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 23 through December 18 at the Clarence Brown Theatre.  Featuring 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! 

Hurry!  This is the last year for this adaptation of “A Christmas Carol.”

The production is sponsored by the mainstage series sponsor, Schaad Companies. Media sponsors are WBIR, WNOX, Comcast, WUOT, Knoxville News Sentinel and B97.5.

“A Christmas Carol” is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, whose ghostly journey 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 literatures’ most enduring and often-quoted stories of hope, triumph, and communal spirit.

Director and Co-Adaptor Edward Morgan is a freelance director, writer, and teacher. In September, he directed the premiere of “A Rising Wind,” a play he co-authored with John Kishline on commission from the Wisconsin Humanities Council, Pier Wisconsin and the Irish Fest Foundation. He then spent a week in the Dominican Republic, where he gave some Master Classes and lectured at the Teatro Nacional. He then spent two weeks in Costa Rica, where he taught a week-long seminar on Directing as part of an international theatre conference. In December, Mr. Morgan will direct comedian/storyteller John McGivern in a Next Act production at Milwaukee Rep, where he previously served as Associate Artistic Director and directed nearly 30 plays. He has been a Directing Fellow for The Drama League of New York and he and his work have been honored with Helen Hayes Awards and nominations for Outstanding Production, Directing and Sound Design. He is also a Casting Partner with Cirque du Soleil.

Musical Director Gene Peterson is the Associate Director of Choral activities for the UT School of Music and is the conductor of the UT Concert Choir, UT Men’s Chorale, and teaches undergraduate courses in choral music education. He also serves as the Director of Choral Ministries at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville and is a frequent guest clinician and conductor for festivals and honor choirs throughout the United States and Internationally.  

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.”

Visiting guest artist, Katherine Rohe, designed the costumes for the production. “Katherine’s 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.  He has been the resident sound designer for the theatre program and its Clarence Brown Theatre professional company for more than 10 years.

Also contributing to the production is UT faculty member Casey Sams on choreography and Knoxville resident Katie Norwood Alley as dialect coach and youth performance director.

The production features UT Theatre faculty professional actors, UT graduate and undergraduate student actors, and actors from the community.

Performing the role of Scrooge is visiting guest actor David Kortemeier. Some CBT credits include: “Moonlight & Magnolias,” “The Music Man,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Amadeus,” “Oedipus the King,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” His work has also been seen at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland, Drury Lane Theatre and Noble Fool Theatricals in Chicago and thirteen seasons with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in Bloomington.

UT Theater faculty members include: Jed Diamond (Marley/Old Joe/Ensemble), Carol Mayo Jenkins (Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig/Ensemble), and Terry Weber (Cratchit).

UT Theater graduate actors include: Suzanne Ankrum (Catherine/Miggot/Ensemble), Ricardo Birnbaum (Philpot/Topo/Ensemble), Stuart Matthews (Grimgrind), Jess Milewicz (U/S Mrs. Dilber/ Mrs. Fezziwig),  Cory O’Brien-Pniewski (Young Scrooge), Conrad Ricamora (Fred/Ensemble),  Laura Sebastian (Mrs. Cratchit/Ensemble),  Ashleigh Stochel (Christmas Past/Madeline), and Magan Wiles (Belle Lucy/Ensemble).

Community actors include: Chase Brown (Peter Cratchit/Dick Wilkins/Ensemble), Song Melene Dillon (Forgiveness/Want/Ensemble), Naama Friedman (Mary Cratchit), Christian Goethert (Tiny Tim), Lydia Grace Harrison (Belinda Cratchit/Ensemble), Mariana Kate Harrison (Tiny Tim Cratchit), Doug James (Ghost of Christmas Present), Blair Johnson (Smudge), Margaret May Keener (Mary Cratchit/Ensemble), James McGuire (Nick Oatway/Barnaby/Ensemble), Caleigh Schaad (Alice Cratchit/Ensemble), Robert Stephan (Christmas Future/Ensemble), Donald Thorne (Fezziwig/Scadger) Thomas-Allan Tison (Boy Scrooge/Ensemble) and  Jonah Zahn (Remembrance/Ignorance).

Undergraduate students include: Christian Brock Darnell (Reverend/Businessman/Ensemble), Kathryn E. Hale (Liza Nubkins/Ensemble), Joseph Rebrovick (Mudd/Old Miner), Chelsea Sparkes (Martha Cratchit/Ensemble), Bailey Stipes (Fan/Ensemble), Brock Ward (Ensemble) and Taylor Stone (Businessman/Ensemble).

Preview for “A Christmas Carol” is Wednesday, November 23 followed by Opening Night Friday, November 25. The show runs through December 18. 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