54 minute read
A Christmas Carol
THIRTY-PLUS YEARS OF
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
A Holiday Tradition for Audiences, Actors, and All
STORY BY Mashaun D. Simon
Historically, Atlanta has had a handful of Christmastime traditions to mark the start of the city’s holiday season. For most natives, like myself, those traditions have included the Macy’s Great Tree Lighting, which for more than 40 years stood tall at the Rich’s Department store in downtown Atlanta, and the Pink Pig. For others, the Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker has always been a holiday favorite and, in recent years, Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
As these traditions have come and gone, the Alliance Theatre’s production of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, has served as a holiday favorite for countless families for more than 30 years.
For most natives, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without A Christmas Carol.
Oftentimes, Raymond has recognized a few.
But the show isn’t just a tradition for families in and around Atlanta.
And, just like there are families and patrons who come every year, some of Atlanta’s favorite actors come back year after year to share in the experience.
By Raymond’s count, he has appeared in the cast of the classic show 13 (maybe 14) times in the last 15 years. This is his first year performing in David H. Bell’s newly adapted version. His last appearance was during the 2020/21 season — the outdoor, drive-in version.
“That production was quite moving,” he said. “Due to COVID-19, nothing was happening that year. There had been months since people had come to the house. It was something to see people stand at the scaffolding and thank us. They did not want their tradition to die, and the fact that the Alliance was able to figure out a way to ensure the tradition kept going — it was special.”
And, he said, it was moving for him.
“It gave me a whole other perspective about the show, its impact, the power of live theater, and what it all means to the city,” Raymond said. “This show means a lot to a lot of people — especially to families. And not just in terms of parents and children, in general, but to extended families — grandparents and grandchildren, aunts and uncles, great aunts and great uncles.”
Something the show’s previous director, Rosemary Newcott, used to impress upon the cast about the show, its importance, and its message about families has stayed with him.
“Rosemary used to say all the time that, for a lot of people watching the show, ‘family’ feels and means a lot of different things. Friends gathering for the holiday is a whole other incarnation of family that we don’t always think about,” he said. “The relationship between Bob Cratchit and his family, the lack of relationship between
Scrooge and his nephew... It’s important for people to be able to see all the different ways for which family can be represented and for it to happen on stage.”
Andrew Benator is another favorite Atlanta actor who has appeared in A Christmas Carol numerous times. By his count, this year marks his seventh or eighth performance — his second as Scrooge. Previously, he played the role of Jacob Marley for several years.
When he was asked to play Jacob Marley the first time, Benator said he was thrilled to be part of the production.
With it being the second year of the newly adapted version, Benator greatly anticipates about what he discovers about Scrooge, the other characters, and himself that he had not discovered last year.
“I am really moved about the chance to take another crack at it,” he said. “The whole production was settling in last year. This year,
we can dig in and see what new comes up for each of us. A million different actors have played Hamlet and each time every one of them have had to find their own Hamlet. I am finding my own Scrooge. It is a challenge, finding where the character fits in you and you fit in it, but it’s an exciting challenge.”
And as the actors discover, so do the audiences.
It was a validating moment for him — one of the best in his career, he admits.
“It left me hopeful,” said Benator. “It left me hopeful that they are taking something away from it. That the show and its message resonate within them and sparks something that makes them think about living consciously and about considering how their actions impact the people around them. That is what I get from it — to be aware of how I affect the people around me. In addition to the show being part of countless families’ tradition, that is my hope for everyone who sees the show every time they see the show.”
LIGHT AND DARK AT PLAY IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL
STORY BY Amanda Watkins
At the beginning of the Alliance Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol, we are met with a lamplighter extinguishing the flames from the lamps across the stage, dowsing the blanket of nighttime and giving space to the light of day which rises over the first scene of the show. This same lamplighter returns in the final scene, lighting up the streetlamps on Christmas night, inviting in the cloak of evening and bidding adieu.
The symbolism of light vs. dark is threaded discreetly (albeit substantially) throughout this adaptation by David H. Bell. And very understandably, as Dickens’ original source material by the same name tells a story of one night’s journey, fueled by the visitation of four ghosts — all of whom in one way or another give language to light and darkness. From the head of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a “bright clear jet of light” shines, symbolizing the truth that is found in our memories. The Ghost of Christmas Present presents to Scrooge kitchens and parlors celebrating cozy dinners by the “brightness of the roaring fires” and a “ray of brightness on the awful sea” thrown by the fires of lighthouse men. Christmas Present also carries a torch, giving light to what is “good” in the world, as opposed to the shroud worn by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, which forebodingly represents the darkness of Scrooge’s possible future.
Some of the most-studied literature uses symbolic gestures of light and darkness to better represent two opposing forces of nature: Good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, love and hate, happiness and despair, blindness and sight, abundance and lacking.
In religious literature (for instance, the Bible), “goodness” is often portrayed as some element of light. The book begins with a higher power actually separating light from dark. There are verses in the Quran where a higher power talks about moving from darkness towards light, and, in doing so, purifying the soul.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth associates death with darkness (“out, out brief candle” — referring to Lady Macbeth’s suicide) and in Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare deploys light as a symbol of love, describing Juliet as the sun and, once she is in the tomb, “a feasting presence full of light.”
Lest one think that this categorizing of light and no light be too simplistic, too one-dimensional to represent the complexities of the human spirit, the aforementioned authors are cleverly using the exaggeration between the opposing concepts not to highlight separateness, but instead to focus on the in-between journey. These writers are viewing “darkness” as a necessary condition of life — essential to the journey to enlightenment. In this space of darkness, the human must face their greatest horrors and (hopefully) begin to rebuild the mind and spirit, educating their fragile ego. In the drama Manfred, Lord Byron uses the words “the night/Hath been to me a more familiar face/Than that of man; and in her starry shade/Of dim and solitary loveliness,/I learn’d the language of another world.” One might expect these words to come from Scrooge.
Over one night’s time, with the help of spirits, carolers and charity workers, we see Scrooge journey from a man who refuses light in his own home and coal use in his office to a man who awakens with the exclamation “You must light the lamps!” It’s almost as if he is given a new chance at life because of the darkness he has endured, practiced, and experienced, not in spite of it. By being forced to bear witness to his greedy and diseased ways, being able to see it all play out in front of him as an audience member would, a veil has been lifted from his heart and his mind and the light pours in. His enlightenment has been a destructive process, having little to do with becoming “better” or “happier” but instead a series of untruths crumbling away — untruths about hoarding affection and money and time.
Our lamplighter returns in the final scene, awakening the streetlamps and welcoming another night of possibility. And the streetlamps shine brighter than the night before as one more soul on earth understands that the business of humankind is the most important business of all. Sometimes characters with the fewest lines have the greatest impact, and this is true with our lamplighter. He plunges Scrooge (and us all) into the darkness of night for all of us to be reborn into the light of day.
