Hale To Star In McKenna-Edis Adaptation Of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Plays Arts Theatre Nov 11-Jan 10, 2010

Gareth Hale will play Scrooge in Susie McKenna and Steve Edis' adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which is to open in the newly refurbished Arts Theatre in November this year. A Christmas Carol, produced by Tiny Tim Productions, will preview from 11 November, with the press performance on 25 November, and is booking until 10 January 2010.

Susie McKenna - writer and director, and Steve Edis - composer and arranger, are regular collaborators best known for their award-winning Christmas productions previously staged at the Hackney Empire. They are joined by associate director and choreographer Frank Thompson, designer Lotte Collett, musical director Ian MacGregor, lighting designer David Howe and sound designer Richard Brooker. The puppet designer and fabricator is Scott Brooker.

The cast - who between them play over 30 roles - is led by Gareth Hale as Scrooge, who is joined by Simon Lipkin, Rebecca Thornhill and Michael Matus, as well as, the voices of Matthew White as Charlie the Theatre Mouse and Sharon D. Clarke as Bentolina the Theatre Cat, and puppeteers Brian Herring and Erin Lister.

A Christmas Carol is the first in what will be a five year initiative between Tiny Tim Productions and the Arts Theatre, presenting Christmas entertainment for family audiences. This year the Arts will transform its front of house areas to create a Victorian themed foyer offering Dickensian treats.

When Christmas-hating Sidney and his nephew Danny accidentally get locked in a theatre, the last thing they expect is to have to perform A Christmas Carol on stage in front of an expectant audience, aided by two out-of-work actors, the resident theatre cat, and a mouse with stage fright. But of course this is no ordinary night at the theatre, and a sumptuous sprinkling of festive charm is about to transform this Dickens classic like never before...So as they set about putting on a show with whatever props and costumes they can get their hands on, and with a little help from the audience too, we're whisked away on Scrooge's magical journey to rediscover his love of life, mankind and Christmas.

Actor and comedian Gareth Hale is best known as one half of the comedy duo Hale and Pace. With Norman Pace, their comedy partnership fronted several television programmes such as Hale and Pace, Pushing Up Daisies, The Management, The Saturday Gang and Jobs for the Boys. Hale played Doug MacKenzie from 2003 - 2005 in Channel 5's soap Family Affairs and in 2008 he joined the cast of The Royal to play head porter Jack Bell. On stage he has toured the UK as Lucky Eric in John Godber's Bouncers and Alfred P Doolittle in Trevor Nunn's production of My Fair Lady. Last month Gareth Hale and Norman Pace returned to Australia for their eighth national tour.

Rebecca Thornhill's West End credits include principle and leading role in numerous productions including Les Misérables, Show Boat, Chicago, Ragtime, Mary Poppins, The Full Monty, The Witches of Eastwick, Aspects of Love, Annie Get Your Gun, Oklahoma!, Beauty and the Beast, Cats, Me and My Girl and She Loves Me. She was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as Lina Lamont in the West Yorkshire Playhouse production of Singin' in the Rain, revived at the National Theatre. Thornhill was most recently seen in the UK touring production of The Witches of Eastwick.

Simon Lipkin's theatre credits include Nicky and Trekkie Monster in the originAl West End cast of Avenue Q, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London Theatre as well as pantomime credits in the UK including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella.

Michael Matus' theatre credits include Oklahoma! for Chichester Festival Theatre, Imagine This at the New London Theatre, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Timon of Athens at The Globe, The Canterbury Tales for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe for the Royal Shakespeare Company at Sadler's Wells and The Taming of the Shrew at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. His television credits include A Prince Among Men, The Bill, A Perfect World and EastEnders.

Sharon D Clarke played Charity in Mother Goose at the Hackney Empire, Mama Morton in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre, Killer Queen in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre and Rafiki in The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre as well as roles in The Vagina Monologues at the Hackney Empire and Once on This Island for Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and the Hackney Empire. Clarke was recently a judge on the BBC's The Last Choir Standing and has performed regularly as Lola Griffin on Holby City also for the BBC.

Matthew White's West End credits include Ragtime, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Les Miserables and Cinderella. His directing credits include Little Shop of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Magic Flute for the Peacock Theatre, The Black and White Ball for the King's Head Theatre and the national tours of Carousel and The Demon Headmaster. His television credits include Law and Order UK, Dr Who, Judge John Deed, The Big Battalions and Harry Hill.

Susie McKenna is Associate Director at the Hackney Empire where she has previously presented ten pantomimes, the most recent being Mother Goose starring Clive Rowe. She has recently directed Once on this Island, a co-production between Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse and London's Hackney Empire. McKenna is the Director of the Artist Development Programme at the Hackney Empire where she helped found the Hackney Harlem Theatre Company who are performing A Midsummer Night's Madness in Hackney and Harlem in August. As well as extensive directing credits, including Sophie Tucker's One Night Stand at the New End and King's Head theatres, McKenna's performing credits include Mama Morton in Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre, Emma Goldman in Ragtime at the Piccadilly Theatre and Gumbie Cat and Grizabella in Cats at the New London Theatre.

Steven Edis' recent credits include composer for Cyrano de Bergerac at Chichester Festival Theatre and King Lear and The Seagull for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Edis has composed music for many productions at the National Theatre including The RoyAl Hunt of the Sun, The Coast of Utopia, The Cherry Orchard and The Merchant of Venice. Also for the National he was Musical Director on His Dark Materials. As a musical arranger his credits include The Entertainer and Cinderella for the Old Vic, Guys and Dolls and Sweet Charity for Sheffield Crucible and numerous musicals at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. Since 1998 Edis has been arranger/Musical Director of the Hackney Empire pantomimes. His other compositions for the stage include The Philadelphia Story for the Old Vic and The Country Wife for the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Puppet designer Scott Brooker spent thirteen years as head puppet-maker for Spitting Image as well as eight years working in association with Jim Henson's Creature Shop. He designed and fabricated for Hi-5!, Horrible Histories, The Winjin' Pom, Round the Bend and Gilbert the Alien for Get Fresh. His other theatre credits include Dick Whittington, Mother Goose and Cinderella for the Hackney Empire. Brooker designed and fabricated for the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter cows as well as the Peperami commercials. His video credits include work for Genesis, Supergrass and Moby. His film credits include Peter and the Wolf, Alice in Wonderland, Five Children and It and The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Plays the Arts Theatre (6-7 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JB) 11 November 2009 - 10 January 2010. Press Night is set for Wednesday 25 November at 7pm. Tickets are priced at £15.00 - £37.50. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the box office at 0845 0175584.

Please call the box office for family tickets, groups and schools pricing.

For more information, visit www.christmascarolthemusical.co.uk or www.artstheatrewestend.com.

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