Craig Wallace to Return As Ebenezer Scrooge In Ford's Theatre's A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Acclaimed Washington actor Craig Wallace (Fences, Necessary Sacrifices, Death of a Salesman, The Guard, Driving Miss Daisy) will return to Ford's to reprise the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the company's holiday production of A Christmas Carol. Joining the cast this season is Kimberly Gilbert (The Trip to Bountiful, Born Yesterday, Jefferson's Garden, The Laramie Project) as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Performances of the classic Charles Dickens story begin November 17, 2023, and continue for a six-week engagement through December 31, 2023. This “musically high-spirited” and “infectiously jolly” (The Washington Post) production is adapted by Michael Wilson and directed by Michael Baron.

“We are pleased to share with you the return of this classic tale of hope, charity and second chances,” said Paul R. Tetreault, director of Ford's Theatre. “For more than 40 years, we have brought Dickens's story to life for audiences of all ages, and it continues to inspire and uplift us all. Through Ebenezer Scrooge, we take a journey of transformation and redemption and experience the joyous and celebratory spirit of the holidays.”

Tickets for in-person performances of A Christmas Carol are now on sale and range from $28-$134. The performance runs approximately two hours with one intermission. It features caroling, our spirited children's company, spooky stage tricks and cheerful dancing for the holiday season. More information is available at www.fords.org/performance/a-christmas-carol-2023.

The Ford's Theatre 2023-2024 Season is sponsored by Chevron and Lockheed Martin Corporation. A Christmas Carol is made possible by Lead Sponsor: Charter Communications, as well as the following Sponsors: The Home Depot, National Retail Federation and Siemens Corporation.

The Playwright

Michael Wilson directed the premiere of his popular adaptation at Houston's Alley Theatre in 1990, where it ran happily for 24 years. This season, he returns to Hartford Stage (Artistic Director, 1998-2011) to revive his celebrated staging for its 23rd run, the first since being shuttered by the pandemic. Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana Sharif made an acclaimed production of the adaptation, which has run for two seasons at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Dramatists Play Service publishes and licenses the play. Wilson is delighted to have Michael Baron's staging back at Ford's, where his adaptation has been lovingly produced and played - on stage or over radio waves - for 20 uninterrupted years. 

The Director

Michael Baron made his Ford's Theatre directorial debut with the 2009 production of A Christmas Carol. He also served as associate director of the 2008 Ford's production of The Civil War. Regional directorial credits include: Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma: The Prom, Carousel, Head Over Heels, Master Class, Frost/Nixon, Titanic, Bright Star, Fun Home, Assassins, Fiddler on the Roof, Dreamgirls, Big Fish, Oklahoma!, A Little Night Music, Les Misérables, Spring Awakening, Ragtime, Oliver!; ZACH Theatre: Cinderella, Peter and the Starcatcher; Olney: ASL-integrated The Music Man; Adventure: Big River, James and the Giant Peach. Baron holds an MFA from Trinity Repertory and a BA from Wake Forest, and has taught at American University, Brown University and College of the Holy Cross. He is a two-time Helen Hayes Award winner and received the Oklahoma Governor's Arts Award. Baron is currently the Producing Artistic Director of the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, the Official State Theatre of Oklahoma.

The Cast

Craig Wallace was most recently featured at Ford's in our 2022 production of A Christmas Carol and the Necessary Sacrifices radio play. A Ford's Theatre Associate Artist, Wallace has also portrayed Troy in August Wilson's Fences and was featured in Death of a Salesman, The Guard, Driving Miss Daisy, Necessary Sacrifices, and others. Additional recent credits include All the Way at Arena Stage, Our Town and King Lear at Shakespeare Theatre Company and Radio Golf and Ink at Round House Theatre, among others. He is an Ex-Officio member of the Ford's Theatre Board of Trustees.

This year's production also includes Stephen F. Schmidt as Jacob Marley, Kimberly Gilbert as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Justine “Icy” Moral as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jonathan Atkinson as Bob Cratchit and Emily Kester as Mrs. Cratchit. They are joined by actors Michael Bunce, John Floyd, Kristen Garaffo, Tori Gomez, Kaiyla Bridgette Gross, Ayanna Hardy, Tyler Herman, Joe Mallon, Chris Stinson and Tom Story. The understudies are Jessica Bennett, Debora Crabbe, Troy Hopper and Christopher Mueller.

The children's company features Riglee Bryson, Nicolas Cabrera, Taylor Esguerra, True Kelly, Elmer Killebrew, Harlan Killebrew, Somaya Litmon, Harrison Morford, William Morford, Kieran Tyan, Adrianna Weir and Ainsley Zauel.