London Lamplighter, 1800. Illustration for Knight’s Pictorial Gallery of Arts (London Printing and Publishing, c 1860)
A TASTE OF THE HOLIDAYS
STORY BY JoJasmin & Christian Lopez and Kay Nilest
The Lopez Family, left to right: Maria Lucy Castro (Christian’s grandmother), Christian, JoJasmin, and Nemo Lopez
— Bob Cratchit, A Christmas Carol
For many families, gathering around the table and sharing a meal together is a central aspect of celebrating the holidays. It’s no wonder that some of our most cherished recipes come from this time of year.
When JoJasmin and Christian Lopez were forming their family traditions, they each brought their own holiday meals. Coming from Florida and Colombia, respectively, their table is as unique and special as their family.
In 2021, Christian and JoJasmin founded Humo (IG: @humocuisine), a catering company specializing in their Latin Inspired Cusine, to bring their delicious family recipes to people all around Atlanta. Now, they would like to share those recipes with you!
JoJasmin’s Sweet Potato Pie
My family enjoys Colombian buñuelos and hot chocolate year-round, but a little more during the holidays. In my family, after a night of lots of eating and celebrating on Christmas Eve, we sleep in on Christmas morning and wake up to make buñuelos.
1 ½ cups buñoelina mix found at your local grocer or Latine market 2 ½ cups cotijia cheese ¼ cup milk 2 eggs Vegetable or canola oil
1. Pre-heat oil to 325 degrees. 2. On your countertop or in a large bowl, combine buñoelina mix, cheese, milk and eggs and mix. 3. With your mix, create small balls. 4. When the oil reaches temperature, put your buñoelina balls in the oil and fry for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 5. Remove buñuelos from oil and let drain on paper towel. 6. Serve with a cup of Colombian hot chocolate and ¡bueno provecho!
My granny’s sweet potato pie is a favorite in my family, and we mostly make it during the holiday season. I learned her recipe at a young age. Now that she is gone, I am honored to continue making this recipe for our family.
3 large sweet potatoes 1 ½ cups sugar 12 oz evaporated milk 1 stick unsalted butter, softened or melted ¼ cup self-rising flour 1 tablespoon lemon extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 2 or 3 pie shells
1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Boil sweet potatoes in a large pot of water for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, and let cool. Once the potatoes have cooled a little, remove the potato skin and place them in a mixing bowl. 3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the sweet potatoes and combine with a hand mixer until smooth. 4. Pour filling into the pie shells and bake for 40 – 50 minutes. 5. Remove; let pies cool and enjoy!
Managing Director
CHRISTOPHER MOSES
Dan Reardon Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director
TINASHE KAJESE-BOLDEN
BOLD Associate Artistic Director
present
BY DAVID H. BELL
BASED ON THE BOOK BY CHARLES DICKENS
SCENIC DESIGN TODD ROSENTHAL
COSTUME DESIGN MARIANN VERHEYEN
LIGHTING DESIGN GREG HOFMANN
SOUND DESIGN CLAY BENNING
COMPOSER/ADAPTOR/ ORCHESTRATOR KENDALL SIMPSON
PUPPETRY DESIGN TOM LEE & BLAIR THOMAS CHICAGO PUPPET STUDIO
FLYING EFFECTS D2 FLYING EFFECTS
MUSIC DIRECTION & ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS GREG MATTESON
CASTING JODY FELDMAN
DIRECTED BY LEORA MORRIS
STAGE MANAGER LIZ CAMPBELL*
SPONSORED BY
CAST
ZAHARA ALI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Cratchit/Child Fred/Ensemble AUSTIN BAROCAS . . . . . . . . . . .Lamplighter’s Son/Choir Boy/Ignorance/ Child Scrooge/Ensemble CALEB BAUMANN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Watkins/Ensemble *ANDREW BENATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ebenezer Scrooge *CALEB CLARK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Young Scrooge/Peter/Ensemble *NEAL GHANT . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Watkins/Mr. Fezziwig/Topper/Ensemble CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Cratchit/Mr. Pritchitt/Ensemble *CAITLIN HARGRAVES . . . . . . . . . . Missy Watkins/Bess/Mudge/Ensemble MAGGIE LARSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Martha Cratchit/Belle/Ensemble *CLARE LATHAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Cratchit/Mrs. Fezziwig/Ensemble ROBERTO MÉNDEZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ensemble *RHYN MCLEMORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ghost of Christmas Past/ Ghost of Christmas Future/Ensemble *MATTHEW MORRIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob Marley/Ensemble ADRIENNE OCFEMIA. . . . . . . . . . . . Melinda Cratchit/Child Dick Wilkins/ Want/Ensemble *MARY LYNN OWEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Dilber/Ensemble *BRAD RAYMOND . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ghost of Christmas Present/Ensemble *LYNDSAY RICKETSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ensemble *ASIA ROGERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alice/Fan/Ensemble *DANE TROY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred/Dick Wilkins/Ensemble EMBERLYNN WOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tiny Tim/Ensemble
UNDERSTUDIES
*CALEB CLARK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ebenezer Scrooge ALLIE HILL. . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Dilber/Christmas Past/Christmas Future/ Charity Worker/Ensemble SOLEIA HOWINGTON . . . . . Melinda Cratchit/Emma Cratchit/Child Wilkins/ Child Fred/Child Scrooge/Ignorance/Want/Lamplighter’s Son/Ensemble MAGGIE LARSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fan/Alice/Ensemble LAWSON LEWALLEN . . . Jacob Marley/Bob Cratchit/Mr. Pritchitt/Ensemble MARIA MAE LOPEZ. . . . . . . . Charity Worker/Belle/Martha/Peg/Ensemble KYLIE GRAY MASK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Cratchit/Mrs. Fezziwig/Missy/ Mudge/Bess/Ensemble KESHAWN MELLON . . . . Young Scrooge/Peter Cratchit/Fred/Dick Wilkins/ Matthew Watkins/Ensemble ROBERTO MÉNDEZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ensemble ADRIENNE OCFEMIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tiny Tim IAN SAWAN . . . Tom Watkins/Fezziwig/Topper/Christmas Present/Ensemble
MUSIC TEAM ERIC BAUMGARTNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keyboard 2 NOAH JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cello GREG MATTESON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music Director/Keyboard 1 BENITO THOMPSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Violin
STAGE MANAGERS *LIZ CAMPBELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stage Manager *ANNA BARANSKI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Stage Manager *KACIE PIMENTEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Stage Manager AMANDA PEREZ . . . . . . . . . . . .Stage Management Production Assistant
PRODUCTION AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE
JODY FELDMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line Producer KAYCE DENISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Director MACK SCALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Lighting Designer ALAN SCHWANKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Scenic Designer DELBERT HALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flying Director ASSATA AMANKEECHI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Casting Assistant HAYLEE SCOTT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COVID Coordinator BARBARA O’HALEY . . . . . . . . . . . .Script/Libretto Production Assistant/ Young Performer Supervisor Substitute KATE WALSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Young Performer Supervisor ELISA CARLSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dialect Coach AMELIA FISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Consent-Informed Rehearsal Practice
FOR THIS PRODUCTION
EMMA MOULEDOUX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound Mixer TAMIR EPLAN-FRANKEL, CHARLES BEDELL . . . . . . . . . . . . Deck Sound BRYAN PEREZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crew Chief VICTOR MOULEDOUX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automation Stagehand WILLIE PARKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flyman SKYLAR BURKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Properties Stagehand J.J. WALLACE, NIC STEPHENSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stagehands GABRIELLE DRUM, NEIL ANDERSON . . . . . . . . . . . . Spotlight Operators HAUZIA CONYERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wardrobe Supervisor PATRICIA FULLER, JENNIFER ROGERS, MONICA SPEAKER, RODNEY WILLIAMS, PATRICIA KUIPERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wardrobe SALLY JOERGER, PATRICIA MCMAHON . . Additional Costume Build Support LINDSEY EWING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wig Master ALANA SPACH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wig Run Crew
SPECIAL THANKS University of British Columbia
* Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
The Alliance Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, an independent national labor union. The Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young Audiences (ASSITEJ/USA), The Atlanta Coalition of Theatres, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Midtown Alliance.
