Photos: Corinda Bravo
Bucks County Playhouse premieres its new comedy, “Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show,” Dec. 8 with Broadway star Don Stephenson in the lead as Ebenezer Scrooge.
The new show is written by the Broadway team of Gordon Greenberg (“Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn”) and Steve Rosen (“The Other Josh Cohen”), and is directed by Josh Rhodes (Broadway’s “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella”).
Terrorizing the good citizens of Bucks County, Ebenezer Scrooge rediscovers the spirit of Christmas in this riotous Dickens mashup set in New Hope. All the traditional elements of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” are intact — including the iconic ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future — but comically reimagined. The authors have updated the classic tale, charging five talented actors with the task of playing nearly three dozen roles.
“When we discussed the possibility of creating something new for the Playhouse’s holiday show, we immediately reached out to Gordon Greenberg, who directed our holiday productions of “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” (2012) and “Plaid Tidings” as well as Steve Rosen, most recently our Nathan Detroit in “Guys and Dolls” and one of the funniest people we know,” said Robyn Goodman, Executive Producer. “Together they have created a high-energy, outrageously entertaining take on a story that is so familiar but has never been experienced this way before.”
The cast stars Broadway veteran Don Stephenson as Ebenezer Scrooge. Stephenson has appeared on Broadway in “The Producers,” “A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder,” “Parade,” “Dracula,” “By Jeeves,” “Titanic,” “Private Lives,” “Rock of Ages,” “Wonderful Town,” “Pardon My English,” and “The Bandwagon” (Encores!). He is joined by Evan Alexander Smith (Broadway’s “Amazing Grace”), Kate Wetherhead (Broadway’s “Legally Blonde” and BCP’s “Company”), James Ludwig (Broadway’s “Monty Phython’s Spamalot” – Original Cast) and Tracey Conyer Lee (“BEDBUGS!!! IT’S A MUSICAL” Off-Broadway).
Michael Carnahan is scenic designer for the production, and Brian C. Hemesath serves as costume designer. Cory Pattak is lighting designer, and Matthew Given is sound designer. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting, and Christopher Flores is stage manager.
Aas part of the Playhouse’s education program, local theater-lovers and aspiring actors will be invited to join the cast on stage as “Scene-Stealers,” who will be employed as “The Sons of Pitches” caroling group in “Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show.” Following curtain call, “Scene-Stealers” will lead audience members into the courtyard to sing Christmas carols.
“Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show” represents the fourth world premiere presented at the Playhouse in 2017 — May saw the debut of “Clue: On Stage,” the Playhouse hosted “Rock and Roll Man” in the fall, and the new musical comedy, “The New World,” just wrapped up on Saturday.
“Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show” runs through Dec. 31, and tickets range from $40 to $75.
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