Trinity Repertory Company returns to live performances with its 45th annual holiday production of A Christmas Carol. Noted for being a new production each year, the 2021 show will be a celebration of community, culture, and ritual. This year’s production will be directed by resident company member Joe Wilson, Jr.and features longtime resident actor Timothy Crowe as Ebenezer Scrooge.
“Our A Christmas Carol will celebrate tradition and ritual as a means of finding hope, renewal, and reaffirmation in our commitment to our fellow man,” Director Joe Wilson, Jr. said.
In-person performances will run in the Chace Theater from November 4, 2021 through January 2, 2022 with press opening night on Wednesday, November 10, at 7:30 pm. Trinity Rep will also offer an on-demand streaming version of the production, which will be available from December 6, 2021 through January 16, 2022. Tickets start at $27 and are available online at trinityrep.com/carol or by contacting the ticket office at (401) 351-4242.
Among the 10 most-attended productions of A Christmas Carol in America each year, Trinity Rep’s production has become a southern New England tradition. Nearly two million people have seen the show since its inception more than four decades ago. Due to the pandemic, last year the company produced an online streaming version of the show and made it available to everyone for free. It was viewed by nearly 200,000 people worldwide.
Trinity Rep’s Artistic Director Curt Columbus said that he was excited for audiences to return to live theater. He explained; “At Trinity Rep, we do A Christmas Carol differently every year. The thing that will be especially new and wonderful this season is the presence of an audience for the first time in nearly two years! I know that Joe Wilson’s telling of the Dickens classic will delight folks young and old this year, as we return to the remarkable, live tradition of A Christmas Carol.”
A LONG-STANDING TRADITION
Founding Artistic Director Adrian Hall first added A Christmas Carol to Trinity Rep’s lineup in 1977, just four years after moving into the company’s current home at the Lederer Theater Center on Washington Street. Since then, the production has been a holiday staple for generations of families in Southern New England. Trinity Rep’s production is set apart from other holiday productions by the fact that it is reimagined every year by a new director, cast, and set of designers in order to be relevant and timely for contemporary audiences.
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
Director Joe Wilson, Jr. will work alongside choreographer Taavon Gamble, musical directors Michael Rice (performances) and Andrew Smithson (rehearsals), and musical consultants Michael Évora and Ashley Frith. They are joined on the creative team by Sara Brown (set design), Kenisha Kelly (costume design), Amith Chandrashaker (lighting design), and Larry D. Fowler Jr. (sound design).
In addition to Timothy Crowe, Resident Acting Company members Taavon Gamble, Mauro Hantman, and Stephen Thorne will take on various roles in the production. They will be joined by guest artists Richard Donelly, Ava Gaudet, Aimee Hamrick, Carla Martinez, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, and Shaffany Terrell as well as students in the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting program Madeleine Barker and Rodney Witherspoon, II. Six young local actors will also appear in the production’s children’s casts; Michael Curley (East Greenwich), Mia Duncan (Gloucester), Calla Fonseca (Johnston), JJ Honor Hogarth (Barrington), Avery Lemieux (Attleboro, MA), and Warnsey Wiggins (West Warwick).
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Trinity Rep is one of nine Rhode Island performing arts organizations and venues requiring proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (at least 14 days have passed since the final dose), or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken in the prior 72-hours, or proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken in the prior 6-hours. All patrons regardless of vaccination status must wear masks over their nose and mouth at all times while inside the venue (unless actively eating or drinking). All details of Trinity Rep’s health and safety protocol can be found at trinityrep.com/health.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Continuing Trinity Rep’s tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, the theater will have discounted previews of A Christmas Carol. Thursday, November 4 is a Pay What You Wish performance. Pay What You Wish tickets go on sale at 6:30 pm that evening, and are limited to one per person. Other special performances for this production include Open Captioning performances of the show on November 7 at 12:00 pm; December 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 at 7:30 pm; and December 4 and 5 at 12:00 pm.
A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep is presented by Cardi’s Furniture and Mattresses with supporting sponsor Amica Insurance. The Media Sponsor for this production is iHeart Radio’s stations B101 and Now 93.3.
AT A GLANCE
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens, Original Music by Richard Cumming
In-Person: November 4, 2021 – January 2, 2022
On-demand streaming: December 6, 2021 – January 16, 2022
Director Joe Wilson, Jr.
Performance Musical Director Michael Rice
Rehearsal Musical Director Andrew Smithson
Music Consultants Michael Évora, Ashley Frith
Choreographer Taavon Gamble
Set Designer Sara Brown
Costume Designer Kenisha Kelly
Lighting Designer Amith Chandrashaker
Sound Designer Larry D. Fowler, Jr.
Stage Manager Kristen Gibbs
Assistant Stage Manager Anaïs Bustos
Cast: Featuring company members: Timothy Crowe, Taavon Gamble, Mauro Hantman, and Stephen Thorne. Including MFA students Madeleine Barker ‘21 and Rodney Witherspoon, II ‘21. Featuring guest artists Richard Donelly, Ava Gaudet, Aimee Hamrick, Carla Martinez, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, and Shaffany Terrell. Featuring the children’s cast: Michael Curley (East Greenwich, RI), Mia Duncan (Gloucester, RI), Calla Fonseca (Johnston, RI), JJ Honor Hogarth (Barrington, RI), Avery Lemieux (Attleboro, MA), and Warnsey Wiggins (West Warwick, RI).
A Christmas Carol Opening Press Night | Wednesday, November 10 at 7:30 pm
Invitations and RSVP instructions coming soon
Pay What You Wish Thurs., Nov. 4 at 7:30 pm
Open Caption Performances Nov. 7, Dec. 4, and 5 at 12:00 pm; Dec. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 at 7:30 pm
Website www.trinityrep.com/carol
Ticket Office (401) 351-4242; 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903
Group Sales (401) 453-9238; discounts for groups of 20 or more.
Ticket Prices Starting at $27
Season Sponsors Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation and RISCA
Production Sponsor Cardi’s Furniture and Mattresses
Production Supporting Sponsor Amica Insurance
Production Media Sponsors B101 and Now 93.3
Official Airline of Trinity Rep Southwest Airlines
Opening Night Sponsor 110 Grill
