Program Notes

THE ALLIANCE THEATRE Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director and Mike Schleifer, Managing Director present

BY CHARLES DICKENS CO-ADAPTED BY LEORA MORRIS & BEN COLEMAN

SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGNER AN-LIN DAUBER LIGHTING DESIGNER W. BRUCE HARLAN CASTING JODY FELDMAN DIRECTED BY LEORA MORRIS

SOUND DESIGNER BEN COLEMAN STAGE MANAGER LIZ CAMPBELL

VENUE SPONSOR PRESENTED BY LOCATION SPONSOR

ALLIANCE FAMILY SERIES SPONSORED BY

STORYTELLERS *JEREMY AGGERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Voices and Music STUART GERBER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sounds and Music *JEANETTE ILLIDGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Voices and Music *BRAD RAYMOND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Voices and Music

UNDERSTUDIES JOSH CLARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U/S for Jeremy Aggers JESSICA DE MARIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U/S for Jeanette Illidge CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .U/S for Brad Raymond VICTOR PONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U/S for Stuart Gerber

STAGE MANAGEMENT *LIZ CAMPBELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stage Manager *JAYSON T. WADDELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Stage Manager *R. LAMAR WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Stage Manager VALERIE MEDOFF . . . . . . . . . . . . Stage Management Production Assistant

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE

HAYLEE SCOTT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .COVID Coordinator AMANDA WATKINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line Producer DAVIORR SNIPES. . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Diversity, Equity & Engagement ALEXIS WOODARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Director VANESSA THEME AMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound Effects Consultant GRAHAM SCHWARTZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound Mixer TELEVENT, LLC/LIGHTING & PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT, INC. . . Staging Design and Technical Services SARA KEITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Videographer

FOR THIS PRODUCTION VICTOR MOULEDOUX, WILLIE PARKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stagehands NIKI TRAXLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wardrobe

SPECIAL THANKS AAA Parking, Cathryn Houchins, Jack Murphy, Randy Joering, Carter, Organized Neighbors of Summerhill, Maurice Rosenbaum, Gloria Kantor, United Way of Greater Atlanta

* Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Musicians employed in this production are represented by the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

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.

The Sounds of Winter Ages 0–5

A Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young adventure!

Streaming DEC 8 – JAN 31

JEREMY AGGERS (Voices and Music) This bio sure could go in a lot of directions...but mostly, Jeremy would just like to say thank you for being here, and supporting live theatre. You are keeping people’s lives afloat by being here. Thank you. Past Alliance credits include Edward Foote; Candide; Shakespeare in Love; Whipping Man; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; The Wizard of Oz, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and most recently Small Mouth Sounds. Other recent Atlanta credits include This Wonderful Life (Aurora Theatre - streaming online now!), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Georgia Ensemble), and Singles in Agriculture (Aurora Theatre). He has three albums of his music under the Brash Music label, and has narrated somewhere around 400 audiobooks under Jeremy Arthur and other pseudonyms. All his love to KJW and AEWA. BLM.

STUART GERBER

(Sounds and Music) Lauded as having “consummate virtuosity” by The New York Times, percussionist Stuart Gerber has performed extensively on international stages both as a soloist and chamber musician. He has worked with such noted composers as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Kaija Saariaho, George Lewis, and Steve Reich and has recorded for Innova, Mode, Bridge, Telarc, Code Blue, Centaur, and Albany Records. Recent appearances include The Kuala Lumpur Experimental Film, Video, and Music Festival, the Montreal New Music Festival, Electronic Music Malta Festival, The Eduardo MATA Festival and the Cervantino Festival (in Mexico), the Now Festival in Tallinn (Estonia), and the Spoleto Festival, and the Savannah Music Festival. Stuart is Professor of Percussion at Georgia State University and co-artistic director of the Atlanta contemporary music ensemble Bent Frequency.

JEANETTE ILLIDGE

(Voices and Music) is thrilled to be back at the Alliance and ecstatic to be a part of this show! Last seen on the Alliance stage in Into The Woods, other favorite Atlanta credits include Actor’s Express: The Color Purple and RENT (Suzi Bass Nominee); Horizon Theatre: Nobody Loves You; Theatrical Outfit: A Little Princess; Atlanta Lyric Theatre: Ragtime; Aurora Theatre: Once on This Island (Suzi Bass Nominee); Alliance Theatre: Disney’s Aladdin. Film/ TV: Tyler Perry Studios: For Colored Girls. Jeanette is also an award-winning audiobook narrator with several titles ranging from children’s books to adult fiction and non-fiction, so being in this particular production of A Christmas Carol is a Christmas dream come true. Education: BFA from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Proud member: Actors’ Equity Association. Thank you to my amazing cast mates and thank you to the Alliance Theatre team for this opportunity and for making a safe way for us to tell this story on a stage during this unprecedented time. Follow along on the journey and visit Jeanette online at iamjeanette.com, IG @jeanetteillidge - Happy Holidays!

