Christmas Carol '07

Announcing the

Cast and Staff of

A Christmas Carol

Woodstock Musical Theatre Company announces the cast and staff for their Holiday 2007 production, A Christmas Carol, to be performed at the Woodstock Opera House.

Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2007

November 29 (8pm), November 30 (8pm),

December 1 (2pm & 8pm), December 2 (1pm & 6pm), 2007

Join Scrooge as he journeys through the Christmases of Past, Present and Future with his three ghostly guides. Woodstock Musical Theatre Company’s annual production - with enchanting children, colorful costumes, clever special effects and merry Christmas carols - transports you to 1843 London. Capture the spirit of the holiday season with this classic Dickens tale.

Artistic Director – Kathie Comella

Choreographer – Beth Davis Johnson

Production Coordinator – Elaine Riner

Tickets are available NOW!

The box office is open Monday thru Saturday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

You may order tickets over the phone or check availability by calling 815-338-5300

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Thu, Nov 29 2007 at 8:00 PM Buy Tickets

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Fri, Nov 30 2007 at 8:00 PM Buy Tickets

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Sat, Dec 1 2007 at 2:00 PM Buy Tickets

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Sat, Dec 1 2007 at 8:00 PM Buy Tickets

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Sun, Dec 2 2007 at 1:00 PM Buy Tickets

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Sun, Dec 2 2007 at 6:00 PM Buy Tickets

Staff List | Cast List | Cast Photos | Story Synopsis | Press Photos

Press Release |Press Reviews |Rehearsal Photos | Production Photos

STAFF LIST

Artistic Director Kathie Comella

Production / Technical Coordinator Elaine Riner

Asst. Director / Stage Manager Kathleen Sedlock

Choreographer Beth Davis Johnson

Set Design / Construction Foreman Kent Wilson

Costume Coordinator Betsy Stemple

Hair and Wig Design Virginia Zymonas

Scenic Artist / Set Dresser Erin Denk

Light Designer Rick Amundsen

Properties Technician
TBA

Sound Board Operator
Tom Tipton

Light Board Operator Greg "Norm" Boyd

Spotlight Operator Laurie Faith Gibson-Aiello

Cast List

The Cast
Ebenezer Scrooge	.......	Christopher R. O'Reilly
Jacob Marley	.......	Bob Reed
Ghost of Christmas Past	.......	Mary Wise
Ghost of Christmas Present	.......	Bob Riner
Ghost of Christmas Future	.......	Rinus Lammers
Nephew Fred	.......	Christopher Connell
Belle Fezziwig	.......	April Noel
Little Nell	.......	Nora Brown
Dick Wilkins	.......	Jack Murray
Mr. Fezziwig	.......	Charles Rutherford
Mrs. Fezziwig	.......	Mary Beth Brown
Bob Cratchit	.......	David Comella
Mrs. Cratchit	.......	Mary Beth Euker
Tiny Tim	.......	Madigan Baker
Martha Cratchit	.......	Bridget Euker
Belinda Cratchit	.......	Katherine Stryker
Peter Cratchit	.......	Ryan Lammers
David Cratchit	.......	Michael Neumann
Agatha Cratchit	.......	Dayna Palya
Topper	.......	Bob Baker
Jane	.......	Arabella Anderson
Boy Scrooge	.......	Zachary Platt

CAST PHOTOS

Arabella Anderson	Bob Baker	Madigan Baker	Mary Beth Brown
Nora Brown	David Comella	Christopher Connell	Bridget Euker
Mary Beth Euker	Rinus Lammers	Ryan Lammers	Jack Murray
Michael Neumann	April Noel	Christopher O'Reilly	Dayna Payla
Zachary Platt	Bob Reed	Bob Riner	Charles Rutherford
Catherine Stryker	Mary Wise

PRESS PHOTOS

Full Resolution color printable images are available for download from this website.

Click on desired photo proof to view Full Res. images.

All photos are color, 300 DPI with less then 6% compression jpeg format and Print sized at minimum 3”x4”.

The Ghost of Christmas Future, Rinus Lammers, shows Ebenezer Scrooge, Christopher O'Reilly, his own tombstone.
The Portley Gentlemen as Scrooge for money for the poor. from left, Charles Rutherford, Christopher O'Reilly, Bob Riner	Celebrating Christmas at Fred's house: from left, Bob Baker as Topper, Arabella Anderson as Jane, Mary Beth Brown as Rose and Christopher Connell as Nephew Fred
The Cratchit Family poses for a family portrait. from left first row; Mary Beth Euker as Mrs. Cratchit, David Comella as Bob Cratchit and Madigan Baker as Tiny Tim. from left second row; Katherine Stryker as Belinda Cratchit, Bridget Euker as Martha Cratchit, Ryan Lammers as Peter Cratchit, Dayne Palya as Agatha Cratchit and Michael Neumann as David Cratchit.

