MET Keeps A Holiday Tradition Alive With A CHRISTMAS CAROL

It's no surprise that the holidays are going to look different this year, but there's one tradition that Maryland Ensemble Theatre plans to keep alive with the third production in its 2020-2021 Season Of Surprises: A Christmas Carol - The Audio Experience.

Presented in partnership with The Weinberg Center For The Arts, and directed by MET Associate Artistic Director Julie Herber, A Christmas Carol - The Audio Experience brings Charles Dickens' holiday classic to life in a brand-new format.

This is the first time in over 15 years that Frederick families will be unable to experience the sights and sounds of Ebenezer Scrooge's incredible journey on The Weinberg stage. Thankfully, this soundscape has been carefully put together by the artists at MET to faithfully adapt the story to an audio format that is sure to fill listeners with holiday cheer. The recording will be made available on December 8, 2020.

A hybrid between the radio drama of yesteryear, and the audiobook of today, Charles Dickens' classic story is brought to life by a cast of 20 actors, led by MET's Producing Artistic Director Tad Janes as Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser of the first degree, who thinks Christmas is a "humbug," a waste of time and money. When the spirits of Christmas Past (Gené Fouché), Present (Karen Paone), and Future come calling on Christmas Eve, Scrooge starts to see his life in a different light. Featuring narration by veteran broadcaster and morning show host of 97.5 Lite in Martinsburg WV, Rona Mensah and a cast of actors from previous stage productions including Jack Evans as Bob Cratchit, Lisa Burl as Mrs. Cratchit, James McGarvey as Jacob Marley and Fezziwig, Jeremy Myers as Fred and Young Scrooge, Ashley Hall as Belle, and Lucy Campbell as Tiny Tim. The Audio Experience will also feature the voices of Christmas Carol's talented youth ensemble: Wilson Seltzer (Peter Cratchit), Kristin Profitt (Martha Cratchit), Josie Ritchie (Ella Rose Cratchit), Ysa Seltzer (Belinda Cratchit), Gabriel Bishop (Boy Scrooge), Elizabeth Mooney (Fan), Cash Ritchie (Turkey Boy), Eve Evans (the Caroler), as well as Sophie Beers-Arthur, Elizabeth Shannon, Cyra Ottinger-McKain, and Isabelle Vicari.

Through this soundscape, audiences will be transported to a time when the whole family would gather around the radio to experience the defining tale of an old miser's redemption by three spirits. Under the direction of Julie Herber and the stage management of Devin Gaither, John Walker, composer of the original score featured in MET's stage production, returns to record the cast for The Audio Experience. The sound effects and musical underscoring combined by Audio Mixer Callan Holderbaum set a spark to fully engage the listener and call them to realize the action in their own imagination.

A Christmas Carol - The Audio Experience will be available to stream and download on Tuesday, December 8 for $9.99. The show is sponsored by The Frederick News-Post, Key 103, and 106.9 The Eagle, and produced in partnership with The Weinberg Center For The Arts. A portion of the proceeds from this year's audio production will be given to the Weinberg Center for the Arts to help with operational costs during a time the production cannot be performed in the theatre. For more information, visit MarylandEnsemble.org/carol2020.