Wayside Theatre Closes A CHRISTMAS CAROL, 12/24

Wayside Theatre Artistic Director Warner Crocker announced the cast and schedule for this year's holiday musical of A Christmas Carol Wayside Theatre's Shenandoah Valley holiday tradition continues with the familiar tale Adapted by Warner Crocker and Steve Przybylski and Lyrics and Music by Steve Przybylski. Also, they are director and musical director, respectively. The production of "A Christmas Carol" is sponsored by, McDonalds and Country Inn and Suites and Alamo Cinema Drafthouse.

Performances for A Christmas Carol will begin on November 27. The holiday extravaganza will run through December 24. There will be evening performances on beginning December 1st - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. Saturday matinee at 2:30pm and Sunday performances are 2:30pm and 6:30 PM. The week of Christmas there will be a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday Evening performance at 7:30 PM and Wednesday/Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve matinee at 2:30 PM. Several performances are Sold Out.

This year's cast will be highlighted by Wayside audience favorites James Laster and Eddie Staver III as everyone's favorite Christmas curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr. Staver will share the role with another audience favorite actor and Winchester local, James Laster, most recently seen in The Gin Game and Miracle on 34th Street.

But A Christmas Carol is more than just Scrooge. They will be joined by a cast that shares roles includes Forrest Sassaman and Michael Reid as Bob Cratchit, Andrew Crowe and Matthew Baldoni as Scrooge's nephew Fred; James Fleming and Richard Follett splitting the triple roles of Marley, Mr. Fezziwig and Old Joe; Thomasin Savaiano and Sarah Blackwell splitting the roles of Mrs. Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig; Katherine Yacko and Jenny Stodd splitting the dual roles of Belle and Phoebe; and Ricky Hesson and Bob Payne splitting the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present. They are joined by Aaron Mann, Gus Glatzel, Megan McShea, Sara Palmer, Jackie Zito, Kim Walker, Heather Reid, and Chelsea Massey round out the dual adult cast.

Each year's production of A Christmas Carol features a cast of local children portraying Tiny Tim and the Cratchit children, Turkey Boy and others. This year's young people in the cast include Leo Schopick, Thomas Bauserman, Patrick Bauserman, Joe Mayer, Forrest Limon, Tyler Plazio, Emily Crawford, Tiffany Waters, Natalie Dyke, Amanda Wills, Abigail Beaudoin, Vivian Sansoni, Jennifer Davison, Jessica Davison, Sarah Millard, and Audrey Nakagawa.

Directed by Warner Crocker, Musical Director Steve Przybylski Set design by Til Turner, Costumes by Tamara Carruthers and Lighting Design by Wes Calken

It is a musical retelling of Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol set in 1840's Victorian England. It is a story of hope, renewal, and community with all the charm and magic of the original Dickens novel about the visiting Christmas Ghosts. According to Crocker, "I'm excited to see the musical version on the stage and excited about the great cast we have this year." Warner Crocker said, "Of all the programming we do at Wayside Theatre, in many ways A Christmas Carol epitomizes how we see ourselves. Families come together to see the holiday productions year in and year out. Families also participate in the production. There is a terrific blend of professional actors and local performers. The only word I can use to describe the atmosphere at the theatre during this show may seem like a cliché, but that word is magical."

A Christmas Carol will begin performances on Saturday, November 27 with one special discounted performance on November 27 for the 7:30 PM evening performance with $22 Adult tickets available. Opening night is Sunday, November 28 at 6:30pm. Ticket prices are $25 to $30 with discounts for full-time students, seniors and groups of 20+ upon request There are no discounts for Saturday night performances. Children (ages 5 - 17) are $10.00 for any performance. WINC Chain of Checks Night is Wednesday, December 1 at 7:30 PM. Single tickets and group packages can be obtained by calling the box office at (540) 869-1776. Additional information can be obtained on the theatre's website at www.waysidetheatre.org. Wayside Theatre is located in Middletown, Virginia on Route 11, Main Street, just north of the intersection of I-66 and I-81.

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