Photos may be taken in the theater before the performance, during intermission, and following the performance. If you share your photos, please credit the designers. Photos, videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited, is a violation of United States Copyright Law, and is an actionable Federal Offense.
ZAHARA ALI (Emma Cratchit/Child Fred/ Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her Alliance Theatre debut with A Christmas Carol! In addition to acting, dancing and cooking, this 11 year old New York native has a passion for standup comedy. Watch out for her at your local comedy club! Gratitude to Mom, Dad, Nanny and all that have supported her on this amazing journey!
AUSTIN BAROCAS
(Lamplighter’s Son/ Choir Boy/Ignorance/ Child Scrooge/ Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Alliance Theatre for A Christmas Carol! Austin lives in Dunwoody with his family and is in fifth grade. Austin first appeared on the stage at the age of 7, playing the Nutcracker in his school production of The Nutcracker. He has since enjoyed performing in The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, as Gingy in Shrek Jr and Maurice in Beauty and the Beast Jr. Austin’s favorite activities include building Lego modular buildings and traveling to new places with his family. Austin would like to thank his mom, dad, and twin sister Summer for their support in helping him follow his dreams. He also thanks director Leora Morris, Jody Feldman, J. Pervis Talent, and the entire cast and crew for this incredible experience.
CALEB BAUMANN
(Matthew Watkins/ Ensemble) is honored to return to A Christmas Carol and be a part of this Atlanta holiday tradition! Alliance Theatre: Granny’s Garden (Zeke), Winnie-thePooh (Christopher Robin), The Jungle Book (Mowgli), Shakespeare in Love (Webster), Where Butterflies go in Winter (Lil’ Lou). Aurora Theatre: Children of Eden (Young Cain); Theatrical Outfit: We the Village (Redd); Serenbe Playhouse: Shenandoah (Gabriel). Film/TV: Disney’s “Raven’s Home,” HBO’s “Doom Patrol,” The Skeleton’s Compass, 15:17 to Paris, Teenage Wasteland, Kidstuf. Caleb thanks his family and the Alliance for their never-ending love and support. Much love and special thanks to Leora and Jody. Instagram @caleblxve
ANDREW BENATOR
(Ebenezer Scrooge) is very happy to be returning to A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge. Previous Alliance credits include Everybody, Small Mouth Sounds, Crossing Delancey, Troubadour, Disgraced, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, By The Way Meet Vera Stark, Good People, August: Osage County, Tennis in Nablus, and Eurydice. Other Atlanta credits include Indecent and Pitmen Painters at Theatrical Outfit, RACE and Between Riverside and Crazy at True Colors Theatre, and Boeing Boeing at Aurora Theatre. Andrew has worked off-Broadway and in regional theaters across the country. Film and TV credits include The Founder, Game Night, Million Dollar Arm, “Amazing Stories,” “Bigger,” and “Stranger Things.” 2016 Recipient of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship.
CALEB CLARK (Young Scrooge/Peter/ Ensemble,u/s Ebenezer Scrooge) [he/him] is chuffed to be back at the Alliance Theatre, with the best darn cast a person could ask for (which includes his wife, Rhyn). Most actors don’t get to go home for the holidays… So getting to spend the holiday season with this chosen family is a profound blessing. Favorite credits include: Young Scrooge/Fred, u/s Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre, ’21); Roy/Clint/Moderator/Officiant/ White Man in Bootycandy (Actor’s Express, ATL); Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Flint Repertory Theatre, MI); Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, Haemon in Antigone, Banquo in Macbeth, Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors, John Dashwood in Sense &
Sensibility (American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, VA); Edmund in King Lear (Houston Shakespeare Festival, TX); Chris Keller in All My Sons (Studio 208, Houston, TX); Walker/Ned in Three Days of Rain (The Vault, Flint, MI). BFA; University of Michigan Flint. MFA; University of Houston’s Professional Actor Training Program. www.theCalebClark.com
THOMAS NEAL ANTWON GHANT
(Tom Watkins/Mr. Fezziwig/Topper/ Ensemble) is excited to once again join the Alliance for another wonderful year of A Christmas Carol. Alliance credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Native Guard, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Shakespeare’s R&J. Other regional credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Our Town, and One Man, Two Guvnors. Neal received Suzi Bass awards as best featured actor and best actor for his role in Race. Happy holidays to all!
CHRISTOPHER
HAMPTON (Mr. Cratchit/ Mr. Pritchitt/Ensemble) is filled with joy to return to A Christmas Carol this year. Christopher has previously been seen on the Alliance stage in Seize the King, The Temple Bombing, and Shakespeare in Love, and also wrote and produced the Spotlight Series presentation of “Cracking Zeus.” When not on stage, Christopher serves as a Board member of Working Title Playwrights, is the COO of The Point of Health Wellness Center (www.healthatthepoint.com), and records audiobooks. You can hear his latest, “The FBI War on Tupac Shakur,” on Audible.
