New Repertory Theater Presents CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Opens 12/16

New Repertory Theatre, in collaboration with arsenalArts and Watertown Children's Theatre, revives its popular adaptation of Dickens' classic holiday story, which has all the trimmings of a lavish Victorian Christmas. The production offers a feast for the senses from singing and dancing - the performers accompany themselves on over a dozen different instruments - to ghosts that fly through the air and evaporate into the London fog. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth year, is the perfect holiday celebration. Press Opening is Friday, December 16, 2009 at 8:00pm.

"I very much look forward to directing Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol," states director Steven Barkhimer. "For three seasons, I was in the production as The Ghost of Christmas Present and can appreciate the special spirit, as well as the technical complexities, of this unique adaptation."

Mr. Barkhimer adds, "I am excited to work once more with these talented actors, both veterans and newcomers, to share this heartfelt Dickens story, and to remind us how each holiday season, it touches and delights audiences of every age, size, and persuasion."

This collaborative tradition features a cast of area favorites including Paul D. Farwell, returning for his fifth year as Scrooge, as well as some exciting new faces. Ella Miller is extremely excited to be joining the cast as Tiny Tim, and Edward M. Barker is thrilled to be playing the role of Bob Cratchit.

A Christmas Carol, originally published in 1843, introduces the iconic holiday figures of Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and the three spirits of Christmas. Dickens' story, widely popular in its day and still a beloved holiday tradition, also explores the darker side of prosperity in Victorian England, while exposing the bleak realities of the working poor.

New Repertory Theatre presents provocative and intelligent works of both established and emerging playwrights in an intimate setting that involves and engages the audience. New Rep has earned a reputation for dynamic productions that honor the writers and feature talented professional actors from the New England Theatre community as well as guest artists from around the U.S. New Rep has received Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards for outstanding acting, scenic design, directions, and production. Programming for New Repertory Theatre is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Over 200,000 annually visit The Arsenal Center for the Arts. The Watertown - based center occupies 30,000 square feet of space on three floors. It houses two theatres - the 350 seat Charles Mosesian Theater and the smaller Black Box - classrooms and workshop spaces, artist studios, gallery and exhibit space, rehearsal rooms, and informal gathering places. Its stunning and unique architectural design is ideally suited to support its mission as an inter-disciplinary arts center. This mix of interior venues provides a home for three resident companies (New Repertory Theatre, Watertown Children's Theatre, The Quilters' Connection) and regular performing troupes such as Improv Jones. The Center, under the arsenalARTS umbrella, also offers its own programming consisting of art exhibits, classes and workshops for adults and children, literary presentations, concerts and other staged events.

Watertown Children's Theatre was founded in 1983 by Founding Artistic Director Dinah Lane. In over 25 years of service to the town of Watertown and the surrounding communities, this award-winning organization has enriched the lives of thousands of children and their families. Combining values of artistic excellence and inclusiveness, as reflected in its affordable fee structure, its open audition policy, and its involvement of entire families, WCT has continuously ensured its place as a highly valued member of the artistic community. This season, WCT offers a line-up of diverse programming, including fully staged plays and musicals and educational offerings for all ages.

The Artists

Edward M. Barker (Bob Cratchit, Lighthouse Man 2, Ensemble) recently appeared as Tranio/Widow in The Taming of the Shrew with Actors' Shakespeare Project. Locally, New Rep: Dessa Rose (Nathan) and Othello (Othello); SpeakEasy: Parade (IRNE and Elliot Norton Award Nominations) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Bazzard); Stoneham: A Year with Frog and Toad (Toad); and Shubert: Abyssinia (Brother Samuels). Regional: Roundabout Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Sacramento Music Circus, Portland Center Stage, Riverside Theatre (FL), Pioneer Theatre, and nine seasons with Weathervane Repertory Theatre. In nine different productions of A Christmas Carol, Edward has played Scrooge, Marley, Fred, Topper, Dick Wilkins, Charity Man, Peter, Old Joe, Christmas Future, and now Bob!

