Renaissance Players Revive A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE MUSICAL For 2012 Holiday Season Run

Dickson's Renaissance Players usher in the holiday season with an encore production of the musical extravaganza, A Christmas Carol, The Musical, running November 30-December 18 in the Anne Deason Performance Hall at The Renaissance Center.

The holiday classic was presented during the 2011 holiday season to enthusiastic audiences who have asked to see it  again. As with last year's production, the Charles Dickens' classic features a full Broadway treatment, with music by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Seussical). Under the direction by the late Mike Ockrent with choreography by Susan Stroman, this  musical ran for  ten years at Madison Square Garden, from 1994 through 2003. The many Scrooges have included F. Murray Abraham, Walter Charles, Tim Curry, Tony Randall, Hal Linden, Roddy McDowell, Frank Langella, Tony Roberts, Jim Dale and Roger Daltry. A 2004 television version of the musical starred Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge.

Based on the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens, the musical version is filled with beautiful melodies, emotional lyrics, exuberant dances and exciting special effects. The show includes the familiar characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim Cratchit, Mrs. Cratchit, Jacob Marley, Mr and Mrs. Fezziwig, The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present, and The Ghost of Christmas Future, plus a large ensemble cast and full musical production numbers.

The Menken/Ahrens-penned songs include "Jolly Good Time," "You Mean More to Me," "A Place Called Home," "Link By Link," "Lights of Long Ago," "God Bless Us Everyone," "Abundance and Charity," "Yesterday, Tomorrow and Today" and "Christmas Together."

The show runs through November 30 through December 16 with performances every Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are  $15 (adults), $12 (seniors), and $8 (students), $5 (children 2-12). An Early Bird Special offers a $4-Off discount on all adult and senior tickets bought before the show open on  November 30. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office (615-740-5600) or online at www.rcenter.org, using the code of "CAROL2012" for Early Bird Discounts. A 20% discount is also offered for groups of 15 or more.

A special Matinee Lunch Show is slated for Saturday, December 1 at 12 noon.  Lunch ticket prices are: $25 (adults),  $22 (seniors), $18 (students) and $15 (children 2-12) and include salad, full lunch buffet + dessert + show. Gratuity is not included.

The Renaissance Players Community Theatre production of A Christmas Carol, The Musical  is directed and choreographed by Bryan J. Wlas with musical direction by Nathan W. Brown. Once again, Rachel Gallup has taken on the huge responsibility of wardrobe for the nineteenth century period musical. The lighting director for the production is Charles Young who recently joined the theatre department at The Renaissance Center.

Although the show was presented by the Renaissance Players last year, all of the cast member roles have been changed with the exception of Greg Frey who returns as a very popular and memorable Scrooge.