CAITLIN HARGRAVES
(Missy Watkins/Bess/ Mudge/Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning for the second year of A Christmas Carol at the Alliance. Caitlin is an American/Chilean actor, educator, and producer based in Atlanta. She received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and her MA from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Currently, Caitlin teaches acting courses as a faculty member at Emory University where she is also the Co-Artistic Director of Theater Emory. She is an executive producer of the SheATL Arts theater festival, which celebrates female and non-binary playwrights, and an executive producer of Cafecito Productions, a film production company whose first short film Mi Casa, which Caitlin stars in, is currently playing on all HBO platforms. Favorite regional acting credits include: The Pitmen Painters (Theatrical Outfit), Electric Baby (Weird Sisters), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Texas Shakespeare Festival). Big love and gratitude to her family for all their support!
ALLIE HILL (u/s Mrs Dilber/Christmas Past/ Christmas Future/ Charity Worker/ Ensemble) [she/her] is thrilled to join the cast of A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre and make her Alliance debut in this Atlanta classic! Favorite credits include Judy Bernly in 9 to 5 (Gainesville Theatre Alliance), Dotty Otley in Noises Off (Woodstock Playhouse), and Martha in The Secret Garden (Gainesville Theatre Alliance). She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Brenau University. She would love to thank her friends, family, and mentors for their love and support. Follow her on all the things: @allieghill
SOLEIA HOWINGTON
(u/s Melinda Cratchit/ Emma Cratchit/Child Wilkins/Child Fred/Child Scrooge/Ignorance/ Want/Lamplighter’s Son/Ensemble) is excited to be returning to the Alliance for A Christmas Carol after her debut in Everybody earlier this season. She had so much fun that she’s back again! As a 4th grader at Brighten Academy, she has enjoyed participating in annual musical productions as an ensemble player. At Brighten, she received the “Good
Citizen” award, for which she is proud. Aside from enjoying language arts, reading, and writing, she loves painting, drawing, singing, dancing, and playing Roblox. She is a member of the chess club, enjoys learning Japanese, and is fascinated by the world of astronomy and astronauts. She loves being a mentor to younger kids at her school, ensuring that everyone knows that her favorite color is pink. She loves traveling with her family and discovering fun vacation spots. She is very grateful to all her family and friends for their support.
MAGGIE LARSON
(Martha Cratchit/Belle/ Ensemble, u/s Fan/ Alice/Ensemble) is excited to be back at the Alliance reprising her role from last year’s production of A Christmas Carol. Some of her favorite Atlanta Theatre credits include Our Town, The Laramie Project (Theatrical Outfit), Bullets Over Broadway, Calendar Girls (Georgia Ensemble Theatre), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Stage Door Players), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Center for Puppetry Arts), Nell Gwynn, and Strait of Gibraltar (Synchronicity). Catch her next on stage in June ‘23 at Theatrical Outfit in The Humans. Special shoutout to Dressing Room 9: “protecting Christmas cheer and my sanity since 2021.” Biggest thanks to my biggest champion, Bradley Larson, who never tires of running lines with me in his worst British accent, and always makes me feel like the Belle of the ball.
CLARE LATHAM (Mrs. Cratchit/Mrs. Fezziwig/ Ensemble) [she/her] is so thrilled to be back in the world of A Christmas Carol with this company again this season. Also with the Alliance: Data and 53% Of. An Atlanta native, Clare works here, New York and in London. Most recently, Clare was nominated for her third Off West End Award for the one-woman world premiere of Wolf Cub (Hampstead Theatre, London). Previous Off West End Award nominations for Danny and the Deep Blue Sea and the first major UK revival of Doubt, A Parable (Southwark Playhouse). Off Broadway: Fairview (Soho Rep/ Theatre For A New Audience) and The Worth of Water (HERE Arts). Favorite UK/International theatre credits include: My Name Is Rachel Corrie (Lebanon Premiere & Tour: Al Madina Theatre/Zoukak Theatre Company/The Faction), Blue Surge and Don’t Smoke In Bed (Finborough Theatre), and the UK premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Green Eyes (The Hotel Plays, Defibrillator Theatre). Core Ensemble member of UK theatre company The Faction (Romeo & Juliet, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Joan of Arc, Mörder, Strindberg’s Apartment). TV: “Mr. Robot,” “Suspicion”. Training: NYU-Tisch School of the Arts - Stella Adler Studio & RADA (BFA); Drama Centre, London (MA). Wishing a Merry Everything to Everyone. www.clarelatham.com
LAWSON LEWALLEN
(u/s Jacob Marley/Bob Cratchit/Mr. Pritchitt/ Ensemble) [he/him] is thrilled to be making his Alliance debut with A Christmas Carol! Favorite credits include Atlanta Opera: Cabaret | Aurora Theatre: Mary Poppins, Cinderella | Atlanta Lyric Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone, The Addams Family | Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, CT: The Proxy Marriage | Monomoy Theatre, MA: Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors | Interlakes Summer Theatre, NH: Saturday Night Fever, Mamma Mia!; BFA - The Hartt School. Love you Mom, Dad, and Lu! Thank you for everything. Happy Holidays! IG @lawsonlewallen
MARIA MAE LOPEZ
(u/s Charity Worker/ Belle/Martha/Peg/ Ensemble) [she/her] is over the moon about joining the company of A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre! Favorite credits include Lady Of The Lake in Spamalot (Georgia Repertory Theatre), Betsy/Lindsey in Clybourne Park (CSU), Inga in Young
Frankenstein (GRT), and Lily Craven in The Secret Garden (CSU). She thanks you for joining us this year and may your Holidays be bright! To my people, I love you! Find me anywhere: @mariamaelopez
KYLIE GRAY MASK (u/s Mrs. Cratchit/Mrs. Fezziwig/Missy/Mudge Bess/Ensemble) is over the moon to join the cast of A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre! Her favorite regional credits include: Lady Eugenia D’Ysquith in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Florida Repertory Theatre, Isabella in A Company of Wayward Saints at the Gilbert Theater, Bianca in Taming of the Shrew with Sweet Tea Shakespeare. Favorite educational credits: Heather Chandler in Heathers: the Musical at UNC Greensboro, Antonio in Twelfth Night, and Susan in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe with Florida Rep Education. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting with a Musical Theatre minor from UNC Greensboro. Find her on social media: @kyliegraymask.
KESHAWN MELLON
(u/s Young Scrooge/ Peter Cratchit/Fred, Dick Wilkins/Matthew Watkins/Ensemble) recently graduated from Ohio University with his BFA in Acting. At OU, he performed in A Woog Among the Waves (Alan), Macbeth (Lennox), People, Places, and Things (T), She Kills Monsters (Chuck), Engagements (Ryan), and various other productions. His other credits included Ripe Frenzy (Bryan James McNamara) at Capital Stage, Evelyn and His Brothers (Marion) at Tantrum East, An Illiad (Poet Understudy,) at Theatrical Outfit, Wolf at the End of the Block (Nunley Understudy) at Theatrical Outfit, and Another Medea (All) at Theatrical Outfit. During the summer of 2019, he attended the life-changing intensive Theatermakers at The National Theater Institute, where he was awarded the Miranda Family scholarship and became a Miranda Family Fellow. The following summer of 2020 he co-founded Vibrancy Theater and was their Co-Artistic Director until May 2021. Currently, he’s enjoying the last bits of summer by catching up on his favorite TV shows, movies, plays, and books.