Paul D. Farwell (Scrooge) is happy to be returning for his fifth year playing the Christmas curmudgeon. Credits include Mr. Roberts (The Captain), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Gaston), Cabaret (Herr Schulz), A Streetcar Named Desire (Steve), Ragtime (Willie Conklin), Into the Woods (Narrator), Permanent Collection (Morris), Threepenny Opera (Peachum), and Sweeney Todd (Judge Turpin) for New Rep; Kiss Me Kate (Ralph) and Romeo & Juliet (Capulet) for North Shore Music Theater; Taming of the Shrew (Baptista) and Much Ado About Nothing (Leonato) for Commonwealth Shakespeare; The Gig (Georgie), The Caretaker (Mick), and The Big Knife (Buddy) for Lyric Stage; To Kill a Mockingbird (Heck Tate) for Wheelock; Parade (Old Soldier) for SpeakEasy; and King of the Jews (Rabbi Verble) for Boston Playwrights' Theatre. He directed the recent, acclaimed Metro Stage production of Sweeney Todd and is currently directing Fiddler
On The Roof. Paul lives in Watertown with his wife Joanne and 6-year-old twins PJ and David.

Peter Edmund Haydu (Jacob Marley, John (Belle's husband), Miner Father, Businessman 1, Old Joe, Ensemble) is pleased to return to New Rep, where he has been seen as Father in Ragtime and in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol for the past four years. Favorite roles at theatres including the Charles Playhouse, American Stage Festival, Foothills, and Stoneham have included John Adams in 1776, David Lee in The Foreigner, Billy Bishop (and 17 other characters) in Billy Bishop Goes to War, Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore, Jigger in Carousel, Loevborg in Hedda Gabler, and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. He appeared in the Boston Company of Forbidden Broadway and as Orin in the Boston, Detroit, and Philadelphia companies of Little Shop of Horrors. His voice has been heard on many Public Radio shows, on CBS News, and regularly on PBS, notably on Vietnam, a Television History; Nova; Enterprise; and Frontline (for which he does the Series Announcements). He also provides, for WGBH's Descriptive Video Service, narrated descriptions of films and PBS programming for visually-impaired viewers. He is a proud member of AEA, AFTRA, and SAG. SAG.

Ella Miller (Tiny Tim, Ensemble) is seven years old. She enjoys singing, dancing, and acting as well as reading, writing stories, and riding her bike. She is an avid artist and has had artwork exhibited in several local shows. Ella also loves spending time with her friends and absolutely adores her three year old sister Sophie. When she grows up, Ella wants to write and illustrate her own children's stories as well as be a teacher. Ella has performed in Godspell, Mary Poppins, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Macbeth, and The Taming of the Shrew.

Steven Barkhimer (director) is honored to (re)join this family of friends, having appeared thrice in Mr. Lombardo's adaptation of Dickens' classic, as well as being its first music director ten years ago when it was a staged radio play. This year he directed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) for Orfeo Group, received a Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting from Boston University, and was presented the John Cauble Award for Best Short Play from the Kennedy  Center American College Theatre Festival. He has acted at New Rep in The Misanthrope, The Pillowman, Romeo and Juliet, Quills, The Threepenny Opera, Orson's Shadow, Scapin, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, and Twelfth Night. A collection of his original music, entitled "Time Was," is available at www.cdbaby.com.

Rick Lombardo (original director, adapter) is in his second season as Artistic Director at San Jose Rep, where he most recently directed As You Like It. He was previously New Rep's Producing Artistic Director for thirteen years. Last spring, he was awarded the Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence from the Boston Theatre Critics Association for his work at New Rep. He has also been the recipient of four individual Elliot Norton Awards and is a nine-time winner of the "IRNE" Award for his productions of The Clean House, Sweeney Todd, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, A Streetcar Named Desire, Ragtime, Waiting for Godot, and The Weir. His world premiere of According to Tip transferred to Boston's theatre district last fall. His New Rep production of Bill W. and Dr. Bob enjoyed an extended run Off Broadway in 2006. In the New England area, Mr. Lombardo also directed at Opera Boston, Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre and Actors' Shakespeare Project, among others. He was previously the Artistic Director of the Players Guild in Ohio, as well as the Founding Artistic Director of the Stillwaters Theatre Company in New York City. He was the Co-Director of the theatre program at Fordham University's College at Lincoln Center, and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He lives in San Jose with his wife, actress Rachel Harker, and daughter Claudia.