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THEATER
A new Scrooge for ‘Christmas Carol’
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
Of The Morning Cal
A new Scrooge and three female ghosts CIVIC THEATRE CIVIC THEATRE
of Christmas past, present and future are
the newest twists for Civic Theatre’s 26th Chelsi Fread, Denise Johnson and Andrea Cartagena are the ghosts of Future, Past and Buster Page is Tiny Tim and Mark Domyan
presentation of “A Christmas Carol.” Present in Civic Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ this season. is the new Scrooge in Civic Theatre’s 26th
production of ‘A Christmas Carol.’
Mark Domyan is the newest actor to
play the miserly old skinflint in Charles THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 Dec. 13; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 19. Civic DOUGLAS KILPATRICK/SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL
Dickens’ classic story of redemption, says Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown.
director Williams Sanders. Domyan will Tickets: $12-$26. 610-432-8943, Veronica Bocian (left) and Heather Reese play the sisters Judy and Betty Haynes in ‘White
be the 12th person to play Scrooge in the www.civictheatre.com. Christmas,’ opening Friday at the Pennsylvania Playhouse in Bethlehem.
production that has been produced
annually at Civic’s 19th Street Theatre since Pa. Playhouse stages aspects they would expect from the Bing TOUCHSTONE THEATRE
1989. Crosby/Danny Kaye classic,” Rohrbach
‘White Christmas’ says. “There are incredible dance Touchstone Theatre’s ‘Christmas City Fol-
Also new to “A Christmas Carol” is numbers, the beautiful songs by Irving lies’ returns with old and new characters.
Mark Boyer as Bob Cratchit and Andrea Pennsylvania Playhouse opens the final Berlin, signature costumes and a
Cartagena as the Ghost of Christmas production of its 50th anniversary season wonderful story line all told by the cast of
Present. with a different spin on the classic 26 talented performers.”
musical “White Christmas.”
“We have three newbies in major roles, The show features songs such as
which is exciting,” says Sanders who The playhouse last did “White “White Christmas,” “Sisters,” “The Best
wrote Civic’s adaptation with Sharon Christmas” in 2010, and this time director Things Happen While You’re Dancing”
Glassman. Chip Rohrbach wanted to do something and “Count Your Blessings (Instead of
nontraditional. Sheep).”
Sanders says Cartagena is joined by
Denise Johnson as the Ghost of Christmas “I knew when I signed on to direct that “Just expect the unexpected in the style
Past, and Chelsi Fread, who grew up with I wanted to completely reimagine the look and way it unfolds,” Rohrbach says. “And
“A Christmas Carol” since first playing a of the show,” Rohrbach says. “In our then there is the snow. I will say there is a
party child, as a steampunk Ghost of production, the audience enters the lot of theatrical magic and beautiful
Christmas Yet to Come, making up the theater and are instantly transported to performances that will put the spirit of
three female apparitions who convince under a Christmas tree surrounded by the season in even the most cynical
Scrooge to change his ways. gifts that will be unwrapped as the scenes person.”
of the musical unfold.”
“We decided to go with three women Please see THEATER 32
because Scrooge is haunted by the Rohrbach says set designer and cast
mistakes he made with his sister Fan and member Brett Oliveira helped bring his
fiancé Isabella,” Sanders says. vision to life. Oliveira has built every set
for the playhouse’s 2015 season.
The production takes a classic approach
to Dickens’ story with a stage full of “Brett has become the unwritten
Londoners in period costumes. More than resident set designer for Pennsylvania
100 actors fill the stage, including dozens Playhouse,” he says. “We couldn’t be
of children as urchins, partygoers and the luckier because whatever you can think
Cratchit and Fezziwig children. Many like up Brett is right there to create it.”
Fread take part in the show repeatedly.
The musical is based on the 1954
“Many kids progress through the roles romantic comedy film starring Bing
over the years,” Sanders says. “It’s become Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
such an entrenched part of everyone’s and Vera-Ellen. The movie, which
holidays.” featured the music of Irving Berlin, made
a hit of the title song.
Also new is Buster Page as Tiny Tim.
The set from last year returns with two “The audience will definitely see all the
levels and lots of exposed wood, which
Sanders says would have been indicative
of the poorer homes of people like the
Cratchits.
The production also features classic
Christmas carols.
One thing that continues year after year
is the final candlelight tableau in which
the entire cast sings “Angels We Have
Heard on High” as snow falls on stage.
Sanders says there will be a tree
lighting of the Christmas tree on the Civic
marquee at 7 p.m. Saturday and students
from School of Rock will provided some
rocking Christmas music before the show.
