Charles Dickens News

Chicago Shakespeare Theater has announced its upcoming holiday season performances, featuring productions of The Heir Apparent, a delightfully cheeky comedy by master wordsmith David Ives, and the triumphant return of A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol. Scroll down for details!

Theatre Palisades presents the first Los Angeles production of "The Game's Afoot or Holmes For The Holidays" by Ken Ludwig, opening Friday, November 6, 2015 and running until Sunday, December 13, 2015 at the Pierson Playhouse, located at 941 Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. Directed by Gene Franklin Smith, "The Game's Afoot" is the winner of the Mystery Writers of America's 2012 Edgar Award for Best Play. Nona Hale and Pat Perkins produce for Theatre Palisades by permission from Samuel French. Featured in the cast (in alphabetical order) are Gail Bernardi, Matthew Godfrey, Nicole Knudsen, James Lujan, John Mawson, Maria Pavone, Maggie Peach, and Andi Wagner.

Disgraced, Ayad Akhtar's edge-of-your-seat Pulitzer Prize- winning play about a successful Muslim-American lawyer whose dinner guests' discussion of race and identity explodes to reveal racial prejudices and personal secrets plays at the Temple of Music and Art from Oct. 17 through Nov. 7. I. Michael and Beth Kasser are Arizona Theatre Company's 2015-16 Season Sponsors.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Equity Jeff Awards get it right! 'Scottsboro,' 'Cyclone' and 'Hollywood' serve up new delights, 'Pinafore' does it old school, and 'Goblin Market' and 'Nightmare Before Christmas' scare us. Christmas comes via Kokandy and the Q Brothers, and 'Grease: Live' is set for FOX-TV!

Quintessential American songwriter Irving Berlin left an indelible mark on the classic American songbook with hits like 'White Christmas,' 'Puttin' on the Ritz,' 'There's No Business Like Show Business' and, of course, 'God Bless America.' Arizona Theatre Company brings Berlin's story to vibrant, toe-tapping life in Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, tonight, Oct. 8, through Oct. 25 at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe in Phoenix.

Featuring a lively cast of dozens, delightful music, gorgeous costumes, and those deliciously spooky ghosts, the Bay Area's favorite holiday tradition returns with American Conservatory Theater's celebrated production of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Now in its 39th year, this version of A Christmas Carol-adapted by Paul Walsh and Carey Perloff-stays true to the heart of Dickens's timeless story of redemption and brings a playful sensibility to his rich language.

Just in time for Halloween, A Portable Theatre will offer public performances of the touring show TALES FROM THE GRAVE, a collection of spine-tingling stories adapted by Geoffrey Nelson from Dickens, Poe and Stevenson. Presented in the style of an old-time radio broadcast, Tales also includes humorous commercials and live sound effects-all performed by just four actors.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is proud to announce full casting for the Theatre Company's production of A Christmas Carol and Off-Center's production of The SantaLand Diaries.

Back by popular demand, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the highly anticipated return of the cheeky holiday classic-A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol, developed by hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton.

The Columbia Festival of the Arts is pleased to announce its 2015 Fall Festival, featuring a diverse array of arts events centered around the Fall Festival's theme: British Invasion. The British Invasion Festival will be presented October 2nd through 4th, during which time twelve events will be offered in multiple venues throughout Columbia.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents the World Premiere of Magic Tree House: A Ghost Tale for Mr. Dickens, co-written by Jenny Laird and Will Osborne with lyrics by Will Osborne and music and lyrics by Randy Courts. Based on the book A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by New York Times bestselling author Mary Pope Osborne, the Children's Series production runs from October 22 - November 20, 2015 in the Margeson Theater. Tickets ($9 - $15) can be purchased by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, online at www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E. Rollins St.).

Consider yourself invited to the theatrical event of the holiday season. Charles Dickens' unforgettable characters burst to life in the Tony Award-winning musical, Oliver! Artistic Director Molly Smith (Fiddler on the Roof) blends the chaotic worlds of Victorian London with 2015 London to infuse a modern edge to the classic story about an innocent orphan living amongst double-dealing thieves and conmen. Bursting with jubilant songs, including 'You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two,' 'Consider Yourself,' 'Where is Love?' and the scrumptious 'Food, Glorious Food,' Oliver! serves up a musical feast for the eyes and ears that will have every theater-lover calling out for 'More!'

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre's 2016 Season is now available to the public.

Unbound Productions Executive Director Jonathan Josephson, Artistic Director Paul Millet, and Producing Artistic Director Jeff G. Rack have announced the line-up for WICKED LIT 2015, the company's 7th annual immersive theatre event that will for the 6th year take place at Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery in Altadena, California. Get a sneak peek at THE EBONY FRAME, left!

After struggling to raise money to fund the upcoming production of OLIVER TWIST, PICT Classic Theatre was forced to lay off staff members in order to keep the show going.

PICT Classic Theatre is pleased to announce that its production of OLIVER TWIST will open on December 5th with previews on the 3rd and 4th.

Parson's Nose Theater, led by Artistic Director Lance Davis, announces its 16th anniversary season of classic theater in Southern California.