Wild Swan Theater Stages Holiday Favorite A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Wild Swan Theater presents Charles Dickens' classic holiday story, A Christmas Carol, December 5th through December 9th at Towsley Auditorium, Washtenaw Community College. The company's version has been especially adapted from the Dickens' original for family audiences by Co-Artistic Director Hilary Cohen, who also directs the production.

A Christmas Carol tells the story of the amazing transformation of miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge (Bob Starko) after he is visited by three spirits on the night before Christmas. As the Ghost of Christmas Past (Wild Swan Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director Sandy Ryder) leads Scrooge on a midnight journey to people and events from his past, his eyes are opened to the human misery he has been ignoring and sometimes even causing, most especially in the family of his clerk, Bob Cratchit (Zach Whitt) and his son Tiny Tim (Emily Slomovits). Scrooge's change of heart and his dedication to helping those less fortunate is a happy ending one can savor at any time of the year, but most especially at this holiday season.

The story begins with Scrooge and his clerk Cratchit hard at work in Scrooge's cold, dark money-counting house. Scrooge's response to a visit from his nephew Fred (Andrew Barikmo) with an invitation for Christmas dinner followed by people (Mike Morgan and Sandy Ryder) requesting for a holiday donation give ample evidence of his stingy, bitter personality. Other cast members include Megan VanArsdalan as Scrooge's former fiancé, Ann, Christina Pinciotti as Martha Cratchit, Jeremy Salvatori as Jacob Marley, and Wild Swan Company Manager Michelle Trame Lanzi as Mrs. Cratchit.

The costumes are by Suzanne Young and the set design is by Shana Burns. American Sign Language interpretation is provided by Kara Dougherty and Kristina Lakey.

Wild Swan Theater is dedicated to producing professional children's theater of the highest artistic quality and to making that theater accessible to low income, minority and disabled children through lowered ticket prices and innovative outreach programs. For more information about the company, its current season, touring programs and drama camps, visit the Wild Swan website at www.wildswantheater.org.