Norfolk, VA – Virginia Stage Company is excited to bring back its annual holiday tradition with a bit of new spirit in the form of a riveting adaptation of A Merry Christmas Carol. The adaptation of the Dickens Christmas tale, written by The 39 Steps and The Hound of the Baskervilles director Mark Shanahan, will bring its holiday cheer to the Historic Wells Theatre (108. E. Tazewell Street) from Saturday, November 25 – Sunday, December 24th.
Directed by Tom Quaintance, Virginia Stage Company’s very own Producing Artistic Director, A Merry Christmas Carol brings to life the beloved characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future in a spectacular theatrical experience. Audiences can expect a delightful blend of traditional holiday cheer, innovative staging and a newly added ghostly chorus, making this production a must-see event for families and theatre enthusiasts alike.
“I love this play and am excited to continue to explore what it means for this community, especially with Mark’s [Shanahan] adaptation that is specific to our community and our theatre. It’s just a great story about what it means to be a human in a gratingly material society. It is, and continues to be, a story that is essential for our world” says Director Tom Quaintance.
Norfolk local talent Beatty Barnes reprises his role as Dickens’ favorite old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. Also returning to reprise their roles from last year include Sarah Manton as Actor 2, Meredith Nöel as Actor 4, and Refiye Tappan as Actor 7 and musical accompaniment for this magical show of holiday merriment. There are several other wonderful VSC veteran performers returning to the VSC Stage including: Adalee Alt from multiple productions of A Christmas Carol, Patrick Halley from The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dave Hobbs from The Diary of Anne Frank, Steve Pacek from The 39 Steps and The Legend of Georgia McBride, Anna Sosa from The Hobbit, Miri Quaintance from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Stormie Trevino from Fiddler on the Roof. Making their VSC debut include performers: Margo Von Buseck, Mia Haymes, Wyllow Smith, and Russell Teagle.
The story of Dickens’ Christmas Carol has been a long-time tradition at VSC, spanning well over 30 years. While the style, script, music, and magic onstage changes slightly from year to year…the classic tale has always warmed the Hampton Roads audiences every December.
Tickets are currently on sale by either visiting www.vastage.org or by calling the Box Office at (757) 627-1234 Monday through Friday from 10am – 5pm. There is a sensory-friendly performance, Theatre for Everyone, on December 16th at 3pm. Guests will experience a relaxed performance (no strobe lights, house lights left on, etc) and areas in the lobby for younger guests to be able to take a break if needed.
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact Maris Smith at (757) 627 – 6988, x306 or [email protected]. High-resolution images and additional information about the production are available upon request.
Virginia Stage Company is Southeastern Virginia’s leading theatre destination, serving an audience of over 58,000 annually, both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage Company’s mission is to “enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality.”
