Roxy Celebrates Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday with A CHRISTMAS CAROL, November 23 - December 22

Roxy Regional Theatre artistic director John McDonald returns to the role of Ebenezer Scrooge as the Clarksville professional theatre debuts its 2012 production of A Christmas Carol-and celebrates the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens-on Friday, November 23, running through December 22.

Under the direction of Tom Thayer, Dickens' classic tale of Christmases Past, Present and Future meets such holiday standards as "A-Caroling We Go," "Silent Night," "Christmas Is Here," "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown" and more, featuring the talents of Ryan Bowie, Kaitlin Doughty, Humberto Figueroa, Michelle Foletta, Leslie Greene, Rob Rodems and Colin Ryan, along with a rotating cast of twenty-five local youth portraying the Cratchit children: Gavin Berlyak, Lauren Mund, Ashley Knowles, Sydney Barksdale and Jesse Boyle as Martha; Truman Jepson, Scott Hall, Samuel Beals, Mitchell Wolfe and Christian Rieke as Peter; Cheyenne Deibert, Summer Aoki, Kourtni Cottrell, Whitney Flickinger and Madeline O'Connor as Belinda; Kaevon Burney, Ali Arnold, Emma Justice, Georgia Smith and Addisyn Bryant as the Urchin; and Roseanna Vaughn, Bella Rose Cargill, Nathanael Dorminey, Connor Harty and Dallas Harty as Tiny Tim.

A Christmas Carol opens Friday, November 23, with "Toys for Tickets," during which patrons can bring new, unwrapped toys in exchange for admission, to be donated to less fortunate children.  Tickets will go on sale at 7:30 p.m., and the performance begins at 8 p.m.
 
Performances on Wednesday and Thursday, December 12 and 13, are part of Christmas Over The Cumberland, during which patrons will enjoy a holiday dinner at Santa at F&M Bank's Franklin Room at 5 p.m., followed by A Christmas Carol at the Roxy at 7 p.m. Catered by The Bound'ry, the evening's menu features Cajun-spiced turkey, pear and walnut salad, garlic whipped potatoes, seasonal vegetables, fresh-baked bread and chef's choice dessert. The children's menu includes chicken tenders and mac and cheese.  Tickets are $50 for adults) and $30 for ages 13 and under.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 22, playing Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, December 15 and 22. There will be no performances on November 28, 29 and December 5.  Tickets are $25 (adults) and $15 (ages 13 and under) and may be reserved online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, by phone at (931) 645-7699, or at the theatre during regular box office hours (9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and one hour prior to curtain). 

Military and APSU students with current IDs can buy two tickets for the price of one for regularly-priced Wednesday and Thursday evening performances during the run. 

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

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