The Creative Team

José Carrasquillo recreates Michael Baron's original direction, assisted by Associate Directors Craig A. Horness and Erika Scott. Designs for A Christmas Carol include Scenic Designer Lee Savage's striking iron work, which evokes London's Covent Garden marketplace. The cast is outfitted in Alejo Vietti's festive Victorian costumes. The design team also includes Lighting Design by Rui Rita, Original Music and Sound Design by Josh Schmidt, Wig Design by Charles G. LaPointe, Choreography by Shea Sullivan, Choral Direction by Jay Crowder and Dialects and Vocal Direction by Rachel Hirshorn-Johnston. Production Stage Managers Craig A. Horness and Brandon Prendergast, and Assistant Stage Manager Taryn Friend keep everything running smoothly, year after year.

Special Performances and Events

Audio-described performances of A Christmas Carol are scheduled for December 6 at 7:30 p.m. and December 16 at 2 p.m. A Sensory-Friendly performance of A Christmas Carol is scheduled for December 10 at 2 p.m. An ASL sign-interpreted performance of A Christmas Carol is scheduled for December 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Beginning November 17, 2023, performances of A Christmas Carol will be captioned via the GalaPro App. GalaPro is available from the App Store or Google Play and allows patrons to access captioning on demand through their phone or tablet device. Patrons set their phones to airplane mode and connect to the local GalaPro Wifi network before the performance begins. More information is available at fords.org/visit-us/accessibility/galapro-captioning/.

Education Events

Student Matinees for A Christmas Carol are scheduled for Thursday, November 30 and Thursday, December 7 at 12 p.m. If you did not get a chance to submit an application and still wish to bring your class to a matinee, please reach out to Group Sales. Learn more about student matinees here.

GenABE Night

Thursday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Generation Abe events for history and theatre lovers ages 21-40 are BACK for A Christmas Carol! Join us for discounted $25 tickets and opportunities to mingle with artists, staff and peers after performances in partnership with District Fray/On Tap. Get tickets here. Learn more about #GenABE here.

The Sensory-Friendly performance, Student Matinees and GenABE Night of A Christmas Carol are made possible with additional support from Chevron. Ford's Theatre accessibility programs are supported by the Liberty Mutual Foundation.

Free Tickets to First Performance

Ford's Theatre Partners with TodayTix to give out free tickets for the first preview of each mainstage production in our theatrical season. 150 tickets will be available via the TodayTix app, beginning November 10 for the November 17 performance of A Christmas Carol at 7:30 p.m. The TodayTix app is available in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Amazon App Store. Visit www.fords.org/whats-happening/discounts/first-free-preview for lottery entry details.

Donation Drive for Local Charity

For the 14th year, the company of A Christmas Carol will devote time and energy to raising money for a Washington charity. Their efforts coupled with our audience's generous support have raised nearly a million dollars for local charities including Bright Beginnings, Homeless Children's Playtime Project, House of Ruth, N Street Village, Bread for the City, Covenant House Washington, Food and Friends, Martha's Table, Miriam's Kitchen, So Others Might Eat, Thrive DC, TheatreWashington's Taking Care Fund and For Love of Children (FLOC). Our charity drives have raised more than $1 million to date. This year's selected charity will be Hope and a Home. Their mission is to empower low-income families with children in D.C. to create stable homes of their own and to make lasting changes in their lives. Learn more about them here.

COVID-19 Health and Safety

If you are sick: Stay home if you are ill or have knowingly been in the vicinity of someone diagnosed with or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. You can reschedule your ticket for another day by emailing boxoffice@fords.org or calling (888) 616-0270.

Ford's Theatre's COVID-19 guidance is developed in collaboration with the George Washington Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA). As one of the largest groups in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, GW MFA is recognized for excellence in clinical care, research and training of future care providers. The advice and expertise of the medical staff at the GW MFA, which is based on data and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has helped Ford's Theatre Society strengthen its safety procedures to better serve and protect patrons, artists and staff as productions and daytime visits resume. For more information about Ford's Theatre health and safety protocols, visit fords.org/visit-us/plan-your-visit/historic-site-visit-guidelines.

Ford's Theatre Society

One of the most visited sites in the nation's capital, Ford's Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination in the nation's capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln's life and legacy.

Ford's Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford's as a living, Working Theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatre-going public have recognized Ford's for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of Grace, Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe N. Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln's leadership and legacy, Ford's today endeavors to advance Lincoln's “unfinished work” with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in American life.

For more information on Ford's Theatre and the Ford's Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.

 

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