A.C.T. And Macy's Union Square present A DICKENS OF A HOLIDAY

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Macy's Union Square ring in the holiday season with A Dickens of a Holiday, a festive Dickens-inspired event on Saturday, December 9 in Holiday Lane at Macy's Union Square (255 Geary St., 6th Floor). Beginning at 11:30 a.m., guests will be treated to holiday arts and crafts, strolling carolers, face-painting, photo booth, cupcake decorating, holiday-themed treats and libations, photos with Santa Claus, as well as special performances by cast members from A.C.T.'s celebrated production of A Christmas Carol and students from A.C.T.'s Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program and Young Conservatory (YC). Those who have purchased VIP event packages with tickets to the 2 p.m. performance of A Christmas Carol will be escorted from Macy's to The Geary Theater by a group of roaming carolers beginning at 1:30 p.m. A Dickens of a Holiday is free and open to the public.

VIP Tickets ($250-$1,000) are available and include tickets to the 2 p.m. performance of A Christmas Carol, access to a special VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive treats, libations, and activities, as well as a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind items, including a walk-on role in A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol. VIP access to A Dickens of a Holiday is for $125 and includes admission for one adult and one child under 12. Sponsorship Packages ($2,500-$15,000) are also available and include a variety of VIP benefits and opportunities. Proceeds from the event will support A.C.T.'s actor-training and education and community programs, which serve more than 16,000 young people from the San Francisco Bay Area each year. In addition, sponsorship packages provide free tickets to A Christmas Carol To Bay Area families with limited access to theater. To purchase individual tickets or to become a sponsor, visit www.act-sf.org/dickens or contact A.C.T. Special Events Fellow Emily Remsen at 415-439-2314 or eremsen@act-sf.org.

Led by Committee Chair Adriana López Vermut, the host committee for A Dickens of a Holiday includes Dianne Hoge, Janet V. Lustgarten, Robina Riccitiello, Lori Halverson Schryer, Rachel Styne, Jane von Bothmer, and Kay Yun.

"We are honored to be partnering with Macy's Union Square on A Dickens of a Holiday," says Adriana López Vermut. "Through this partnership, A.C.T. will have the ability to introduce its Wonderful Productions and programs to a new audience and raise much-needed funds for its actor training and education and community programs. In addition, funds raised will provide A.C.T. with the opportunity to provide complimentary tickets to A Christmas Carol To Bay Area families who have limited access to live theater. We look forward to making this an annual tradition with Macy's Union Square."

"The team at Macy's has been a proud member of the Union Square community, supporting various theater and social groups for more than seven decades," says Macy's Vice President/Store Manager Robert Sleigh. "Being a partner with A.C.T. in kicking off their holiday season as a presenting host with A Dickens of a Holiday is our way of helping our community shine brighter."

Special thanks to Tout Sweet Pâtisserie for its generous donation of sweet treats. A DICKENS OF A HOLIDAY SPONSORSHIP LEVELS AND BENEFITS

$15,000 Fezziwig Sponsorship
In addition to the benefits listed below, your generous support will allow five (5) Bay Area families of five members to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol free of charge.

• 20 VIP tickets to A Dickens of a Holiday family event, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities
• 20 Premiere Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)
• Opportunity for a walk-on role for one adult and one child in one performance of A Christmas Carol during the production's run (date and performance to be mutually determined)
• Hosted valet event parking
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Christmas Carol set for 20 people
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers
• Show poster signed by cast of A Christmas Carol
• Recognition on prominent signage at event and in A Christmas Carol program (printing deadlines apply)
• Recognition in A.C.T. performance program for one year

$10,000 Turtle Dove Sponsorship

In addition to the benefits listed below, your generous support will allow three (3) Bay Area families of five members to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol free of charge.

• 12 VIP tickets to A Dickens of a Holiday family event, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities
• 12 Premiere Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)
• Hosted valet event parking
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Christmas Carol set for 12 people
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers
• Show poster signed by cast of A Christmas Carol
• Recognition on prominent signage at event and in A Christmas Carol program (printing deadlines apply)
• Recognition in A.C.T. performance program for one year

$5,000 Merry Gentlemen Sponsorship

In addition to the benefits listed below, your generous support will allow two (2) Bay Area families of five members to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol free of charge.

• 8 VIP tickets to A Dickens of a Holiday family event, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities
• 8 Premiere Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)
• Hosted valet event parking
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Christmas Carol set for 8 people
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers
• Show poster signed by cast of A Christmas Carol
• Recognition on prominent signage at event and in A Christmas Carol program (printing deadlines apply)
• Recognition in A.C.T. performance program for one year

$2,500 Bob Cratchit Sponsorship

In addition to the benefits listed below, your generous support will allow one (1) Bay Area family of five members to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol free of charge.