ROBERTO MÉNDEZ
(Ensemble, u/s Ensemble) [he/him] is thrilled to be making his Alliance Theatre debut with this wonderful production of A Christmas Carol! Originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, Roberto recently graduated from Columbus State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. Some of his favorite credits include Billy Cane in Bright Star (Charleston Stage), Charles Condomine in Blithe Spirit (Charleston Stage), Angel in Kinky Boots (Charleston Stage), and Ernst in Spring Awakening (Mill Mountain Theatre). You can also catch Roberto as Noah in the recently released Netflix original series, “First Kill.” Roberto would love to thank his family for all of their constant love and support. Lastly he wishes you all a lovely holiday season! To connect with Roberto you can follow him on Instagram: @_robertocmendez
RHYN MCLEMORE
(Ghost of Christmas Past/Ghost of Christmas Future/Ensemble) is over the MOON to be back with her beloved Christmas Carol family. She is particularly thrilled to be sharing the stage with her husband, Caleb Clark (whom she met when they were cast together in THIS SHOW!). Favorite Atlanta credits include: Darlin’ Cory (Mama Grace), Ever After (Louise; Suzi nomination), The Incredible Book Eating Boy, and A Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre); Roe (title role; Suzi nomination) and The Cake (Jen; Horizon Theatre); Fun Home (Big Alison), Stupid F’ing Bird (Mash), and Company (Actor’s Express); Cinderella (Marie/Fairy Godmother), The Bridges of Madison County and Split in Three (Aurora Theatre); Safety Net (Theatrical Outfit); Dot (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company). Off-Broadway: Dot (The Billie Holiday Theatre) and A World to Win (The York Theatre). Regional: Violet (title role/NYC revival) and The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor; Gallery Players); The Sound
of Music (Maria Rainer; Sierra Repertory Theatre); The Spitfire Grill (Percy Talbott; Cape Fear Regional Theatre); A Streetcar Named Desire (Stella), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Mae), and Our Town (Emily; West Virginia Public Theatre); The Crucible and The Comedy of Errors (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival). Upcoming: The Humans at Theatrical Outfit. BFA, Carnegie Mellon University. www.rhynmclemore.com
MATTHEW MORRIS
(Jacob Marley/ Ensemble) is honored to be back on the Alliance stage reprising his role from last year. His most recent credit was NicelyNicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. Regional credits include: Jean Valjean and Javert cover in Les Misérables, Pilot in Jesus Christ Superstar, Tom in The Thing About Men, Hugh Dorsey in Parade, Professor Bhaer in Little Women, Gregor in Chess, Lieutenant Schrank in West Side Story, and Geoffrey in A Lion in Winter, among others. Favorite credits include: Ensemble in Memphis, Ensemble in The Full Monty, and Ensemble in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. All the love to his beautiful wife, Jenna. 2 Chronicles 15:7
ADRIENNE OCFEMIA
(Melinda Cratchit/Child Dick Wilkins/Want/ Ensemble, u/s Tiny Tim) [she/her] is overjoyed to return to the Alliance Theatre after performing as Henry (u/s) in the world premiere musical The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Other credits: Jane Banks in Mary Poppins (Aurora Theatre); Amanda Thripp/US Matilda in Matilda the Musical, Wizard of Oz, Best of Broadway (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); Madeline in Madeline’s Christmas, 2019 (Horizon Theatre and Atlanta Children’s Theatre); Billy Elliot, South Pacific (City Springs Theatre Company); Dead Man Walking (The Atlanta Opera). She is grateful to those who have nurtured her growth as a young actor and performer, including previous directors and creative teams and amazing instructors at City Springs Theatre Conservatory, Orbit Arts Academy, Namari Dance Center, and Drama Inc. Special thanks to Leora Morris, Jody Feldman, and the A Christmas Carol team for including her in this beautiful Atlanta tradition. Love to her parents and older sister, Sophia. Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! IG: @adrienne_aly.o
MARY LYNN OWEN
(Mrs. Dilber/Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Alliance Theatre and to be a part of this holiday tradition. Favorite Alliance credits include her one-woman show, Knead, for which she received The Reiser Grant and the Gene Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award; Crossing Delancey; and Elliott: A Soldier’s Fugue. Other favorite Atlanta credits include Wit and 4000 Miles at Aurora Theatre; Downstairs and Six Degrees of Separation at Actor’s Express; Our Town and The Laramie Project at Theatrical Outfit; The Glass Menagerie at Georgia Shakespeare; and Third and The Clean House at Horizon Theatre. Mary Lynn is a two-time Suzi Award winner, a longtime faculty member of the Theater Studies Department at Emory University, a recently named playwriting finalist for The Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference, and a very happy actor to be back onstage! Thank you for being here too! www.marylynnowen.com
BRAD RAYMOND
(Ghost of Christmas Present/Ensemble) is so excited to be returning to the Alliance Theatre for his 12th Season. Brad has performed as an actor, singer, or conductor at some of the art world’s most esteemed institutions including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Light Opera Works of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival, Arena Stage, The Broad Stage, The Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Opera, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre, Theater Emory, Horizon Theatre, and Spivey Hall. Some of Brad’s favorite roles include: Homer in Lilies of the Field; Fetch in Fetch Clay, Make Man; Ronald in Born For This; and the Suzi Bass Award winning performance as Blue in Chasin’ Dem Blues.
LYNDSAY RICKETSON
(Ensemble) is delighted to be back with the Alliance this holiday season. Past Alliance appearances include A Christmas Carol, Wizard of Oz, Shrek: the Musical, and Next to Normal. Other Atlanta credits: Camelot and Ragtime (Atlanta Lyric Theatre), A Year with Frog and Toad (Synchronicity), Smokey Joes Café and Kiss Me, Kate (Stage Door Players), Comedy of Tenors and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Georgia Ensemble Theatre), Space!, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Peter Pan (Center for Puppetry Arts). Regional credits: Next to Normal (Geva Theatre), A Chorus Line, (Mill Mountain Theatre). Love always to my friends and family, you make life wonderful. Lowrey, you’re my favorite. IG @Lyndzrbrown ~Discover your noblest dreams within the cathedral of your heart.~
ASIA ROGERS (Alice/ Fan/Ensemble) is delighted to be returning to the Alliance Theatre for the most wonderful time of the year. Her credits include A Christmas Carol and Darlin’ Cory (Alliance Theatre), Bootycandy (Actor’s Express), Our Town and The Laramie Project (Theatrical Outfit), Pipeline (Horizon Theatre), Skeleton Crew (True Colors Theatre), Titanic (Serenbe Playhouse), Damn Yankees (Theatre Buford), Dangerous Women (Weird Sisters Theatre Project), and The Jungle Book (Georgia Ensemble Theatre). She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Vassar College and has studied physical theatre at L’Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Special thanks to her family and to her husband Nijel for all of their support!
