DICKENS CHRISTMAS CAROL DINNER SHOW Announced at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts

A Charles Dickens dinner show with two performances is a highlight of the December holiday events at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, Ind. The lobby Festival of the Trees, featuring more than 20 themed trees throughout the expansive atrium space also is open for display through Jan. 2, 2021.

Using the latest mandate provided by the Lake County Health Department following Indiana Gov. Holcomb's November order, the normally 450-person capacity ballroom space at the CVPA will be reduced to fewer than 100 people for the safety of patrons and staff with the continued enforcement of masks, social distancing tables generously spaced apart and private assigned seating at individual tables.

"Dickens Christmas Carol Dinner Show," Friday, Dec. 18, is produced by Joe Trama and Trama Catering featuring Philip Potempa and Crista Zivanovic on stage.

For the lunch show, doors open at 11:30 a.m., lunch meal served at noon and dessert and show at 12:45 p.m. For the dinner and show option, doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner served at 7 pm, dessert and show at 7:45 p.m.

Under the sparkling chandeliers and vaulted ceiling of the beautiful and spacious Ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, guests enjoy a delicious plated meal themed with the 55-minute joyous holiday stage program. Both lunch and dinner date options are available.

Inside the ballroom, a fascinating table exhibit explores the life of writer Charles Dickens, including a rare framed piece featuring his oddly interesting signature on an original bank draft from the 1800s, as well as other unusual pieces related to "A Christmas Carol."

The show stars columnist and author Philip Potempa and his longtime editor/collaborator Crista Zivanovic, seated on a stage in the ballroom where guests see everything unfolding right from their table seats during a fast-paced 55-minute show salute to Charles Dickens' holiday classic "A Christmas Carol." The two performers use their range of ever-changing and entertaining vocals to portray ALL of more than two dozen characters featured in the story during a wonderfully amusing telling of the holiday spirit tale complete with all of the old-time radio "Foley-style" sound effects created right before the eyes of the audience.

The special lunch menu includes English Pub Broccoli Cheese Soup, London's Parkerhouse Rolls and Butter, Mr. Marley's Ghostly Good Roasted Herb Chicken Breast, Sage and Onion Dressing and Cranberry Applesauce, Mrs. Cratchit's Homestyle Mashed Potatoes, Tiny Tim's Corn O'Brien and for dessert, Ghost of Christmas Past's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream w/Peppermint Candy Cane Accent. The dinner ticket option has English Pub Broccoli Cheese Soup, Bob Crachit's Garden Salad, Roasted Herb Chicken Breast, Sage and Onion dressing and Cranberry Applesauce, Mrs. Cratchit's Homestyle Mashed Potatoes, Tiny Tim's Corn O'Brien, London's Parkerhouse Rolls and Butter and for dessert, Ghost of Christmas Present's English Trifle.

Tickets are $30 plus tax for the lunch show and $40 plus tax for the dinner show.

To reserve tickets to any of the December CVPA events, call the Special Events Office at 219-836-1930, ext. 2 or visit www.cvpa.org.

COVID-19 Precaution: In consideration of the 2020 Global Pandemic and in accordance with the Governor's mandated mask order. Guests are asked to wear "a mouth and nose covering" mask when walking about during the course of the evening but may remove coverings once seated at their table or when in a secluded area and away from others.