Holiday season means one thing - 'A Christmas Carol' returns

Trinity Repertory Company is once again presenting Dickens' holiday classic A Christmas Carol. The show runs through December 31 in the Chace Theater.

Mauro Hantman returns in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, and the cast includes Rachael Warren (Ghost of Christmas Past), Janice Duclos (Mrs. Partlet/Mrs. Fezziwig), and Joe Wilson Jr. (Ghost of Christmas Present 2); featuring guest artists Matt Clevy (Marley), Richard Donnelly (Fezziwig/Topper/Old Joe), Rebecca Gibel (Lucy), Jude Sandy (Ghost of Christmas Present 1) and Monica Willey (Fan).

Alongside the resident company are Brown/Trinity MFA program actors Brandon Drea (Fred), Madeleine Lambert (Belle), Zarina Shea (Mrs. Cratchit), and Richard Williams (Cratchit). Back this year is the lively music of Trinity Rep's "house musicians" Kevin Fallon, Steve Jobe, Chris Lussier and Chris Turner.

This production is being helmed by director Michael Perlman, a 2010 graduate of the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs. Perlman's directing credits include Time of Your Life, Uncle Vanya, and Hamlet.

The plot is about miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who is confronted on Christmas Eve by the spirit of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. The ghost bears an ominous warning that he has one last chance to mend the errors of his ways. Three spirits visit him that Christmas Eve - the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

"I think it's really a story about being a part of the community and choosing to be a part of the community," Perlman explained.

After seeing how people's lives have been impacted by his own actions, Scrooge undergoes a transformation from a man who pushes people away to someone who embraces them and decides to help others in need.

"Especially now with the economy the way it is, we're reminded we're a part of something larger than ourselves. It's important that it strikes people in a very personal and profound way," Perlman added.

Perlman believes this story is timeless and the substance behind this beloved fable is all about our own relationship to the holiday spirit: "There's a little bit of Scrooge in all of us, but there's also a little bit of Tiny Tim in all of us. The fun of going to see A Christmas Carol is to see how far Scrooge can go and how far Tiny Tim can go, and to revel in both of those extremes. We can be our conflicted, three-dimensional selves, in the audience."

Tickets may be purchased by phone at (401) 351-4242, on line at www.trinityrep.com, or in person at the theater's box office. Adult ticket prices for A Christmas Carol are $40-$65, with best prices available for all November performances. All children's tickets (age 2-14) are only $15. The first performance on November 19 at 7:30pm is Pay What You Can (PWYC). PWYC tickets go on sale in the box office at 6:30pm that evening with a limit of one ticket per person. Trinity Rep. continues to offer affordable $12 seats on the Chace Theater's 12th row bench for all performances. Additional discounted and rush tickets are also available; call box office for details. For information on group rates (parties of 20 or more) contact Group Sales at (401) 351-4242.