Trinity Rep is pleased to celebrate the magic and wonder of the holiday season with the 30th anniversary production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, presented by Cardi’s Furniture Superstores. A true New England holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, adapted by Adrian Hall and Richard Cumming continues under the direction of artistic director Curt Columbus." I’ve always felt that the show was for the inner six-year-old in each of us," Columbus states, "It’s a wonderful story and this year we are presenting it as a fantastic children’s book come to life."

Performances begin on November 17th and run through December 31st. Tickets are available by calling 401-351-4242 or online at www.trinityrep.com. [Critics are invited to review opening night on Tuesday, November 28th at 7PM.]

Adult ticket prices for A Christmas Carol are $28-$60, with best prices available for pre-Thanksgiving and post-Christmas shows. Tickets for Children age 2-12 for pre-Thanksgiving performances are just $14. For information on group rates (parties of 20 or more) contact Denise Giblin at (401) 521-1100 x223. The first performance on November 17th at 8:00 pm is Pay What You Can (PWYC) sponsored by The Rhode Island Lottery. PWYC tickets go on sale in the box office at 7:00 pm that evening with a limit of one ticket per person.

Appealing to young and old alike, this timeless tale of the power of forgiveness is a welcome reminder of the magic the holidays bring. Director Curt Columbus infuses the show with all-new fantastical elements and gigantic puppets from award-winning artist Blair Thomas.  Company favorites Timothy Crowe and William Damkoehler share the role of Scrooge against a backdrop of magical special effects. This year's production also features a children's choir creating the musical soundscape of the play.  Director Columbus explains "I was looking for that certain quality in children’s voices –that one moment they can be the purest and most beautiful sound imaginable, and the next moment they can sound so wonderfully eerie."

Columbus is delighted to be directing this year's 30th anniversary production, "It’s a chance for local audiences to see the more fantastical side of my work - this is a "dream large" type of show that represents much of my work in Chicago." He goes on to explain what types of visual elements that Chicago artist Blair Thomas has designed for the production "I want to tell the story as through a child’s eyes. Expect to some spectacular sets, props and even giant puppets. Blair created the most amazing carriage for the Ghost of Christmas Past - a hot air balloon pulled by what looks to be a runaway carousel horse - with wings! "

As for the puppetry elements, he explains, "They are really like no puppets most of us have ever seen. People hear "puppets" and think Lamb Chop – not these! Scrooge sends a life-size puppet version of himself out into the world, so he can stay behind and keep counting his money. We did plaster casts of the faces of the actors playing Scrooge, so the puppets truly look like them. "

This year’s production once again features two rotating casts, featuring William Damkoehler and Timothy Crowe as Scrooge. Columbus has assembled the largest children’s cast ever, which includes a children's cast & chorus of almost 80 children age 8-12 from across RI and MA. The two rotating casts also include Trinity Rep company members Janice Duclos, Mauro Hantman, Phyllis Kay, Cynthia Strickland, Anne Scurria, Fred Sullivan, Jr., Stephen Thorne and Joe Wilson, Jr. Rounding out the casts are local actors Mat Arruda, Peter Deffet, Richard Donelly, Marya Errin Jones, Mark Peckham and Sean Hopkins along with Brown/Trinity Rep Consortium students Diana Buirski, Morgan Dover-Pearl, Nick Few, Jason Hart, Charlie Hudson III and Rama Marshall.

The 30th anniversary production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol  is sponsored by Cardi’s Furniture Superstores. "Cardi's Furniture has a strong commitment to families in our community," said Nick, Ron and Pete Cardi, NIROPE of Cardi's Furniture Superstores, "That is why we are proud to once again sponsor Trinity Rep's classic production of A Christmas Carol for all to enjoy this holiday season."  Trinity Rep’s 43rd season is sponsored by NBC 10, with supporting sponsors Cox Media, Rhode Island Monthly, RIPTA, and RISCA

Director Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep as artistic director in January 2006. He directed his own translation of Chekhov's Cherry Orchard as the season opener at Trinity Rep to much acclaim. Previously he was the associate artistic director of Steppenwolf Theater Company from 2000-2005, where his translations of Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya were presented in the Upstairs Theatre. Other Steppenwolf credits include translating Maria Arndt and directing The House of Lily, Division Street: America and Our Town. He was also the artistic director of Chicago Park District’s Theater on the Lake and an artistic associate at Victory Gardens Theater from 1990-2006. His adaptation of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment (with Marilyn Campbell), which was presented by the Gamm Theater and Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, was awarded a Joseph Jefferson Award for best new adaptation and is published by Dramatists’ Play Service. Curt’s new translations of Anton Chekhov’s plays have been published by Ivan R. Dee, including a volume of translations called Chekhov: The Four Major Plays. From that collection, Seagull premiered at Writers’ Theatre in September 2004, and Three Sisters premiered at Strawdog Theatre in 2005. Curt was honored with a 2005-2006 Joseph Jefferson Citation for New Adaptation for his translation of Three Sisters. Curt has also been director of University Theater at the University of Chicago, where he lectured in the Humanities.

The artistic team includes Christine Noel (Musical Director), Blair Thomas (Production Set Designer/Puppet Designer), William Lane (Costume Designer), Brian J. Lilienthal (Lighting Designer) and Peter Sasha Hurowitz (Sound Designer), Philip Creech (Set Designer) and S. Michael Getz (Set Decoration).

A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep Performance Schedule