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Neptune Theatre is located on sacred land that has been the site of human activity since time immemorial. We are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, and we acknowledge them as the past, present and future caretakers of this land.
As artists, we are grateful to work and build community here. As stewards of culture, we commit to continuing to improve our relations with Indigenous people and upholding values of collaboration and inclusivity in all that we do.
We recommend that masks be worn in our venues. As our theatres place the audience so close to the action on stage, masking helps protect not only audience members but also the actors, who cannot wear masks when performing. By keeping them safe, we all can help prevent COVID-related performance cancellations.
Any videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. The use of cameras, cellular phones, paging devices and all other recording devices is strictly prohibited in the theatre. Please ensure all cellular phones and watch alarms are turned off. Neptune Theatre is a scent-free environment.
Neptune Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Neptune Theatre engages professional technicians represented by IATSE Local 680.
Neptune Theatre acknowledges the support of our government partners:
BY CHARLES DICKENS
FEATURING RHYS BEVAN-JOHN AND SIMON HENDERSON
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE AND DIRECTED BY JEREMY WEBB
TICKETS STARTING AT $33!
Jeremy Webb’s adaptation is once again brought lovingly to life with this hilarious and haunted holiday experience. It’s a memorable story about the true spirit of Christmas. Whether read aloud with family and friends or in solitude on a chill winter evening to savour the story, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a very special holiday experience. Take a break from the holiday rush and settle in for this dramatic telling of this holiday classic. Often hilarious, sometimes spooky; Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been recreated for the whole family.
This show is a longstanding holiday tradition on the theatre scene in Halifax since premiering in 2003. It has also been toured across the province and into the United States to critical acclaim.
Webb originally starred in the production, playing the more than 20 roles with Rhys Bevan-John as the puppeteer. In 2015, Bevan-John stepped into the spotlight to play the beloved characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
Also featuring Simon Henderson as the puppeteer and Jessica Lewis as the lighting designer, this is a Neptune holiday classic for the whole family!
Saltwire
CAST
RHYS BEVAN-JOHN ACTOR
SIMON HENDERSON PUPPETEER
CREATIVE
JEREMY WEBB DIRECTOR/WRITER
SCOTT MACMILLAN COMPOSER
JESSICA LEWIS* STAGE MANAGER / LIGHTING DESIGNER
ALISON CROSBY* STAGE MANAGER
CASSIE SEABOYER PUPPET DESIGNER
JULIE MARTELL VOICE OF BELLE
JULIA TOPPLE BELLE MOVEMENT
Welcome to Neptune Theatre and to another glorious year of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
This show was created in 2003 and back then, I was the actor in the show. In those days I was able to switch from character, to character, to character. I had the energy to jump around the stage as Fezziwig, the knees that could crawl the floor, cowering as Ebenezer and enough pep to play Cratchit skating on imaginary ice. Those days have gone. (Cue: sad violin music.)
Now, young whipper-snapper Rhys Bevan-John continues the tradition. He does it so well. But, here’s the thing: Rhys has now been doing it for ten years and so surely he, like his predecessor, has to ice aching limbs, pop an Advil or two and lie in Epsom Salt baths after each and every performance?!
It was never a plan to create a show that lasted 21 years. It was always a make work project. Yet, here we are. Now, five year olds that had this production as their first experience of
live theatre, are bringing their kids to giggle and squeal. It’s an honour and a blessing.
Thanks for joining us.
I give my heartfelt thanks to each and every artist that has worked on this show over those decades. In particular, we must congratulate Jessica Lewis (Stage manager and Lighting Designer) who has been with the show sixteen years, puppeteer Simon Henderson (eleven years) and Rhys Bevan-John, who was there at the beginning for two years and then returned for an epic ten year run to the present day.
I wonder if this is the longest running theatrical show in Canada? Maybe the longest running Christmas Carol? Regardless, it’s our pleasure to spook you, make your laugh and offer you another serving of holiday magic this year.
Jeremy Webb Artistic Director
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Kimberlee Stadelmann Executive Director
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Charles Dickens had Great Expectations when he visited Province House in 1842. Follow in his footsteps this holiday season!
RHYS BEVAN-JOHN
ROLE: Actor OTHER: Rhys Bevan-John is an award-winning actor and writer who proudly hails from Dartmouth. He trained at the Neptune Theatre School and has worked in the theatre for over 25 years. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, toured much of the world with Mermaid Theatre, and worked with most of the professional theatre companies in Nova Scotia, including Neptune Theatre and Shakespeare by the Sea. He once lived in the woods for six months with a mime and a ballerina. Rhys dedicates this performance to Dionysus.
SIMON HENDERSON
ROLE: Puppeteer NEPTUNE: Shakespeare in Love, The Comedy of Errors, The Devil’s Disciple, Frost/Nixon, Mourning Dove, A Few Good Men. OTHER THEATRE: The Hobbit (Festival Antigonish); Twelfth Night (Dauntless); Shakespeare on Trial (OTL); Wrong for Each Other (Live Bait); Julius Caesar (SBTS); Samaria (Das Letzte Kleinod); Uncle Oscar’s Experiment (Zuppa); A Loosely Veiled Allegory (Irondale).
