A Christmas Carol at the CBT

Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" at the Clarence Brown Theatre
Features a New Scrooge and $10 Children's Prices!

Join us as we celebrate the holiday and recapture the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with the timeless Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol" November 25 through December 20 at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

Featuring a new Scrooge, a cast of 30, beautiful music and a lavish set, this record-setting production will surely become a wonderful memory for you and your family.  Tickets for children 12 and under are $10! The production is sponsored by Schaad Companies. Media sponsors are WBIR, Comcast, WNOX, WUOT, WUTK, Knoxville News Sentinel and B97.5.

"A Christmas Carol" is the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, whose ghostly journeys and transformation through Christmas past, present and future is among the most beloved stories in western literature.

Described by Dickens as his "little Christmas Book," "A Christmas Carol" was first published in December, 1843.  The story was instantly successful, selling over 6,000 copies in one week. It has since been republished countless times and adapted into scores of stage and screen adaptations.  It remains one of literature¹s most enduring and often-quoted stories of hope, triumph, and communal spirit.

Visiting guest director Edward Morgan is a freelance director, writer, and teacher. His projects so far this season have included "The Flu Season" in the CBT Lab and "Mary's Wedding" at Next Act in Milwaukee. Upcoming shows include "Winter Tale" with John McGivern in several Wisconsin cities, "Billy Bishop Goes to War" at Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, some teaching projects, and casting work with Cirque du Soleil, for whom he is a Casting Partner. Mr. Morgan previously served as Associate Artistic Director at Milwaukee Rep, where he directed some 30 plays. He has been a Directing Fellow for The Drama League of New York and his work has been honored with Helen Hayes Awards and nominations for Outstanding Production, Directing and Sound Design.

Katy Wolfe Zahn (Musical Director) has spent the past 15 years as a professional performer fluent in both opera and musical theater. She is the vocal instructor for the MFA acting students for the UT theater department and holds a Bachelor of Music Education/Vocal Performance from Belmont University and a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the University of Tennessee.  She has kept an active private voice studio of both performing professionals and developing students while also teaching for area colleges.

She has served as musical director, conductor, choreographer and vocal coach for many professional and collegiate productions.

Guest artist, Jim Kronzer, designed the set. The lavish design recreates 1840s London, as well as scenes from Scrooge's 18th century childhood and young adulthood. "Jim's multi-layered set conjures the dingy, crowded London streets and easily moves us from outside to inside locations while embracing the audience in a kind of storyteller's frame.  It's an exciting set," Morgan said.  Kronzer lives and works predominantly in Washington D.C., but he also has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at various regional theatres.  He has designed numerous national tours including The Pajama Game, Backyardigans and Seussical the Musical. Most recently, he decorated The White House for Halloween.

Visiting guest artist, Katherine Rohe, designed the costumes for the production. "Katherine¹s wonderful textured costumes take us from the London of 1842 to Scrooge's 18th century boyhood, and then all around the world.

We meet poor Cockney folk, respectable Londoners and a trio of Christmas ghosts," Morgan said.  Rohe lives in New York where she designs for the award ­winning Off-Broadway company, Transport Group.

Beverly Emmons is the guest lighting designer. "Her lights for the production are magnificent, conjuring the dark streets of London, the glow of holiday hearths and a thrilling quartet of spectral visitors," Morgan said.  Emmons has been nominated for numerous Tony Awards.  She has designed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, internationally and in regional theatres across the country. 

Mike Ponder is the production's sound designer.  "Mike has created a layered, supernatural sound design," Morgan said. "The singing is live, of course, but we've also brought along a rich "soundtrack" of traditional music arranged and recorded specifically for this production.  Ponder has been the resident sound designer for the theatre program and its Clarence Brown Theatre professional company for 11 years.

Also contributing to the production are UT faculty members Casey Sams on choreography, Katie Norwood Alley as child¹s acting coach and David Brian Alley as dialect coach.

This season's production features a new Scrooge.  Jonathan Gillard Daly is a resident actor with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre where he has appeared in several plays, and the Great River Shakespeare Festival. He also has performed in regional theatres across the country.

Neil Freidman (Fizziwig/Christmas Present) is in his third season at the CBT.  He has performed in regional theatres across the country and is a recipient of Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Awards.

Matthew Michaud (Tiny Tim) returns to perform the role again this season.

He is 9 years old and was last seen in the CBT's "Tommy." Also playing Tiny Tim is Abigail Hamilton, a 5th grader at Bearden Elementary School.  She has performed with the Knoxville Children¹s Theatre and the Woodlawn Christian Church.

Terry Weber (Bob Cratchit) is an associate professor of Theatre and volunteers as the Artistic Director of The WordPlayers. Most recently, he was Hermocrate in "The Triumph of Love."

Jonathan Visser (Marley/Young Marley) hails from the Pacific Northwest and is pursuing a Masters degree at UT. Most recently he was Prologue in "The Flu Season."

Matthew Ventura (Fred) is in his third year of Graduate Acting training at UT. He has a BA from New York University's Gallatin School and is a certified Alexander Technique teacher.

The remainder of the cast includes: Cycerli Ash, Matthew Charles, Russell Badham, Matthew Basset, Joshua Cook, Steve Fitchpatrick, Ali Fity, Andrew Gillenwaters, Natalie Hatfield, Connor Hess, Doug James, Maggie Kohlbusch, Amy Elizabeth Matthews, Jess Milewicz, Michael Moreno, Chip Morris, Muriel Nelson, Tyler Padgett, Joseph Rebrovick, Jessica Ripton, Lydia Steimer, Morganne Davies, Jacques Durand, Danny Fender, Ron Turner, Rebecca Haden, Maggie Hargett, and Lydia Grace Harrison.

Preview for "A Christmas Carol" is Wednesday, November 25 followed by Opening Night Friday, November 27. The show runs through Saturday, December 20. UT faculty/staff, senior citizens, children and students receive discounts. For tickets, call the Clarence Brown Theatre box office at 865-974-5161, Tickets Unlimited at 865-656-4444 or online at www.clarencebrowntheatre.com