Director Patrick Mullins to Step in for Sick Actor in Virginia Stage's A CHRISTMAS CAROL Tonight

A last minute cast change has been made for tonight's opening night performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Virginia Stage Company to accommodate an actor who has fallen ill. A CHRISTMAS CAROL Director and VSC Interim Artistic Director, Patrick Mullins, will be filling in for Tommy Coleman, playing the role of Fred.

Plus, PROMOCODE: PatrickGoesOn will get patrons $25 tickets in the balcony - tonight only!

Patrick Mullins is also the Interim Artistic Director at Virginia Stage Company. His personal adaptation and directorial work explores where classical texts intersect with current community issues. Recent projects include: The Taming of the Shrew, a synth-pop fantasia mixing Shakespeare's text and the music of Jacki Paolella, Swingtime Salute on the deck of the USS Wisconsin, and Honky Tonk Angels and The Odd Couple at The Wells Theatre. For three years he has worked with Fest Events in producing The Midsummer Fantasy Festival - an immersive Shakespearean festival/visual art installation/performance event - in Town Point Park. In addition to work at VSC, he has recently directed shows at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY and Ensemble Theatre Company in Santa Barbara, CA. Productions he has created for touring and young people include a video heavy Romeo and Juliet that integrated area high school students with professional actors, an R&B fueled tour of Julius Caesar, and a reworking of A Christmas Carol that celebrated the music and instruments of Dickens' period. A veteran high school teacher of seven years, Patrick holds an MFA from the University of South Carolina and is an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University. In 2010, he was recognized by the Hampton Roads Cultural Alliance with the Bettie Minette Cooper Arts Educator award.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL kicks off with a discounted preview performance on December 9 and officially opens on December 11. After 16 performances and 8 student matinees, the production will conclude on December 24. Tickets for each show start as low as $25, the majority of seats are $45-$55, and the best seats in the theatre are available for $99. There are discounts for groups, students, and the military where applicable.

Virginia Stage Company is Southeastern Virginia's leading theater destination, serving an audience of over 70,000 annually both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. VSC's mission is to "enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality."