It's Christmas in July at the Omaha Community Playhouse

Five months? Bah, humbug! The Omaha Community Playhouse isn't waiting for snow.

As our costume and scene shops prep for OCP's 45th run of A Christmas Carol, THE box office has a deal Scrooge would never approve of.

For a limited time, reserve the best seats for all performances Nov. 20-Dec. 23 on our Hawks Mainstage.

Better still, for six performances, buy one seat and get a second half price. Special-price shows are at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22; 7 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9; and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 and 21 and Dec. 3.

Grab this gift quickly! Offer good July 8 to 13 only.

Season subscribers can also choose best seats and discount prices that week, starting Tuesday, July 7.

For non-subscribers, tickets start at $40. Mention the promotion code JULYHUMBUG when you reserve online at omahaplayhouse.com, or by phone, 402-553-0800.

The Box Office is open July 7-10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday, July 12 and 13. On those days patrons can purchase tickets online at Ticket Omaha.

A Christmas Carol stars the ever-popular Jerry Longe as Ebenezer Scrooge, marking his 15th year in the iconic role.

Longtime fans of OCP's A Christmas Carol also fondly recall Dick Boyd's run as Scrooge for the show's first 30 seasons. That's 818 performances, with a total audience of 442,855 people.

They're streaming video of Dick Boyd's 800th performance (Nov. 30, 2005) starting Friday, July 10, at 7:30 p.m. Find the link at omahaplayhouse.com.

Can't see it July 10? No worries. It's available online through Sunday, July 12.

On the video, Eleanor Jones will salute Boyd at the show's finish. She's the late widow of Charles Jones, who adapted the script from the Charles Dickens classic in 1976 and directed the show for 22 years.

You'll see not only Dick Boyd but other longtime cast favorites, including Bob Snipp as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Julie Huff as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Marianne Young as Mrs. Cratchit. Revisit the show's original scenic and lighting designs by Jim Othuse and costumes by Denise Ervin and Georgiann Regan. Choreography is by Joanne Cady, and the score and orchestration are by John Bennett.

Along with the video, click on links to two Omaha World-Herald articles from 2005 all about Dick Boyd's incredible stage run. An in-depth profile of Boyd reveals how he got the role, why he loved playing it and what those who worked with him had to say. You can also read a description of Boyd's final performance, as seen from backstage. And just for fun, there's a list of the show's funniest bloopers from its first 30 years.

In case this all leaves you feeling as generous as a post-ghost Scrooge, you'll find a link at omahaplayhouse.com for gift-giving. While the streaming event is free, a suggested donation of $10 (or more!) will help them continue to offer online content and to prepare our building to safely reopen so they can welcome the community back.

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