Tom Atkins Stars in Pittsburgh CLO's A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL; Full Cast Announced!

The 21st annual production of Pittsburgh CLO's A Musical Christmas Carol will feature returning favorites and a host of exciting new cast members, led by Pittsburgh's own Tom Atkins as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Tickets are now available by calling 412-456-6666, online at pittsburghCLO.org or at the Theater Square Box Office.

About the Cast (Listed in alphabetical order)

Tom Atkins (Ebenezer Scrooge) returns for a fifth consecutive appearance in A Musical Christmas Carol. Mr. Atkins is perhaps best known for his numerous film and television credits, including "Escape from New York," "The Fog," "Creepshow," "Lethal Weapon," "Bob Roberts," "Striking Distance" and "My Bloody Valentine 3D," as well as "M*A*S*H," "The Rockford Files," "Homicide" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." A Pittsburgh native, he has performed in numerous Pittsburgh Public Theater Productions, most notably starring as Art Rooney Sr. in The Chief. On Broadway, he appeared in The Changing Room and The Front Page.

Paul Domencic (Young Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Future) is a graduate of The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and has appeared regionally with Colonial Theatre, St. Michael's Playhouse, The Depot Theatre, St. Vincent Summer Theatre and as Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night at Mountain Playhouse. He has also appeared on several daytime soaps.

Lisa Ann Goldsmith (Mrs. Cratchit) has performed with many notable companies regionally and Off-Broadway, and has appeared locally with Pittsburgh Public Theater, The REP, Quantum Theatre, and Unseam'd Shakespeare. She has directed for Tulsa Shakespeare in the Park, Protean Theatre Company, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and The Microscopic Opera Company, and has numerous film and television credits.

Tim Hartman (Mr. Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas Present) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the 15th time. Broadway credits include A Tale of Two Cities and Finian's Rainbow. Pittsburgh roles include Don Quixote in The Man of La Mancha, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, El Gallo in The Fantastiks, and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Other theater credits include Miles Gloriosus in …Forum, Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Falstaff in Henry IV, C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands and The Big Bang at the CLO Cabaret. Tim has also appeared as Merlin in Camelot, Ziegfeld in Funny Girl with Anna Gasteyer, FDR in Annie and 24 characters in the one man show The Cotton Patch Gospel. Film credits include "Silence of the Lambs," "The Piano Lesson," "The Mothman Prophecies" and "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh."

Billy Hepfinger (Fred) starred in Pittsburgh CLO's Gallery of Heroes production of Young Washington as George Washington. He is a graduate of Princeton University, where he studied literature and theater, acted in his spare time, and sang with the Princeton Nassoons, one of the country's oldest a cappella groups. He is also a graduate of North Allegheny High School, a Gene Kelly Award winner, a former Pittsburgh CLO intern and is a resident of Allison Park, PA.

Jeff Howell (Bob Cratchit) is a veteran of numerous productions of A Musical Christmas Carol. He was most recently seen in the 2012 Pittsburgh CLO Summer Season productions of Annie, Fiddler on the Roof and Sunset Boulevard at the Benedum Center. His other Pittsburgh CLO credits include Jekyll & Hyde, The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oliver!, Beauty and the Beast, Bells Are Ringing, Chess, Singing In the Rain and The Most Happy Fella. Local credits include Candide for Quantum Theatre and Show Boat with Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Daniel Krell (Marley) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the 11th time. He is a veteran of over 20 Pittsburgh CLO productions, including Fiddler on the Roof, Sunset Boulevard, Jekyll & Hyde, Curtains, Oliver!, Les Misérables, The Full Monty, 1776, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific and Anything Goes. Mr. Krell starred in Quantum Theatre's production of When the Rain Stops Falling and has also appeared in productions for City Theatre and Pittsburgh Public Theater, among others.