IAN SAWAN (u/s Tom Watkins/Fezziwig/ Topper/Christmas Present/Ensemble) [he/ him] is honored to be making his Alliance Theatre debut in A Christmas Carol! A proud Palestinian-Vietnamese actor and creative, Ian was raised in Doha, Qatar, graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s esteemed BA Acting program in 2020, and is now based in Atlanta, GA. Some credits include An Inspector Calls (Untethered Theatre Project), Pinocchio (Citizens Theatre), and Les Misérables (The Doha Players). He’d like to thank his family, Rebecca, and Ari, for their unending support; he wouldn’t be here without y’all. Happy holidays! // Find him on social media @iansawan and at www.iansawan.com
DANE TROY (Fred/Dick Wilkins/Ensemble) is thankful to return to the Alliance Theatre! Recent credits include Edgar in LEAR (World Premiere @ CalShakes), Acts in The Mojo and the Sayso (Oakland Theater Project), Moses in Pass Over (Capital Stage), Stretch/ Syd in Toni Stone (Milwaukee Rep/ Alliance) and Polixenes/Florizel in The Winter’s Tale (CalShakes). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from UGA and has also studied improv comedy at Dad’s Garage, iO Chicago, iO West, The Groundlings & UCB:LA. Dane sends lots of love to family and his amazing wife Paige Mayes!
EMBERLYNN WOOD
(Tiny Tim/Ensemble) is excited to make her professional debut in A Christmas Carol with the Alliance Theatre. When not acting or singing, Emberlynn enjoys reading, playing piano, dancing, and baton twirling on a competitive team. Emberlynn would like to thank God and her family for their never-ending love and support. A huge thank you to Julia Jones and Lisa Rosemond for their advice, guidance, and training. Special thanks to the entire Alliance Theatre team. Enjoy the show! Follow @emberlynnwood
LEORA MORRIS
(Director) Alliance: A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Ride the Cyclone, Winnie-thePooh, Crossing Delancey, The Dancing Granny. Other directing credits
include The Philosopher’s Wife (Toronto); Labour of Love (Olney Theatre Center); Spring Awakening the Musical (Connecticut College); Knives in Hens, Orphans (Coal Mine Theatre, Toronto); He Left Quietly (2014 SummerWorks Best Production Award, Toronto); Amy and the Orphans, Women Beware Women, King John (Yale School of Drama); The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, love holds a lamp in this little room (Yale Cabaret). Awards/Fellowships: Toronto’s 2012 Ken MacDougall Award, Yale Julian Milton Kaufman Prize in Directing, O’Neill/NNPN National Directing Fellow, Alliance Yale Directing Fellow. Leora was recently shortlisted for the international 2020 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Prize. Leora is currently an assistant professor in Directing and Acting at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. MFA Directing — Yale School of Drama. www.leoramorris.com
DAVID H. BELL (Adaptor) was the Artistic Director of the Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, and Associate Artistic Director to Kenny Leon at the Alliance Theatre. He is currently the Artistic Director of the American Music Theatre Project and Director of the Music Theatre Program at Northwestern University. As director, choreographer, or author, David has received 45 Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award nominations (winning 11), five Carbonell nominations, the Dramalogue Award, and the Helen Hayes Award. His musical, Hot Mikado (book, additional lyrics) was nominated for the Olivier Award. David has written and directed Cowboys and Lawyers (Goodspeed Opera House) and The Good War (Northlight Theatre) and Die Schone und das Biest (European Tour). He directed the world premieres of Murder for Two (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), HERO (Marriott Theatre, Asolo Rep), and Elmer Gantry (Ford’s Theatre). David collaborated with Northwestern University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland presenting a pair of new musicals in 2017 titled Atlantic for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a second pair in 2018 called Legacy.
CHARLES DICKENS (Book) was a British novelist, journalist, editor, illustrator and social commentator who wrote such beloved classic novels as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations. Dickens is remembered as one of the most important and influential writers of the 19th century. Among his accomplishments, he has been lauded for providing a stark portrait of the Victorian-era underclass, helping to bring about social change.
TODD ROSENTHAL (Scenic Design) is a Chicago-based set designer and educator. Broadway credits include: August: Osage County (Tony Award), The Motherfucker with the Hat (Outer Critic’s Circle nomination and Tony nomination), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony for Best Revival), Of Mice and Men (filmed by National Theatre Live). Select Off Broadway: Red Light Winter (Barrow Street), Domesticated (Lincoln Center), and The Qualms (Playwrights Horizons). International credits include: Madama Butterfly (Irish National Opera, Dublin/ Cork), Nice Fish (London’s West End). Regional work includes Steppenwolf Theatre Company (over 30 productions), Goodman Theatre (Artistic Partner), Guthrie Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse. He has received the Laurence Olivier Award (first American set designer), the Helen Hayes Award, the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, and has been nominated for four American Theater Wing Henry Hewes Design Awards. Todd is a Full Professor at Northwestern University and a graduate of the Yale Drama School.
MARIANN VERHEYEN (Costume Design) has been designing for the Alliance since 1987 for shows including Good People; August: Osage County; Avenue X (Suzi nomination); August Wilson Full Circle: Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf; Intimate Apparel (Suzi winner, 2005/06); Day of the Kings; Light Up the Sky. New York credits: Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pan, Everybody’s Ruby (Audelco Award nomination), numerous off-Broadway productions and 10 years of commercial styling. Regionally, her work has been seen at Ford’s, Huntington and Studio Arena theaters; Missouri Rep; and the Chicago, Alabama, Oregon and Colorado Shakespeare festivals. She has designed costumes for Disney Cruise Lines, Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, SeaWorld San Antonio
and Viking Cruise Lines. Mariann has received design awards in New York City, Chicago, Boston and Atlanta, and received distinguished achievement awards from her undergrad and high school alma maters.
GREG HOFMANN (Lighting Design) Previous Alliance Theatre Designs: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Ride the Cyclone [Suzie Award Recipient]. Additional selected designs: Ride the Cyclone (MCC Theater); Nell Gwynn, Peter Pan; A Musical Adventure, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Ride the Cyclone, Road Show (Chicago Shakespeare), Ride the Cyclone (ACT Seattle), Man Of Destiny (American Players Theatre). Kinky Boots, Secret of My Success, Wizard of Oz, Elf, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Oklahoma!, Tommy [Jeff Award Recipient], Mary Poppins, Annie, 42nd Street (Paramount Theatre); Rock of Ages, The Game’s Afoot, Les Misérables, Oliver! (Drury Lane); Lewiston/Clarkston, The Niceties, Marjorie Prime, Outside Mullingar, Silent Sky (Forward Theatre). A Loss of Roses, Vieux Carre (Raven Theatre). Greg has also designed over seventy productions for Cedar Fair amusement parks across the country, including Cedar Point’s Celebrate 150 Spectacular. More information at www.hofmannlightingdesign.com.
