Today, the Clarence Brown Theatre will be opening an adaptation of the classic holiday play “A Christmas Carol” by David McCann. It will run through Dec. 23.
McCann is not only a playwright, but also a food writer and an actor. He has appeared in theatre all over the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. His TV appearances include “The Sopranos,” “Law and Order” and “Sex and the City.”
The story was originally written by Charles Dickens to bring light to the hardships faced by the poor in England at the time, but included a warmth for the Christmas season and such a wonderful message that it easily evolved into a classic holiday tale, where miserly Scrooge changes his terrible ways after being visited by the ghost of his old business partner and then the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Jed Diamond, head of the Master of Fine Arts acting program who recently appeared in “All the Way Home,” is playing Scrooge and Ben Croisdale (“Anna Karenina”) is Tiny Tim. Tracy Copeland Halter, a UT theatre instructor, is the ghost of Christmas Present and MFA student Sally Wood is the ghost of Christmas Past.
The rest of the parts are played by an ensemble made up of MFA students Tracie Merrill, David Brian Alley, Erin O’Leary and Jon Levenson, as well as former undergraduate Rebecca Meyers and acting professor Terry Webber.
The show is being directed by Charlie Hensley, whose credits include “The Odd Couple.” He explains that “this production will be more like the book than most of the movies are. When you hear how Dickens sets up London town, the fog, the cold and the scary feeling of Scrooge walking alone with spirits hovering nearby, I think you’ll see why Dickens called it a ghost story.”
The design of the show can be attributed to sets professor Christopher Pickart, lighting professor Kenton Yeager and costumes professor Marianne Custer.
Hensley said the design team opted to remain true to the traditional set design.
“The creative team decided this time that we would start with our love of books,” he said. “We’re a little afraid that between laptops and iPods, kids are going to forget how great it is to sit and read a book. So we start in a library, with a child reading ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and the book comes alive for him, as good books always do.
“Since there are only 10 actors, the audience will also be able to revel in the creativity of these performers as they transform themselves into dozens of characters. There will be lots of surprises and special effects, and kids, especially, will love this version.”
Undergraduate theatre major Elyse Maurer was impressed by the show. She particularly commented on the hand-crafted books used as a part of the set, calling them “incredible.” She said that each book was hand-painted by an art student here at UT.
Tickets are $37 for opening night and $24 for all other performances. UT faculty/staff, senior citizens, children and students all receive a discounted price. Age 30 and under are eligible for half-price tickets. Call the CBT box office at 974-5161 for tickets or additional information.