Erin Krom (Missy Watkins/Martha Cratchit) is a Point Park University graduate joining Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. Her New York theater credits include: Side Show, My Illustrious Wasteland, Spokes and Living Room Odyssey. Regionally, she has appeared in Private Lives, Peter Pan, South Pacific, Anything Goes, Red and many others with Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, Pittsburgh Playhouse and City Theatre. Her film and television credits include: Men in Black 3, MildrEd Pierce and "You're the One That I Want," where she was a finalist for the role of Sandy in Grease.

Mary Lamb (Fan/Alice) recently played Nellie Bly in Pittsburgh CLO's 2012 Gallery of Heroes tour. Her credits include Hairspray (Amber VonTussle), Annie Get Your Gun (Winnie Tate), Cabaret (Kit Kat Girl), Fame (Serena), and Footloose (Ariel). She also appeared in the feature film "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."

Simon Nigam (Tiny Tim) is a Pittsburgh CLO Academy student and seven year-old first grader at Falk Laboratory School, making his Pittsburgh CLO debut.

Brian Knoebel (Peter Cratchit) is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut. His most recent credits include Suite Surrender (Francis) at St. Vincent Summer Theatre and A Child's Guide to Heresy (Thomas) at The REP.

Amanda Serra (Ghost of Christmas Past/Peg) returns to the cast of A Musical Christmas Carol for the 12th time. Her other Pittsburgh CLO credits include The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Hello, Dolly! and Me and My Girl. In New York, she has appeared in Disembodied Heads, Dialing For Donna, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Ripper – the Musical.

Amanda Slaughter (Bess/Belle) is a graduate of Point Park University with a degree in musical theater. Ms. Slaughter has performed in CLO's Gallery of Heroes productions of First Lady and Pioneers of Flight. Her other credits include the National Tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Brigadoon, Into the Woods, Quilters and Oklahoma!

Mark Tinkey (Wilkins, Watkins, Undertaker) joins the cast of A Musical Christmas Carol for the fifth year. Past credits for CLO include Mikey, Tony, and Eddie in Shear Madness, Forbidden Broadway and I Love you, You're Perfect, Now Change.

Jonathan Visser (Topper, Goose Vendor) recently starred in the CLO Cabaret production of Ruthless! The Musical as Sylvia St. Croix. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and has appeared in area productions for Bricolage, City Theatre and The Rep. Regional credits include Dallas Theatre Center, Casa Manana, Paper Mill Playhouse, Clarence Brown Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, PCPA and HSRT.

Terry Wickline (Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the 13th year. Her Pittsburgh CLO credits include The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, Crazy For You and Bye Bye, Birdie, as well as Always...Patsy Cline and Nunsense at Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret. She has also appeared in Pittsburgh Public Theater's The Importance of Being Earnest, Man of La Mancha and Much Ado About Nothing.

The cast is rounded out by a host of carolers and party guests.

J. Alex Noble (Ensemble) returns to Pittsburgh CLO after appearances in Annie, Fiddler on the Roof and Sunset Boulevard this summer at the Benedum Center. He has been seen on stage with Stage Right!, PMT, WVPT and The REP. Mr. Noble is a recent graduate of Point Park University.

Jodi Gage (Ensemble) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for her fifth year. Her other credits include Orpheus and the Underworld (Diana) at Oberlin Conservatory; Working (Housewife) in Hamilton, Scotland; Lion in Winter (Alice) at Hamilton Civic Theater. Ms. Gage is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory.

Christina McCann (Ensemble) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the sixth time. Previously, she toured for Pittsburgh CLO in numerous productions of its Gallery of Heroes program. She has also performed in the Pittsburgh Opera productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Eugene Onegin and La Boheme. Her other credits include: Gypsy (Louise), Chicago (Velma) and Brigadoon (Fiona).

Scott P. Sambuco (Ensemble) is a Pittsburgh CLO veteran making his 13th appearance in A Musical Christmas Carol. He has appeared in Pittsburgh CLO productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Annie, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, She Loves Me, Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You, Grand Hotel and Bye, Bye, Birdie.