CLAY BENNING (Sound Design) has designed more than 150 productions in his career, with over 100 for the Alliance, including 38 world premieres. Recent works for the Alliance include Darlin’ Cory, Small Mouth Sounds, and Working. Other design work has included Georgia Shakespeare, Atlanta Ballet, Hartford Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Theatrical Outfit, Geva Theatre, Northwestern, Synchronicity Theatre, and the Georgia Aquarium. Awards: Seven Suzi Bass awards for outstanding sound design with 16 nominations. He is a graduate of Presbyterian College (BA), North Carolina School of the Arts (MFA) and a member of IATSE/USA829 and TSDCA.
KENDALL SIMPSON (Composer/ Adaptor/Orchestrator) composes music for theatre, dance, film, and the concert stage. The majority of his theatrical work has been with the Alliance Theatre, where he has collaborated with renowned directors such as Lynne Meadow, Kimberly Senior, Judith Ivey, Laura Kepley, and many others. His compositions have also been showcased at other theaters, including Baltimore’s Center Stage, Theatrical Outfit, and Theater Emory. An award-winning composer, his music has been honored with three Suzi Bass Awards. Kendall currently serves as the music director for the dance department at Emory University, where he works as a composer and accompanist. He has written and arranged dance pieces for Emory Dance Company with choreographers Greg Catellier, George Staib, and Sarah Hillmer, among many others. Kendall’s work has also been featured on the concert stage, with compositions performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Dekalb Symphony Orchestra, and the Vega String Quartet.
TOM LEE (Lead Puppetry Design) is a puppet artist, designer and director. He is co-director of Chicago Puppet Studio, and designed Mary Zimmerman’s Steadfast Tin Soldier at Lookingglass Theater Chicago and Vancouver for Ma-Yi Theater Company NYC. Mr. Lee was a puppeteer in the original TonyAward winning Broadway cast of War Horse and has performed with the Metropolitan Opera (Madama Butterfly), Lyric Opera of Chicago (Queen of Spades), New York Philharmonic Orchestra (Petrushka), and Dan Hurlin (Hiroshima Maiden, Disfarmer, Demolishing Everything with Amazing Speed). Tom is a student of Japanese master puppeteer Koryū Nishikawa V and has taught puppetry and design nationally and internationally. www.tomleeprojects.com
BLAIR THOMAS (Puppetry Design) is Founder and Director of Blair Thomas & Co. and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. His productions have twice earned the highest honor in the medium, the UNIMA Excellence in Puppetry Award. He has received the Puppeteers of America Award, Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award, and several Jefferson Citations. On faculty at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago since 1991, Thomas also held the first-ever Jim Henson Artistin- Residence position at University of Maryland, College Park. For three decades, Thomas has contributed to the Chicago theater scene as an actor, director, puppeteer, designer,
curator, and educator, securing his status as “Chicago’s unofficial puppeteer-general” (TimeOut). He serves on the Board of Directors at the Henson Foundation and the UNIMA Commission for International Festivals. The biennial Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival spans 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, sharing 100+ puppetry activities with over 14,000 guests.
CHICAGO PUPPET STUDIO (Puppetry Design) is the design and fabrication wing of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival and is codirected by Blair Thomas and Tom Lee. The studio has designed puppetry for multiple projects at Lookingglass Theatre including Mary Zimmerman’s Steadfast Tin Soldier (2019 Jeff Award), Pinocchio for the House Theatre, and shadow puppetry for the independent film Monuments. Chicago Puppet Studio created the puppetry and sets for Vancouver, a puppet film by Ralph Peńa and New York’s Ma-Yi Theater Company. The studio offers professional level training and classes at their workshop in the Fine Arts Building Chicago. www.chicagopuppetfest.org
D2 FLYING EFFECTS (Flying Effects) was founded in 2009 by Delbert Hall and Sam Fisher. Based in Maryland, D2 Flying Effects is a part of PointWight Entertainment Specialists. Between them, Delbert and Sam have over 65 years of combined performer flying experience with both manual and automated performer flying.
GREG MATTESON (Music Direction & Additional Arrangements) is a pianist, music director, and arranger/ composer. He has had the pleasure of working with the Alliance Theatre on a number of productions, including Ride the Cyclone (Music Director & Conductor/Pianist), Maybe Happy Ending (Assoc. Music Director), and Max Makes a Million (Copyist & Transcriptionist). Recently, Greg conducted City Springs Theatre’s production of A Chorus Line and has played piano/keyboard for many productions there, including West Side Story, The Color Purple, and The Sound of Music. Greg is currently an Artist Affiliate in Piano at Emory University and Adjunct Faculty at Kennesaw State University, and occasionally music directs at other institutions including Georgia State University, Clayton State University, and the Atlanta Jewish Academy. He is an active vocal coach, private instructor, collaborative pianist, and chamber recitalist, and regularly performs in and around Atlanta. His award-winning arrangements and compositions have been featured in a variety of contexts, from choirs and wind ensembles to video game soundtracks. Thank you to all the wonderful and dedicated people on this production who made the long journey to the stage so worth it! www.gregmatteson.com
JODY FELDMAN (Casting) began her theater career as an actress in Atlanta before moving into administration as the Assistant General Manager at Frank Wittow’s Academy Theatre. It was at the Academy that Feldman realized the importance of theater to a city’s cultural values and identity. Feldman started her career at the Alliance as casting director in 1991 and added producer to her title and responsibilities in 2001. She has cast and produced more than 250 productions at the Alliance, encompassing a range of world premieres that include The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Ury, Blues for An Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, The Geller Girls by Janece Shaffer, In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney, more than 20 years of Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition-winning plays, such world and regional premiere musicals as Aida; The Color Purple; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring It On: The Musical; Tuck Everlasting; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; Harmony, A New Musical; The Prom; Trading Places, and finally exciting new plays developed specifically for children and families, which is integral to the expansion of audience and mission for the Alliance. Jody is most proud of the thriving Alliance community engagement and partnerships that recognize theatrical work as a catalyst for civic conversation and connection.