BRAD RAYMOND (Voices and Music) is so excited to be returning to the Alliance Theatre for his 10th production of A Christmas Carol! He is especially excited about being a part of such a creative take on the classic tale this year. 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. Brad is also an awardwinning audio-book narrator; so the unique nature of this year’s production is right in his wheelhouse. If you like listening to Brad’s voice, you can go to Audible.com or Apple Books to hear more.

JOSH CLARK (U/S Jeremy Aggers) is over-the-moon to be making his debut at the Alliance Theatre with this incredible project. He currently lives in Atlanta, making hip hop and writing plays with his comedian roommate. UHPATP. Previous roles include Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Flint Rep); Chris Keller in All My Sons (Studio 208); Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, John Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility, Banquo in Macbeth, Haemon in Antigone (American Shakespeare Center); Mr. Marks in Intimate Apparel (Jose Quintero Theatre); Walker/Ned in Three Days of Rain (The Vault).

JESSICA DE MARIA (U/S Voices and Music) Atlanta: Once (Horizon Theatre); Falsettos, Sweeney Todd, Murder Ballad (Actor’s Express); Titanic, Macbeth, Hair (Serenbe Playhouse); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Edges, Jesus Christ Superstar, Damn Yankees (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); The Threepenny Opera, (7 Stages); The Grimm Lives of the Inbetweens (Alliance Theatre); The Light in the Piazza (Theatrical Outfit). Regional: The Last Time We Were Here (NYMF 2015), The Sleepy Hollow Experience. Jessica also creates original work with Chase Peacock. Their original musical, The Pretty Pants Bandit, will premiere at Georgia Ensemble Theatre in 2021. Learn more at chaseandjessica.com. Visit Jessica online at jessicademaria.com, IG @jessica.demaria.

CHRISTOPHER

HAMPTON (U/S Brad Raymond) is honored to join The Alliance Theatre again where he was previously seen in productions of Sieze the King, Temple Bombing and Shakespeare in Love. Christopher has also performed on many stages locally and nationally. In Atlanta he has been seen at Theatre Buford, 7 Stages, Horizon, Theater Emory, and the Aurora among others. He is thankful to his family and friends for their unending support, and his wife for being awesome. Happy Holidays!

VICTOR PONS (U/S for Stuart Gerber), modern percussionist, “stretches the bounds of electronics and vibraphone,” says ArtsATL. He is dedicated to advancing new music in confluence with today’s technological trends. The Goat Farm Arts Center describes him as being “amongst the radicals reshaping musical parameters.” He is an active freelance performer, clinician and lecturer around North America. Dr. Pons received his Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of South Florida and both his Masters in Music Performance and Artist Certificate from Georgia State University, and his DMA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently he teaches Georgia State University as an Instructor of Percussion and teaches computer applications in music. He also instructs percussion activities at The Westminster Schools, and Atlanta International School.

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theater as an essential component of our society.

LEORA MORRIS

(Director/Co-Adapter) Alliance: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Ride the Cyclone, Hey Willy See the Pyramids, Winnie-the-Pooh, 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, Riverbank: A Noh Play for Northerly Americans (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

AN-LIN DAUBER (Scenic and Costume Designer) is a New York based set and costume designer. Notable set and costume designs include Seven Guitars (Yale Repertory Theatre); Paul Swan is Dead and Gone (The Civilians); And Then They Came For Me (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); An Acorn, The Good Person of Szechwan (Brown/Trinity Rep); The Bar Plays: Small Craft Warnings and The Time of Your Life, A Bright Room Called Day, Blood Wedding (The Williams Project); The Seagull (Serenbe Playhouse); Displaced: A Response to Qurban (Boston Conservatory at Berklee); The Oresteia and Othello (Yale School of Drama). She is a company member of The Williams Project, a living wage theater company committed to radical hospitality. MFA Yale School of Drama. www.anlindauber.com.

