Tri-State Actors to perform Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'
NEWTON — Tri-State Actors Theater celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season with its 8th annual presentation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Tri-State’s Artistic Director and Founder, Paul Meacham. The play runs Dec. 13 through 23 at the Performing Arts Center of Sussex County Community College, Newton.
As well as adapting Dickens’ classic story, Paul Meacham, will direct A Christmas Carol and play Scrooge. Returning cast members include: Nicholas Wilder, Lauren DeVore and Jacqueline Ann Holloway. New to the company this season are Daniel Mian and David Meyers. Ed Schiff returns for a third season as the production stage manager.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a wealthy man, rich in money and poor in spirit. He is the surviving partner of Scrooge and Marley, a “business” that places profit above all else. He’s locked his solitary heart into a cashbox and forgotten where he’s put the key. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is his usual miserly self, chasing off solicitors for the poor, chastising his sole employee, Bob Cratchit, for wanting to take off Christmas Day and insulting his nephew Fred for celebrating a holiday that “has never put a penny in anyone’s pocket.” But that night, Scrooge is visited by three spirits of his past, present and future that show him the desolate path he has chosen. Scrooge journeys from the painful losses of his youth to the human kindness and deep joy of a glorious Christmas morning. It is a story that continues to touch hearts, no matter how often it has been seen.
Meacham’s adaptation joins the modern Christmas season in the theatrical world with Dickens’ 19th century world. A theatrical company has just arrived in town to perform A Christmas Carol and it’s almost curtain time. As the actors come together onstage, there are the usual jokes and complaints and talk about wanting to be home for the holidays. The play is about to begin and one of the actors may be missing. When the actors begin to play the Dickens story, the words are all Dickens. This adaptation is an intimate and warm retelling of Charles Dickens’ most famous Christmas Story and will appeal to those who love live theater and real Dickens.
The running time for A Christmas Carol is approximately two hours, with intermission. Appropriate for ages 6 and above.
Tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances are $28, $25 for seniors (60+) and $20 for students. Tickets for Thursday matinee and Thursday evening are $20, $18 for seniors (60+) and $15 for students.
To buy tickets visit www.tristateactorstheater.org or sussex.edu or by call Tri-State at 973-383-0510.