LIZ CAMPBELL (Stage Manager) [she/her] Local credits include: The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Bina’s Six Apples, A Christmas Carol, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Max Makes a Million, The Wizard of Oz, Paige in Full, Winnie the Pooh, The Jungle Book, The Dancing Granny, Cinderella and Fella, Ugly Lies the Bone, Pancakes, Pancakes!, Tiger Style!, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, James and the
Giant Peach, Shrek, and Charlotte’s Web (Alliance Theatre); The Drowsy Chaperone, Camelot, The World Goes Round, Million Dollar Quartet, Monty Python’s Spamalot, and Ragtime (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); Book of Will and It’s a Wonderful Life (Theatrical Outfit). She has been the Stage Manager for the GHSMTA (Shuler Awards) since 2015. She holds a BFA in Theatre from Niagara University. Member of Actors’ Equity Association. Co-founder of Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice. Love to Ali and Maggie. Happy Holidays to all!
ANNA BARANSKI (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to Alliance Theatre after working on the 2021 adaptation of A Christmas Carol and Everybody. Previously Anna was a seasonal stage manager with the Dallas Theater Center (20092020). In addition, she has enjoyed stage managing at the following select theaters: The Children’s Theatre, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, Triad Stage, Musical Theater West, Circle Theater, Casa Mañana Theatre, Theatre Arlington, Kids Who Care, Inc., Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Texas Shakespeare Festival, and Second Thought Theatre. Anna is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, with an MFA in Stage Management, and completed her professional internship at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. www.annabaranski.com @dinosaur.stage.manager
KACIE PIMENTEL (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to join the Alliance Theatre this season as the National Vision BIPOC SM Fellow. She most recently worked on Everybody at the Alliance Theatre. Previous credits include The Hot Wing King, John Proctor Is the Villain, and White Noise at Studio Theatre. She has also worked in Stage Management at Casa Mañana Theatre, Chautauqua Theatre Company, and Sea World San Antonio. Kacie received her BFA in Theatre — Stage Management at the University of Houston.
AMANDA PEREZ (Stage Management Production Assistant) [she/her] Alliance Theatre credits include: The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Bina’s Six Apples, DREAM HOU$E, A Christmas Carol ‘21, Beautiful Blackbird Live!, A Christmas Carol ‘19. Other Atlanta credits include: Next to Normal, Chess, Nine (Jennie T. Anderson Theatre); Matilda, Drowsy Chaperone, The Best of Broadway, Luminous, Oliver (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); Leading Ladies, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, Bullets Over Broadway (Georgia Ensemble Theatre). Regional credits include: DREAM HOU$E (Baltimore Center Stage & Long Wharf Theatre). She’d like to thank her husband and daughter for all their love and support.
TINASHE KAJESE-BOLDEN (BOLD Associate Artistic Director) is the BOLD Associate Artistic Director at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Tinashe is a Princess Grace Award 2019 Winner for Directing, and Map Fund Award recipient to develop her devised new work All Smiles centering the experience of children on the Autism Spectrum. Most recently, she was Co-Director with Susan V. Booth for Everybody. Tinashe held a salaried creative and Director’s Shadow position during the pre-production, pilot and 2nd episode development of the TV Series “Our Kind of People” (Fox Studios) under Lee Daniel’s production company and was Director Shadow on the season finale of “BMF.” Select directing productions include Toni Stone (co-production Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Alliance Theatre), School Girls, Or the African Mean Girls Play (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre), Ghost (Alliance Theatre), Native Gardens (Virginia Stage Company), Pipeline (Horizon Theater), Nick’s Flamingo Grill (World Premiere at the Alliance Theatre, Hertz Stage), Eclipsed (Synchronicity Theatre, Best Director Suzi Bass Award). Upcoming projects: The Many Wondrous Realities of Jasmine Starr-Kidd (2022/23 Alliance/ Kendeda National Playwriting Competition Winner/World Premiere Alliance Theatre). As a director and actor, she has worked on + off Broadway, including The Imperial Theatre, Primary Stages, 59E59 Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem; and regionally at Yale Rep, Woolly Mammoth Theater Co, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Geva Theatre, CTG’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, among others, as well as recurring roles on TV/Film (Suicide Squad 2, Marvel’s “Hawkeye,” CW’s “Valor,” “Dynasty,” HBO’s “Henrietta Lacks,” Ava Duverney’s “Cherish the Day,” among others.) She proudly serves on the ARTS-ATL Artist Advisory Council. “My mission
is the pursuit of what connects our different communities and how we create art that serves that.”
CHRISTOPHER MOSES (Dan Reardon Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director) has been working in professional theatre education for over 15 years. In January of 2011, Chris took on the position of Director of Education at the Alliance Theatre, overseeing the Alliance Theatre Institute (twice recognized as an Arts Model by the Federal Department of Education), Theatre for Youth & Families, and the Acting Program. Since taking over this position, Chris has expanded the reach and impact by making the Alliance Theatre Education department a vital resource for advancing the civic agenda of Atlanta. This work is accomplished through deep and sustained partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Public School System, Fulton County Public System, the Anti-Defamation League, the YMCA, the City of Atlanta, the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Emory’s Center for Autism, the Children’s Restoration Network, the Latin American Association, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the High Museum of Art. Under his leadership, the Alliance launched its Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young program, which provides fully interactive professional theater experiences for children of all abilities from ages newborn through 5 years old, the Alliance Teen Ensemble, which performs world premier plays commissioned for and about teens, and Alliance@ work, a professional development program designed for the business sector—the latest offering of which uses theatre practice to create a culture of civility in the workplace. In 2014, Chris added the title Associate Artistic Director, and has continued to expand the Alliance’s education offerings. During his tenure in this position, the Alliance has produced over a dozen world premiere plays for young audiences, including Pancakes, Pancakes by Ken Lin, The Dancing Granny by Jireh Breon Holder, and The Lizard & El Sol. Currently, the Alliance serves over 100,000 students pre-k – 12 each season, as well as over 4,000 adults through its extensive education offerings. Chris looks forward to leading this department and expanding their continued efforts to provide a national level of theatre and arts education to the Atlanta community. Chris serves as a board member for TYA/USA, the national service organization for Theatre for Youth, and Working Title Playwrights and is on the Board of Advisors for the Atlanta Speech School, and the Atlanta Public School’s Partners for Education.
MIKE SCHLEIFER (Managing Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2014 as the General Manager and in 2016, assumed the role of Managing Director. During his time at the Alliance, Mike has led the administrative and producing team on over 100 productions including bringing Tuck Everlasting and The Prom to Broadway. He was one of the architects of the “On the Road” season while a multi-million dollar renovation of the Coca-Cola Stage was underway. Mike is excited to have started the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee at the Alliance and to serve on the board of the League of Resident Theatres and True Colors Theatre Company. Prior to Atlanta, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage working in several roles including Associate Producer, Production Manager and Resident Stage Manager. While in Baltimore, Mike was an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and has guest lectured all over the country. Mike began as a Stage Manager and has dozens of stage management credits between his time in New York and working regionally. Mike is married to theater director and educator Laura Hackman and the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.
ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION
(AEA) Founded in 1913, AEA is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org
