11th Hour Theatre Company to Present A PHILADELPHIA CHRISTMAS CAROL Radio Play

11th Hour Theatre Company is celebrating the holidays with a gorgeous, professionally-designed radio play version of the classic Charles Dickens tale. A Philadelphia Christmas Carol (based on Mark Shanahan's A Merry Little Christmas Carol) will feature some of the region's most recognizable performers from across the city's stages as they team up with internationally- acclaimed opera singers and Broadway stars in new radio play production, adapted by Mark Shanahan, with sound design by Tony Nominee John Gromada and sound editing by Joel Abbott. This family holiday staple, which moves the action to Philadelphia, will be available from 7pm on December 19 through 7pm December 23.

"We are thrilled to invite some of Philadelphia's finest actors and world-renowned opera performers into your living room for this one-of-a-kind radio play," says Artistic Director Steve Pacek, who will also play the narrator in the production. "This joyous celebration of the season has a unique 11th Hour twist that we can't wait to share with our patrons both locally and across the globe. It is a true celebration of our city! We hope you'll snuggle up next to the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa and loved ones by your side to listen-in to our Christmas tale."

A Philadelphia Christmas Carol is a radioplay (think: podcast) version of the classic Dickens' tale, set in Philadelphia in the 1840's, when the city was the financial capital of the nation. Listen in as Ebeneezer Scrooge's quest for the Almighty Dollar forces him into a reckoning one fate-filled Christmas night with the age-old question: "Will my life have been worth it?"

The cast features an award-winning collection of some of Philadelphia's most cherished theatre artists, including Ian Peakes as Scrooge, Lindsay Smiling as Bob Cratchitt, Liz Filios as Mrs. Cratchitt, Brian Anthony Wilson as Jacob Marley, Justin Jain as Dick Wilkins, Rob Tucker as Mr. Wescott, Karen Peakes as Mrs. Dilber, Owen Peakes as Peter Cratchitt, Alex Keiper as Boy, Bi Jean Ngo as Belle, David Raine as Belle's Husband, Rachel Camp as Catherine, Dan Kazemi as Mr. DuPont, Alex Bechtel as Mr. Pennypacker, Michael Doherty as Old Joe, Amanda Shafffern as Gentlewoman 1, Hillary Parker as Gentlewoman 2, Anna Lieberman as Fan, Marybeth Gorman as Christmas Present, Cate Shanahan as Martha Cratchitt, Milo Toro as Tiny Tim, and Michael O'Brien as the Sailor. Joining them will be Broadway's Billy Bustamante as Fred and Robi Hager as Topper, and acclaimed opera singers Latonia Moore as Christmas Past and Jesús Garcia as Mr. Fezziwig. The production will also feature original artwork by Artistic Director Steve Pacek.

John Gromada, who composed the production's original Music and sound design, has over 40+ Broadway productions to his credit, including All My Sons, Torch Song, The Elephant Man, The Trip to Bountiful (Tony nomination), Gore Vidal's The Best Man (Drama Desk Award), Clybourne Park, Seminar, Prelude to a Kiss, Proof, Twelve Angry Men, A Few Good Men. Off-Bway credits include The Cake, Amy and the Orphans, Domesticated, Old Hats, Measure for Measure (Delacorte), The Orphans' Home Cycle (Drama Desk Award, Henry Hewes Award), Shipwrecked! (Lucille Lortel Award), The Skriker (Drama Desk Award), Machinal (OBIE Award), and many more. His television and film credits include a score for the Emmy nominated "The Trip to Bountiful."

The producton's writer/adapter, Mark Shanahan, is the author of the Off-Broadway comedy The Dingdong, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, and is the creator/author of original radio drama for White Heron Theatre and NPR's Ghost Light Series. He is an Edgar Award nominee for his adaptation of The Chronology Protection Case, and co-writer of the short screenplay Kill Me (Adirondack FilmFest). His directing work has been seen extensively at The Alley Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Irish Rep, White Heron, Florida Rep, George Street, Virginia Stage, Penguin Rep, The Fulton, Arkansas Rep, Theatre Squared, Hudson Stage and many more. As an actor, he appeared on Broadway in The 39 Steps and Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Off-Broadway in Tryst, The Shaughran, Small World, Checkers, As Bees In Honey Drown and others, and has performed on numerous regional stages. Mark is the curator of the Script-In-Hand and Radio Theatre Series for The Westport Country Playhouse and a faculty member at Fordham University and JWS, teaching courses on Hitchcock, film adaptation, and playwriting. A graduate of Brown University (BA) and Fordham (MA). www.mark-shanahan.net

Patrons can donate any amount between now and December 23 to gain access to A Philadelphia Christmas Carol for no additional cost. Any contribution of $50 or more grants access to 11th Hour's Digital Launch Party on December 19 at 7pm. Join the 11th Hour family in their community Zoom room, along with members of the cast and creative team of A Philadelphia Christmas Carol To ring in the holiday week together. Christmas Carol Karaoke and BYOB winter cocktails will help make the season merry and bright. Plus, patrons who attend can win an original piece of art by 11th Hour's Steve Pacek.

Tickets and more information at https://11thhourtheatrecompany.org/shows/christmas-carol/

To post a comment, you must register and login.