-per-view again this holiday season.
TICKET, PERFORMANCE & RECEPTION INFORMATION
Tickets are available at www.summonersensemble.org and www.merchantshouse.org.
Regular 70-minute performances: $45 - $115. Seating is strictly limited.
Doors to the Merchant's House open 30 minutes prior to performance.
For Group Sales of 10 or more, email Summoners Ensemble Theatre: summonersensemble@gmail.com
"A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens" $30.
Offered at select performances December 9-26.
Begins 60 minutes prior to performance.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
* includes "A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens"
Wednesday, November 23 at 7:00PM
Friday, November 25 at 6:00PM
Saturday, November 26 at 6:00PM
Saturday, November 26 at 8:00PM
Sunday, November 27 at 6:00PM
Tuesday, November 29 at 7:30PM
Thursday, December 1 at 7:00PM
Friday, December 2 at 7:00PM
Saturday, December 3 at 6:00PM
Saturday, December 3 at 8:00PM
Sunday, December 4 at 6:00PM
Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30PM
Thursday, December 8 at 7:00PM
*Friday, December 9 at 7:00PM
*Saturday, December 10 at 6:00PM
*Saturday, December 10 at 8:30PM
Sunday, December 11 at 6:00PM
Tuesday, December 13 at 7:00PM
Thursday, December 15 at 7:00PM
*Friday, December 16 at 6:00PM
*Friday, December 16 at 8:30PM
*Saturday, December 17 at 6:00PM
*Saturday, December 17 at 8:30PM
Sunday, December 18 at 6:00PM
*Tuesday, December 20 at 7:00PM
*Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00PM
*Thursday, December 22 at 7:00PM
*Friday, December 23 at 6:00PM
*Friday, December 23 at 8:30PM
*Saturday, December 24 at 4:00PM
*Saturday, December 24 at 6:30PM
*Monday, December 26 at 4:00PM
*Monday, December 26 at 6:30PM
Tuesday, December 27 at 7:00PM
Wednesday, December 28 at 7:00PM
Thursday, December 29 at 7:00PM
This is a strictly limited engagement.
John Kevin Jones
(Actor, Co-Adapter): Kevin is a member of Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, and the Dramatists Guild of America. New York: Nothing But Trash, Theater for the New City; Jeffrey (starring Bryan Batt), Lincoln Center; The Winter's Tale and The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hipgnosis Theatre. Regional: The Pavilion (American Stage), Othello (Arkansas Rep), The Rivals, All My Sons (Kentucky Rep), Angels in America, Gross Indecency (Playhouse on the Square). BA in Theatre Performance from the University of South Florida and MFA in Theatre Directing from the University of Memphis.
RHONDA DODD
(Director, Co-Adapter): An award winning actor, technician and director, Rhonda arrived in New York with over 150 shows under her belt. Once here she made her Off-Broadway acting debut with Terese Hayden and Jacqueline Brookes' Workshop in Tennessee Williams' Period of Adjustment, finished her Ph.D., and spent 10 years working at Circle in the Square Theatre School. Dr. Dodd is the Artistic Director of Summoners Ensemble Theatre, a member of Actors Equity, and a participant in The Playground Experiment - a forum for theatre artists to explore, test, and showcase new work while finding inspiration and support from the community it creates.
Charles Dickens
(1812 - 1870): Considered the greatest English novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters. When destitution landed his family in debtor's prison, young Charles was forced to give up school and work in a blacking warehouse. This era of his life heavily influenced his writing, which later made him a much sought-after orator. After giving a speech to a group of working-class poor, Dickens found himself contemplating the plight of exploited child workers. Taking only six weeks to complete, in 1843, A Christmas Carol stripped away the mask from some of England's most acute social evils. By speaking up for the poor and oppressed, Dickens directly confronted the apathy and callousness of his countrymen. But more than just a timely political screed, Dickens' spirit-filled holiday story has become a timeless treatise about love, compassion, and the transformation of the human heart. He impelled his contemporaries then -- and now us today -- to care about everyone and to reach out and help if we see someone in need.
MERCHANT'S HOUSE MUSEUM
Built in 1832, the Merchant's House is New York City's only 19th century family home preserved virtually intact, with original family furnishings and personal belongings. A unique survivor of Old New York, the House offers an intimate glimpse of how a prosperous merchant family and their Irish servants lived in mid-19th century New York, as the city grew from a colonial seaport to thriving metropolis.
The Merchant's House is a National Historic Landmark and in New York City is distinguished as one of only 120 buildings that have NYC landmark status for both its exterior and interior.
SUMMONERS ENSEMBLE THEATRE
Founded by a group of actors who studied together at Circle in the Square Theatre School's Professional Acting Training program, Summoners Ensemble joined the ranks of New York nonprofit theatre companies in 1993. Created as a collaborative to allow the members to share in all of the functions needed in running a theatre company, Summoners remains a collective effort as they jointly produce theatrical events with other nonprofits or as they find ourselves acting and directing, writing and producing.
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