■ “A Christmas Carol” 7:30 p.m. Friday,
28 Saturday, Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18; 2 p.m. Sunday,
A new Scrooge for ‘Christmas Carol’
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
Of The Morning Cal
A new Scrooge and three female ghosts CIVIC THEATRE CIVIC THEATRE
of Christmas past, present and future are
the newest twists for Civic Theatre’s 26th Chelsi Fread, Denise Johnson and Andrea Cartagena are the ghosts of Future, Past and Buster Page is Tiny Tim and Mark Domyan
presentation of “A Christmas Carol.” Present in Civic Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ this season. is the new Scrooge in Civic Theatre’s 26th
production of ‘A Christmas Carol.’
Mark Domyan is the newest actor to
play the miserly old skinflint in Charles THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 Dec. 13; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 19. Civic DOUGLAS KILPATRICK/SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL
Dickens’ classic story of redemption, says Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown.
director Williams Sanders. Domyan will Tickets: $12-$26. 610-432-8943, Veronica Bocian (left) and Heather Reese play the sisters Judy and Betty Haynes in ‘White
be the 12th person to play Scrooge in the www.civictheatre.com. Christmas,’ opening Friday at the Pennsylvania Playhouse in Bethlehem.
production that has been produced
annually at Civic’s 19th Street Theatre since Pa. Playhouse stages aspects they would expect from the Bing TOUCHSTONE THEATRE
1989. Crosby/Danny Kaye classic,” Rohrbach
‘White Christmas’ says. “There are incredible dance Touchstone Theatre’s ‘Christmas City Fol-
Also new to “A Christmas Carol” is numbers, the beautiful songs by Irving lies’ returns with old and new characters.
Mark Boyer as Bob Cratchit and Andrea Pennsylvania Playhouse opens the final Berlin, signature costumes and a
Cartagena as the Ghost of Christmas production of its 50th anniversary season wonderful story line all told by the cast of
Present. with a different spin on the classic 26 talented performers.”
musical “White Christmas.”
“We have three newbies in major roles, The show features songs such as
which is exciting,” says Sanders who The playhouse last did “White “White Christmas,” “Sisters,” “The Best
wrote Civic’s adaptation with Sharon Christmas” in 2010, and this time director Things Happen While You’re Dancing”
Glassman. Chip Rohrbach wanted to do something and “Count Your Blessings (Instead of
nontraditional. Sheep).”
Sanders says Cartagena is joined by
Denise Johnson as the Ghost of Christmas “I knew when I signed on to direct that “Just expect the unexpected in the style
Past, and Chelsi Fread, who grew up with I wanted to completely reimagine the look and way it unfolds,” Rohrbach says. “And
“A Christmas Carol” since first playing a of the show,” Rohrbach says. “In our then there is the snow. I will say there is a
party child, as a steampunk Ghost of production, the audience enters the lot of theatrical magic and beautiful
Christmas Yet to Come, making up the theater and are instantly transported to performances that will put the spirit of
three female apparitions who convince under a Christmas tree surrounded by the season in even the most cynical
Scrooge to change his ways. gifts that will be unwrapped as the scenes person.”
of the musical unfold.”
“We decided to go with three women Please see THEATER 32
because Scrooge is haunted by the Rohrbach says set designer and cast
mistakes he made with his sister Fan and member Brett Oliveira helped bring his
fiancé Isabella,” Sanders says. vision to life. Oliveira has built every set
for the playhouse’s 2015 season.
The production takes a classic approach
to Dickens’ story with a stage full of “Brett has become the unwritten
Londoners in period costumes. More than resident set designer for Pennsylvania
100 actors fill the stage, including dozens Playhouse,” he says. “We couldn’t be
of children as urchins, partygoers and the luckier because whatever you can think
Cratchit and Fezziwig children. Many like up Brett is right there to create it.”
Fread take part in the show repeatedly.
The musical is based on the 1954
“Many kids progress through the roles romantic comedy film starring Bing
over the years,” Sanders says. “It’s become Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
such an entrenched part of everyone’s and Vera-Ellen. The movie, which
holidays.” featured the music of Irving Berlin, made
a hit of the title song.
Also new is Buster Page as Tiny Tim.
The set from last year returns with two “The audience will definitely see all the
levels and lots of exposed wood, which
Sanders says would have been indicative
of the poorer homes of people like the
Cratchits.
The production also features classic
Christmas carols.
One thing that continues year after year
is the final candlelight tableau in which
the entire cast sings “Angels We Have
Heard on High” as snow falls on stage.
Sanders says there will be a tree
lighting of the Christmas tree on the Civic
marquee at 7 p.m. Saturday and students
from School of Rock will provided some
rocking Christmas music before the show.
■ “A Christmas Carol” 7:30 p.m. Friday,
28 Saturday, Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18; 2 p.m. Sunday,