FILM/TV: How to Fall in Love by Christmas (W); Meet Me Next Christmas (Netflix); Unperfect Christmas Wish (SuperChannel); Mayday (Cineflix); The Boys (Amazon); All the Wrong Reasons (Strong Arm); Wake (CBC). OTHER: Love to Mum, Dad, Liv, Jay, Jonah, Jack and all the rest. To you: joy, goodwill, peace.
JEREMY WEBB
ROLE: Director / Writer NEPTUNE: Disney’s Frozen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (also for Mirvish Productions), Murder For Two (also Festival Antigonish, Thousand Island Playhouse), The Play That Goes Wrong, Billy Elliot The Musical, Elf The Musical, Misery, The Rocky Horror Show, Alice in Pantoland, The Woman in Black, Fully Committed, Calendar Girls, Peter Pan, Little Thing, Big Thing, Noises Off, Cinderella, Shakespeare in Love, Mamma Mia!, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol UPCOMING: Little Shop of Horrors ACTOR: Beauty and the Beast, Great Expectations, Rexy!, The Comedy of Errors, The Wizard of Oz, Romeo & Juliet, The Producers, Beauty & The Beast (2007), Oliver, What The Butler Saw, Sylvia, Blood Brothers, Rumors OTHER THEATRE: The Hobbit, Stage Kiss, The Hound of The Baskervilles (Festi- val Antigonish,) 25 years of building a career in Nova Scotia the- atre, including Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Fishing, Shakespeare On Trial, Broadway on Argyle St, Under Milk Wood (Off The Leash Creative.) OTHER: His BEST productions are his sons, Samuel & Dylan. With love and gratitiude to Melissa for 14+ years of support. Offtheleashhfx.com
SCOTT MACMILLAN
ROLE: Composer OTHER: Scott‘s passion propels him in all aspects of music making. Awards, appointments, commissions and critical reviews reflect Macmillan’s success. In 2019 Scott premiered two major compositions ‘12 & Change’ for Electric Guitar and Symphony NS and his experiential work ‘Woodland Revival’. Performing nationally and internationally including Carnegie Hall with his ode to our world’s oceans “Celtic Mass for the Sea”, with librettist Jennyfer Brickenden. He played an integral role in the success of Rita MacNeil, Rankin Family Band, NS Mass Choir, and led Symphony NS’s Maritime Pops for 10 years in the 1990’s. Scott teaches Guitar at the Fountain School of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University. scott-macmillan.ca
JESS LEWIS
ROLE: Stage Manager / Lighting Designer NEPTUNE: Lighting Designer: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Addicted, The Play That Goes Wrong, Billy Elliot The Musical, Ballad of the Motherland, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Alice in Pantoland, Fully Committed, The Last 5 Years, Shakespeare In Love, In A World Created By A Drunken God, Drowning Girls (w/ DMV Theatre) OTHER THEATRE: (selected works): As Lighting Designer: Fat Juliet (Eastern Front Theatre), Don’t Wake The Lions, Strike Tone, WHODUNIT? (Votive Dance), The Movements, Tiny, Slowly I Turn, How Small How Far Away (Zuppa Works), Broadway on Argyle St, Under Milk Wood, Fishing (Off The Leash Productions Inc.), Pageant, The Ugly One (DMV Theatre).
ALISON CROSBY
ROLE: Stage Manager NEPTUNE: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Rocky Horror Show, Ballad of the Motherland, Calendar Girls, Peter Pan, Cinderella OTHER THEATRE: The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time (National Arts Centre / Neptune / Tarragon Theatre); Let’s Run Away (reWork Productions / Royal MTC / 2b Theatre); House, YAGA, John & Jen (Highland Arts Theatre); Chasing Champions, After Eepersip Disappeared, Hook Line & Sinner (Ship’s Company Theatre); The Hound of the Baskervilles, Stage Kiss, Kingfisher Days (Festival Antigonish) TRAINING: Mount Allison University
CASSIE SEABOYER
ROLE: Puppet Designer NEPTUNE: Disney’s Frozen, Mamma Mia, She Kills Monsters, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Argyle Street Kitchen Party, Misery, Play That Goes Wrong, Billy Elliot, Elf the Musical, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead OTHER THEATRE: Halifax Circus, DTS Arcadia Film: FROM, The Lighthouse, Tin Can, Kids vs Aliens, The Sinner, Washington Black, Permanent Damage, Future Man, Place of Ghosts EDUCATION: Nova Scotia College of Art and Design OTHER: Cassie is a Multidisciplinary artist with a focus on Puppetry, SFX Makeup, Prop Building and Leather Work who is a big supporter of the local Cosplay Scene at Halcon
STARTING AT
PRESENTS BEFORE ELLA , TINA , BILLIE OR BEYONCE THERE WAS
DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY SEAN CHEESMAN A MUSICAL CELEBRATION THAT COMBINES CABARET, THEATRE AND DANCE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE ICONIC JOSEPHINE BAKER