• 4 VIP tickets to A Dickens of a Holiday family event, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities
• 4 Premiere Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)
• Hosted valet event parking
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers
• Show poster signed by cast of A Christmas Carol
• Recognition in A.C.T. performance program for one year

A DICKENS OF A HOLIDAY SINGLE-TICKET LEVELS AND BENEFITS

$1,000 Tidings of Comfort and Joy Ticket

• A Dickens of a Holiday family event VIP admission for one adult and two children under 12, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities (extra person: $500 each)
• 3 Premiere Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)
• Hosted event parking
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers
• Show poster signed by cast of A Christmas Carol
• Recognition in A.C.T. performance program for one year

$500 Caroler Ticket

• A Dickens of a Holiday family event VIP admission for one adult and one child under 12, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities (extra person: $250 each)
• 2 Orchestra tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol
• Hosted event parking
• Special photo opportunity with A Christmas Carol performers

$250 Wassail Ticket

• A Dickens of a Holiday family event VIP admission for one adult and one child under 12, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities (extra person: $125 each)
• 2 performance tickets to the December 9 matinee performance of A Christmas Carol (tickets distributed at event)

$125 Tiny Tim Ticket

• A Dickens of a Holiday family celebration event VIP admission for one adult and one child under 12, including access to the VIP lounge at the Macy's Wine Bar with exclusive fare, beverages, and activities (extra person: $75 each)

American Conservatory Theater is a Tony Award-winning theater and educational institution dedicated to nurturing the art of live theater through Dynamic Productions, intensive actor training in its Conservatory, and an ongoing engagement with its community. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Carey Perloff, A.C.T. embraces its responsibility to conserve, renew, and reinvent our relationship to the rich theatrical traditions and literatures that are our collective legacy, while exploring new artistic forms and communities. A commitment to the highest standards informs every aspect of A.C.T.'s creative work. The company opened its first San Francisco season in 1967. Since then, A.C.T. has performed more than 350 productions to a combined audience of more than seven million people and reaches more than 250,000 people through its productions and programs every year.

The A.C.T. Conservatory serves over 1,000 students each year through its acclaimed actor training programs and represents an integral part of A.C.T.'s mission. Ranked as one of the top programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program functions as the cornerstone of the A.C.T. Conservatory, which also includes the Summer Training Congress, Studio A.C.T., and San Francisco Semester. Elizabeth Banks, Benjamin Bratt, Annette Bening, Darren Criss, Anna Deavere Smith, Danny Glover, Elizabeth McGovern, Anika Noni Rose, and Denzel Washington are among A.C.T.'s distinguished former students. With its commitment to artistic excellence and to the relationship between training, performance, and audience, the A.C.T. Conservatory has moved to the forefront of America's actor training programs, while serving as the creative engine of the company at large. For more information, please visit act-sf.org/conservatory.

The Young Conservatory (YC) at A.C.T. is an internationally recognized professional theater training program for young people between the ages of 8 and 19. The 1,200 young people who each year attend the YC from throughout the Bay Area-and often other states-develop their creative talent, perform in professional-caliber productions, and learn confidence and communication skills. The YC offers dynamic courses throughout the year for both beginners exploring theater for the first time as well as young artists with previous experience seeking a more intensive course of study. Classes are designed to develop imagination, concentration, character, professionalism, and technique, and to strengthen the student's command of his/her body and voice.

Each year A.C.T.'s multifaceted Education & Community Programs provide more than 16,000 students from the San Francisco Bay Area with access to live theatrical experiences through low- to no-cost Student Matinee (SMAT) performances of mainstage and M.F.A. Program productions, Will on Wheels touring productions of Shakespeare classics, stimulating in-depth study guides developed for the classroom, and customized workshops led by master teaching artists. The ACTsmart Partnership Program offers free student matinee tickets and theater-based workshops at no cost to more than 40 public schools (including all San Francisco public high schools) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in the Bay Area serving students who otherwise would have little exposure to the arts. A.C.T. has established year-long Intensive Residencies in three San Francisco continuation schools serving high percentages of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth (SDY) who have not experienced success in traditional comprehensive public schools: Downtown High School (76 percent SDY), Ida B. Wells High School (74.4 percent SDY), and Hilltop Special Services Center for pregnant and parenting teens (94.8 percent SDY, 37.9 percent English learners). A.C.T. also has residencies at Mission High School (69 percent SDY, 37.5 percent English learners), Galileo Academy of Science and Technology (78.2 percent SDY), Bessie Carmichael School/Filipino Education Center (82.4 percent SDY, 39.7 percent English learners), the Tenderloin and Columbia Park Boys & Girls Clubs, and Access SFUSD: The Arc (serving developmentally disabled transition-age youth and adults). More than 50 percent of all students attending schools participating in the ACTsmart Partnership Program receive free or reduced-cost lunches. Back to the Source, A.C.T.'s nationally acclaimed annual intensive institute for educators who use theater techniques to enrich their curriculum in the classroom, provides scholarships to Bay Area public school teachers reaching thousands of students each year. For more information, visit act-sf.org/education.