Trinity Rep will be celebrating the magic of the holiday season with their 28th annual production of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol.” Adapted by Adrian Hall and Richard Cumming and directed by Mark Sutch, “A Christmas Carol” run through December 26th.

As in past seasons, there will be two complete casts to meet audience demand for the show. Trinity Rep favorites Stephen Berenson and Cynthia Strickland will be featured in the classic role of Scrooge. The production will also feature twenty local child actors, familiar faces from the Trinity resident company, Brown/Trinity Consortium alumni and emerging student actors.

This year's production is set in the stoic world of the monumental bank Scrooge oversees. Adding to the mythical scope of this year's version, each of the Ghosts (Jacob Marley and the Christmases Past, Present and Future) are characterized by the natural elements of earth, air, water and fire. Literally invading the staid, realistic world of the bank, the Ghosts appear magically to Scrooge.

Director Mark Sutch commented, "We want it to seem like the universe, and even nature itself is conspiring to help Scrooge change his life. I think ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a wonderful story about the choices we make in our lives -- and that’s one of the reasons we do it every year. It truly is about setting the right priorities. Are we, like Scrooge, so wrapped up in money and work that it blinds us to having fun or taking part in the world? It is important to remind ourselves that there is always hope, and this story shows us that there are options left. You can always start over."

“A Christmas Carol” features the following special performances:

Pay What You Can
Saturday, November 13, 8 P.M.
Tickets on sale 7 P.M. at the box office (limit 1 per person)

ASL-interpreted Performance
Sunday, December 12, 2 P.M.

College Night
Saturday, November 13, 8 P.M.

Trinity Rep's 41st season continues with “Topdog/Underdog” by Suzan-Lori Parks; “The Moliere Impromptu,” conceived by Christopher Bayes, adapted and translated by Rinne Groff; “You Never Know,” a new musical by Charles Strouse; and Drew Hayden Taylor's “The Buz'Gem Blues.”

For tickets and information, call 401-351-4242 or visit www.trinityrep.com.

-- OnStage Boston

11/17/04