W. BRUCE HARLAN (Lighting Designer) is a versatile Designer, Project Manager, Producer. and three-time EMMY Award recipient. Recent projects include design and construction of new stages for Kennesaw State University, Moving in the Spirit, Dad’s Garage and the recent renovation of Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium. Production credits include Alliance Theatre’s Midsummer Night’s Dream (staging design/engineering); Vampire Diaries, Dynasty, The Walking Dead and Fast and Furious (projection effects); Turner Broadcasting’s Trumpet Awards (lighting designer/technical producer); creative collaborator with GloATL and Flux Projects; numerous large-scale civic public parades and corporate events. Architectural projects include lighting design and installation for the iconic spire atop Atlanta’s Bank of America Tower. For over twenty years, Harlan has produced Opening and Closing ceremonies and event logistics for Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects domestically and in Thailand, India, Mexico, Canada, Haiti and Nepal.

BEN COLEMAN (Sound Designer/CoAdapter) is a British multi-disciplinary artist residing in Denver, CO. His practice is rooted in sound and performance making, but often plays with other media, including music, text, video and installation. Coleman grew up in theatre and music, forming his first bands in London while studying contemporary performance. Moving to the US in 2006, he dedicated some eventful years to musical projects, later returning to performance alongside new roles as composer, sound designer and installation artist. His practice now embraces curatorial projects, and frequent collaboration with choreographers, visual artists, and theater practitioners. His work has been presented by the High Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Contemporary,

Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia, Gibney Dance, Dashboard, Georgia Institute of Technology, Flux Projects, Zuckerman Museum of Art and Emory University. Coleman’s work has been featured by Hyperallergic, Wire Magazine, Vice, Pitchfork, Arts ATL, Burnaway and WABE Atlanta. He is an artist in residence at Redline Contemporary Art Centre, Denver. Visit him at www.bencolemansounds.com.

LIZ CAMPBELL (Stage Manager) Recent Alliance credits include A Christmas Carol; 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. Local credits include Camelot, The World Goes Round, Million Dollar Quartet, Dreamgirls, Peter Pan, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Ragtime, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); Book of Will and It’s a Wonderful Life (Theatrical Outfit). She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from Niagara University. Member of Actors’ Equity Association. Love to Ali and Maggie.

SUSAN V. BOOTH

(Jennings Hertz Artistic Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2001 and has initiated the Palefsky Collision Project for teens, the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, the Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab and commercial partnerships on such projects as The Prom; Tuck Everlasting; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; The Color Purple; Bring It On: The Musical; Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk; and Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL. She has directed nationally at the Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court Theatre and many others. She holds degrees from Denison and Northwestern universities and was a fellow of the National Critics Institute and the Kemper Foundation. She has held teaching positions at Northwestern, DePaul and Emory universities and is a past President of the board of directors for the Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the field. Booth’s leadership is underwritten by the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle, an initiative to support and promote women’s theater leadership JONATHON KELSO funded by the Pussycat Foundation. She is married to Max Leventhal and is the proud mother of Moira Rose Leventhal.

MIKE SCHLEIFER (Managing Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2014 as General Manager, and in 2016 became Managing Director. While at the Alliance, Schleifer has led the administrative team on more than 50 productions and was one of the architects of the “On the Road” season, in which the Alliance produced 12 shows at 12 venues. He is proud to have started the Alliance’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and to serve on the League of Resident Theatre’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. Previously, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage, working as Associate Producer, Production Manager and Resident Stage Manager. While in Baltimore, he spent seven years as an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and guest lectured all over the East Coast. Schleifer began his career as a Stage Manager and has dozens of stage-management credits in New York and regionally. He is married to theater director and educator Laura Hackman and is the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.

JODY FELDMAN (Producer/Casting Directing) began her theater career as an actress in Atlanta before moving into administration as the Assistant General Manager at Frank Wittow’s Academy Theatre. 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 200 productions at the Alliance, encompassing a range of world premieres that includes The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, What I Learned in Paris by Pearl Cleage, Broke and Troubadour by Janece Shaffer, In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney and more than 10 years of Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition-winning plays plus such world and regional premiere musicals as Tuck Everlasting; Aida; The Color Purple; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring It On: The Musical; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; Harmony, A New Musical and The Prom. Jody is most proud of the thriving Alliance engagement activities and partnerships that recognize theatrical work as a catalyst for community conversation and connection.

Connecting learning to life at every level.

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