St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Reveals Tickets and Details For First Holiday Production: Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival has announced the full cast, performance dates and ticket information for the much anticipated Q Brothers CHRISTMAS CAROL at the National Blues Museum this holiday season. Q Brothers CHRISTMAS CAROL will make its St. Louis debut November 21-December 23 in Downtown St. Louis. It marks the Festival's third collaboration with Q Brothers Collective following DRESS THE PART at The Ready Room and a COVID-friendly walking tour adaptation, "A WALKING XMAS CAROL", in the Central West End in 2020.

With over 20 years of credits, The Q Brothers and their hip-hop collective write and compose acclaimed "ad-rap-tations" of classical texts. Previous productions DRESS THE PART ("The most fun you can have without taking your pants off" - Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and winner of four St. Louis Theater Circle Awards including Best Production of a Comedy and Best Ensemble), OTHELLO: THE REMIX and I HEART JULIET have been performed on stages at London's The Globe Theater, Austin City Limits, The Sydney Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and more.

Q Brothers Chrismas Carol is a laugh-out-loud remix of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol - like you've never heard before. Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three unexpected but recognizable music legends in the Ghosts of Hip-Hop Past, Present, and Future. As Scrooge sees the path of rhythm and redemption, does he throw off his selfish chains and get down to the beat? Audiences will fall for Lil' Tim and the Cratchits thanks to tracks like "STILL GONNA CELEBRATE", "GET YA SCROOGE ON", "BIG POPPA" and more! The 80-minute performance mixes everything from reggae to rock, taking this beloved tale of love, forgiveness, and yuletide spirit up to 11. The performances will take place NOV 21 - DEC 23, Wednesday-Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday.

"The Q Brothers are the true heirs to Shakespeare in almost every way," said Tom Ridgely in a statement. "If you saw the Festival's production of their Dress the Part in 2020, you know they are crafting language every bit as inventive and poetic as he was - and their plays are just as dazzling and entertaining. Their adaptation of A Christmas Carol is entirely faithful and utterly original - the funniest and most moving I've ever seen. We can't wait to share it with St. Louis and know it's well on its way to becoming a beloved holiday tradition."

The fresh cast of Q Brothers CHRISTMAS CAROL includes Garrett Young (SCROOGE), Chicago-based Victor Musoni* (Jacob Marley/LIL' TIM/OTHERS), Mo Shipley* (OLIVER/FRED/OTHERS) and Maya Vinice Prentiss (BOB CRATCHIT/PAST/PRESENT/OTHERS). They are joined by St. Louis performer Mel Bady (DJ), previously seen in the Festival's 2022 touring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The creative team will include founding Q Brothers Collective members JQ and Jackson Duron (JAX) as co-directors, choreography by NYC-based Steph Paul, scenic design by the acclaimed public artist William Attaway, costume and prop design by Erika McClellan, lighting design by Jesse Klug and sound design by Stephen Ptacek.

Unlike anything St. Louis audiences have seen before, Q Brothers CHRISTMAS CAROL will offer a whole evening of fun for families and groups. The National Blues Museum will add a holiday blues pop-up bar, "CLUB FEZZY", where attendees can enjoy music, decor and themed drink menu while exploring the exhibits from the early evolution of Blues to today's hits. The exclusive access to the Museum will open 90 minutes before the show begins.

The National Blues Museum, which opened in 2016, preserves the legacy and honors the history of Blues - the root of all American music with some of the deepest roots in St. Louis. The Museum's Legends Room and stage for Q Brothers CHRISTMAS CAROL has hosted musicians from around the world and some of the most notable names in modern Blues music.

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