STORY SYNOPSIS

A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his counting-house on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivers in the anteroom because Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly gentlemen also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacts to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry "Bah! Humbug!" in response to his nephew's "Merry Christmas!"

Later that evening, after returning to his dark, cold apartment, Scrooge receives a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, looking haggard and pallid, relates his unfortunate story. As punishment for his greedy and self-serving life his spirit has been condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with heavy chains. Marley hopes to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate. Marley informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during each of the next three nights. After the wraith disappears, Scrooge collapses into a deep sleep.

He wakes moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a strange childlike phantom with a brightly glowing head. The spirit escorts Scrooge on a journey into the past to previous Christmases from the curmudgeon's earlier years. Invisible to those he watches, Scrooge revisits his childhood school days, his apprenticeship with a jolly merchant named Fezziwig, and his engagement to Belle, a woman who leaves Scrooge because his lust for money eclipses his ability to love another. Scrooge, deeply moved, sheds tears of regret before the phantom returns him to his bed.

The Ghost of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a green fur robe, takes Scrooge through London to unveil Christmas as it will happen that year. Scrooge watches the large, bustling Cratchit family prepare a miniature feast in its meager home. He discovers Bob Cratchit's crippled son, Tiny Tim, a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warms Scrooge's heart. The specter then zips Scrooge to his nephew's to witness the Christmas party. Scrooge finds the jovial gathering delightful and pleads with the spirit to stay until the very end of the festivities. As the day passes, the spirit ages, becoming noticeably older. Toward the end of the day, he shows Scrooge two starved children, Ignorance and Want, living under his coat. He vanishes instantly as Scrooge notices a dark, hooded figure coming toward him.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come leads Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious scenes relating to an unnamed man's recent death. Scrooge sees businessmen discussing the dead man's riches, some vagabonds trading his personal effects for cash, and a poor couple expressing relief at the death of their unforgiving creditor. Scrooge, anxious to learn the lesson of his latest visitor, begs to know the name of the dead man. After pleading with the ghost, Scrooge finds himself in a churchyard, the spirit pointing to a grave. Scrooge looks at the headstone and is shocked to read his own name. He desperately implores the spirit to alter his fate, promising to renounce his insensitive, avaricious ways and to honor Christmas with all his heart. Whoosh! He suddenly finds himself safely tucked in his bed.

Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he has been returned to Christmas Day, Scrooge rushes out onto the street hoping to share his newfound Christmas spirit. He sends a giant Christmas turkey to the Cratchit house and attends Fred's party, to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years go by, he holds true to his promise and honors Christmas with all his heart: he treats Tiny Tim as if he were his own child, provides lavish gifts for the poor, and treats his fellow human beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2007 9:00 a.m.

Woodstock Musical Theatre Company

Contact: Kathie Comella
Phone: 815-338-3476 (eve) 815-338-8040 (day)
Email: info@woodstocktheatre.com

Web: www.WoodstockTheatre.com

WMTC holiday favorite “A Christmas Carol” returns

Woodstock Musical Theatre Company announces the return of their holiday presentation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol specially adapted for the Woodstock Opera House stage by Ned O’Reilly of Crystal Lake.

After five years, Woodstock Musical Theatre Company brings back their popular version of A Christmas Carol. Performances are Thursday, November 29 and Friday, November 30, at 8 p.m., Saturday, December 1, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday December 2, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Artistic Director Kathie Comella, Production Coordinator Elaine Riner, Stage Manager Kate Sedlock and Choreographer Beth Davis Johnson, all of Woodstock, have assembled a talented cast of 22 local actors to portray the 95 characters in this classic Christmas story. Christopher R. O’Reilly of Crystal Lake returns to play the notorious miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. From Woodstock, David Comella is Bob Cratchit, Christopher Connell is Nephew Fred, Bob Reed is Marley’s Ghost, Mary Weise is the Ghost of Christmas Past, Bob Riner is the Christmas Present, April Milbratz is Belle, Mary Beth Brown is Mrs. Fezziwig, Nora Brown is Nell, Arabella Anderson is Jane and Jack Murray is Dick Wilkins. The Cratchit children are played by Bridget Euker, Ryan Lammers, Katherine Stryker, Dayna Palya, Michael Neumann and Madigan Baker as Tiny Tim. Rinus Lammers is the Ghost of Christmas Future, Charles Rutherford is Mr. Fezziwig, Mary Beth Euker is Mrs. Cratchit, Bob Baker is Topper and Zachary Platt is Boy Scrooge.

Tickets are available at the Woodstock Opera box office (815) 338-5300, VISA, MasterCard and Discover accepted or www.WoodstockTheatre.com/current.htm

PRESS REVIEWS

REHEARSAL PHOTOS

Full Resolution color printable images are available for download from this website. Please Click on* desired photo proof to view Full Res. images.* All photos are color, 300 DPI with less then 6% compression jpeg format and Print sized at minimum 3”x4” or 4"x6".

PRODUCTION PHOTOS