Baltimore (11.4.2024) - Celebrating a decade of performances in Baltimore, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) is thrilled to present Charm City’s beloved holiday show, A Christmas Carol. For ten years, this adaptation has become more than just a Christmas play—it’s a citywide tradition. Families return year after year, greeted by the festive aroma of freshly brewed wassail and an atmosphere brimming with holiday spirit that reaches from the stage to every seat in the house.

Lesley Malin, CSC’s Producing Executive Director, reflects on the milestone, “Reaching ten years in Baltimore is a testament to our mission and our audience’s dedication to live theatre. We’ve grown alongside this community, becoming part of its cultural landscape, and there’s no better example of that connection than A Christmas Carol.  This is our gift to Baltimore and we love celebrating the season with our beloved city.”

This season brings back a familiar face with Gregory Burgess reprising his role as Ebenezer Scrooge. After receiving rave reviews as Bynum in CSC’s acclaimed production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Burgess returns to “his signature role of the holiday season,” a performance that has captivated Baltimore audiences since the show’s inception.

Séamus Miller, CSC’s Shakespeare Beyond Associate Artistic Director, directs a cast of both returning favorites and fresh faces, bringing his unique vision to Dickens’ classic. “To me, this is a ghost story,” says Miller. “In this historical moment, I believe it’s essential for us to collectively envision a world that embraces forgiveness and radical positive change.”

An annual cornerstone of Baltimore’s holiday season, A Christmas Carol incorporates familiar landmarks, faces, and touches that give Dickens’ classic story a unique local touch. Audiences will recognize nods to Baltimore’s neighborhoods and culture, creating a holiday tale that feels rooted in the city’s own history.  (Scrooge’s counting house is located at the address of the Chesapeake Shakespeare theatre.) The production transforms the story of Scrooge’s redemption into one that resonates with Baltimoreans on a deeply personal level.

CSC’s A Christmas Carol opens Saturday, November 30, with a preview on Friday, November 29, and runs through December 23. For more information, visit www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com or call the box office at 410-244-8570.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION
A Christmas Carol
Adapted from Charles Dickens by Laura Rocklyn
Directed by Séamus Miller

TICKETS
Adult tickets start at $56, tickets for youth 25 and under start at $31, and preview tickets are $28. To purchase tickets, visit ChesapeakeShakespeare.com, or contact the Box Office directly by calling 410-244-8570 or visiting in person at 7 South Calvert Street. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more and active-duty military. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit
ChesShakes.com/ChristmasCarol.

LOCATION
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is located at 7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, two blocks north of the Inner Harbor. Parking is available for the discounted rate of $6 at the Truist Place Garage at 4 North Calvert Street, conveniently located just one block north of the theatre. The theatre is also accessible using the FREE Charm City Circulator and is located on the Purple Route. For more detailed information about directions, parking, and public transportation, click here.

DATES
Friday, November 29 at 8:00pm – PREVIEW
Saturday, November 30 at 8:00pm – OPENING NIGHT/PRESS NIGHT
Sunday, December 1 at 2:00pm
Friday, December 6 at 8:00pm
Saturday, December 7 at 2:00pm
Sunday December 8 at 2:00pm
Thursday, December 12 at 7:30pm
Friday, December 13 at 8:00pm
Saturday, December 14 at 2:00pm
Saturday, December 14 at 8:00pm
Sunday, December 15 at 2:00pm
Thursday, December 19 at 7:30pm
Friday, December 20 at 8:00pm
Saturday, December 21 at 2:00pm
Saturday, December 21 at 8:00pm
Sunday, December 22 at 2:00pm
Sunday, December 22 at 7:30pm
Monday, December 23 at 7:30pm
 

CAST LIST
Ebenezer Scrooge – Gregory Burgess*
Bob Cratchit – Brendan Murray*
Frances – Elana Michelle Williams*
Jacob Marley – Samuel Richie*
Ghost of Christmas Past – Morganne Chu
Ghost of Christmas Present – Brendan Edward Kennedy*
Young Scrooge – Isaiah Mason Harvey*
Dick Wilkins – Benny Pope*
Belle – Tia Thomas
Mrs. Fezzing – Ali Haas
Mr. Fezziwig – Paul Diem
Mrs. Cratchit – Joelle Denise
Mrs. Dilber – Molly Moores*
Mrs. Pickersgill – Kate Forton*

CREATIVE TEAM
Director - Séamus Miller*
Production Manager – Lauren Engler*
Production Stage Manager – Samba Pathak
Rehearsal Stage Manager – Monique Chambers
Assistant Director – Quae Simpson
Technical Director – Dan O’Brien*
Set Designer – Dan O’Brien*
Lighting Designer – Luis Garcia
Costume Designer – Kristina Lambdin*
Props Artisan – Katherine Ross
Dance and Movement Choreographer – Quae Simpson
Wardrobe Supervisor – Hannah Brill
Wardrobe Assistant – Hana Clarice
Ligh Board Operator – Andrew Pfluger
Backstage Swing – Gabby Grant
Production Associate – Dawn Thomas Reidy*
Assistant Stage Manager – Griffin DeLisle
Youth Cast Supervisor – Vanessa Strickland
Senior House Manager – Pam Forton*
COVID Safety Office – Mandy Benedix*
 

* A member of Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

ABOUT CHESAPEAKE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Founded in 2002 Chesapeake Shakespeare Company brings great classic theatre to Baltimore, Howard County, the state of Maryland, and beyond. The company offers performances of Shakespeare and other plays of classic stature that are unforgettable, challenging, and innovative. In 2012, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company acquired the Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Company building in downtown Baltimore, renovating it into a modern Globe Theater for indoor performances, while continuing to produce outdoor Shakespeare every summer at the PFI Historic Park in Howard County and at parks throughout the region through our Shakespeare Beyond program with free performances on our Shakespeare Wagon. The organization regularly serves 30,000+ people annually through artistic projects and intentional community engagement. CSC’s vibrant education program includes an extensive matinee series, camps, classes, and in and out-of-school residencies. The company invites patrons, students, and neighbors to become part of the creative collaboration that generates powerful, magical theatre and a more purposeful, engaged, and connected community.