Several Pittsburgh CLO Academy students will also take part in the holiday production.
Jake Curtis (Turkey Boy) is a seventh grader at Weir Middle School and is in his second year at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy. He has appeared in productions for Weirton Community Players and Brooke Hills Playhouse.

Jillian Ferguson (Belinda) is a student at Propel East and at CLO Academy. She returns to Pittsburgh CLO after playing an orphan in Pittsburgh CLO's Annie this summer at the Benedum Center. Past Pittsburgh theater credits include: The Little Mermaid, A Lyrical Christmas Carol (PMT), Nuncrackers (SPT) and Annie (Theater Factory).

Lucia Williams (Cratchit Child) is a fifth grade student at St. Louise de Marillac School who also studies at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy and the Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh. She has appeared in the Pittsburgh CLO productions of Annie and Fiddler on the Roof, in addition to the Pittsburgh CLO Academy productions of Alice in Wonderland and Cats.

Mario Williams (Cratchit Child) is a second grader at St. Louise de Marillac School and 2nd year student at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy, where he appeared in Flat Stanley this past year. He is making his professional Pittsburgh CLO debut in A Musical Christmas Carol.

About the Creative Team

Tim Gregory (Director) is back for a fifth year directing A Musical Christmas Carol. He is the Founding Artistic Director of Provision Theater Company in Chicago, where some of his directing credits include Provision Theater's Jefferson Award–Nominated productions of A Christmas Carol, The Hiding Place and the critically-acclaimed production CS Lewis On Stage.

McCrae Hardy (Musical Director/Keyboards) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol after a five-year absence. He previously served as music director/conductor for the North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh, NC from 1984-2005 as well as numerous other theatres. Currently, he is the Conductor for The Triangle Youth Symphony. He holds the Raleigh Medal of Arts "for extraordinary achievement in the arts."

Andrew David Ostrowski (Lighting Designer) Recent work includes Bolero for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play for PICT, and POP! for City Theatre. He has designed for every local company in Pittsburgh. National credits include: The Asolo, Virginia Stage Company, North Shore Music Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Company, The Arden Theatre Company, Spoleto Festival USA, Dallas Summer Musicals, Theater of the Stars, Madison Opera, as well as others. International credits include productions in Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, France, and touring all of Western Europe.

The stage manager for this production will be Fredric H. Orner. This production features original scenery by D Martyn Bookwalter.

In what has become A Musical Christmas Carol tradition, local choirs will perform prior to select performances. Musical groups from all over the Tri-state area have the opportunity to perform on the Byham Theater stage and take part in this special holiday celebration. The list to date includes:

West Allegheny Show Choir
Saturday, December 15, 7:30 pm
Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars/CLO Academy Students
Sunday, December 16, 1:30 pm
Karns City High School Concert Choir
Friday, December 21, 7:30 pm

A Musical Christmas Carol will be presented at the Byham Theater (6th & Fort Duquesne Boulevard) December 7-23. Tickets range from $28.75 - $60.75 with half-price tickets for children 3-14 and are now available by calling 412-456-6666, online at pittsburghCLO.org or at the Theater Square Box Office.

Special events available for groups include School Matinees Dec. 6-7, 12-14 and 19-21, Girls' Night Out with Lidia's Pittsburgh on December 9 and several Girl Scouting events including a Sleepover and Pizza Parties. You can also pair a meal at your favorite restaurant with a performance of A Musical Christmas Carol. Let our holiday party planners do the work for you. For more information on these and other group events and discounts, call Group Sales at 412-325-1582.

Pittsburgh CLO has also announced that together, with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Pittsburgh CLO will conduct a food drive during all performances of A Musical Christmas Carol. Audience members are invited to help fellow Pittsburgh residents by dropping non-perishable food items in barrels stationed in the Byham Theater lobby this December.

Photo Credit: Matt Polk

To post a comment, you must register and login.