UNHOLY TRINITY: Two Christmas Eves after Dickens’ famous tale, conspirators Fred (Chris Capitolo, left), Jeremiah Marley (James Cordingley, center), and Bob Cratchit (Ken Ammerman) consider what terrors the night may hold in ActorsNET’s “The Christmas Carol Conspiracy: Scrooge’s Revenge,” which runs December 6-22 at the Heritage Center Theatre, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, Pa. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets and more information, call (215) 295-3694 or email actorsnet@aol.com.
ActorsNet Stages Holiday When word leaks out of the to the merriment in supporting Farce “Scrooge’s Revenge” ruse, Scrooge finds himself roles are, alphabetically, Da-
You may know the familiar tale of A Christmas Carol — three spirits visit miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and inspire him to change his ways — but what if it was all a hoax? A scam? A fraud?
George Agalias That’s the premise behind ActorsNET’s staging December 6–22 of Joe Doyle’s comedic holiday farce, The Christmas Carol Conspiracy: Scrooge’s Revenge. In this version, a year after the familiar story, Scrooge learns his Nephew Fred and the Cratchits used actors and stage effects to trick him into becoming kind and generous.
the laughingstock of London and vows to get revenge. Celebrating ActorsNET’s 24th season, Artistic Director Cheryl Doyle thought this was the time to dust off her husband’s absurd comic romp. The company produced it twice in Morrisville in 1996 and 2009 and enjoyed a successful run in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1997. The Village Voice promoted the show as a “Holiday Happening!” “How can I describe this comedy?” Doyle said. “It is outrageously silly — full of delicious wordplay and bizarre goings-on, performed by an intrepid cast. First we faithfully recap Dickens’ original tale at breakneck speed in ten minutes and then proceed to render our version of what might really have happened.” “Leading our cast are George Agalias as Scrooge, Chris Capitolo as Nephew Fred, Ken Ammerman and Kelly Allen as the Cratchits, Renée Root as Fred’s tipsy wife Brigitte, Jim Cordingley as Marley, and Rupert Hinton as Charles Dickens, who narrates this madcap caper” Doyle noted. “Adding
vid Bohn, Brenda Clements, Marco Newton. Hans Peters, Chris Root, Joe Ryan, and Ellen Wisnosky. And we’re proud to introduce Jack Laderman — a veteran of our Summer Stars program — in his ActorsNET stage debut as Tiny Tim.” “My playwright husband Joe will be onstage too — performing in drag for the first time since his comic turn in Ruthless: The Musical 19 years ago.” The Christmas Carol Conspiracy: Scrooge’s Revenge performs weekends December 6–22 at The Heritage Center Theatre, 635 North Delmorr Avenue (Route 32), Morrisville, Pa., near the Calhoun Street Bridge. Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for seniors (62+), WHYY members, students, and ActorsNET company members, and $10 for children age 12 and younger. There is mild suggestive language, so parental guidance is suggested. For reservations or further information, call (215) 295-3694, visit www.actorsnetbucks.org, or email actorsnet@aol.com.
Dolls and sweets come to life and mice and toy soldiers do battle in the Dance Connection’s child-friendly version of the holiday classic The Nutcracker at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) Kelsey Theatre. Performances are December 13 at 7 p.m. and December 14 and 15 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. The Dance Connection’s onehour version of this fully narrated and abridged Tchaikovsky ballet is danced entirely by children and teens, and is designed to be enjoyed by every member of the family. At the conclusion of the show, families are invited on stage to meet their favorite characters, who will be available to sign autographs. Set in 19th century Europe to the magical score by Tchaikovsky, the ballet features wonderful Nutcracker moments, with Clara and her Nutcracker Prince battling the Mouse King and embarking on a journey through the Land of Sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy, complete with snowflakes dancing in a snow-covered forest. The Dance Connection of Hillsborough started in 2007 with a mission to bring dance to young people in Central New Jersey,
A
and provide performance and training opportunities for aspiring dancers. The dancers range in age from 5 to 18 and come from around the region. Tickets for The Nutcracker
are $16 for adults, and $14 for children/students and seniors. They may be purchased online at kelseytheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at (609) 570-3333.
11 Princess Rd. Suite G Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 www.MartinBartonArts.com - 609-937-8878
Professional Faculty with years of experience
Children’s Ballet - ages 3 to 10 yrs Student Ballet - ages 11 to 18 yrs Professional Preperatory Program Adult Beginner - Pro Classes
Ballet - Pointe Men’s - Partnering Theater Dance ZUMBA Introducing - 50+ Contemporary
Romantic Night Out Micha
CHILD-FRIENDLY “NUTCRACKER”: Shannon Garlotti and Mother Ginger Dancers perform in the Dance Connection’s one-hour version of the holiday classic, at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre on December 13 at 7 p.m. and December 14 and 15 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The fully narrated and abridged ballet is danced entirely by children and teens, and is designed to be enjoyed by every member of the family.
Martin Center for Dance
PR I NC E TON U N I V E R S I TY ORC H E S T RA
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY GLEE CLUB
17 • TOWN TOPICS, PRINCETON, N.J., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2019
“The Nutcracker” at MCCC’s Kelsey Theatre
e l P rat t ✤ C o n d u c to r
Stravinsky:
Faculty Mary Barton-Douglas Martin Mary Pat Roberton Maria Youskevitch, Kirk Peterson, Erika Mero Free Registration until Dec. 18th
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA XIAN ZHANG Music Director
RACHMANINOFF’S THIRD PIANO CONCERTO
Dec 5–8
Symphony of Psalms
Newark | New Brunswick
This Weekend!
The extraordinary musical legacy of the 150 psalms, featuring Stravinsky’s masterpiece in the version created by his son for two pianos.
Sunday 12.08.19 5:00pm Richardson Auditorium
Also featuring music by
Francine Kay ✤ Piano
Rachmaninoff
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 “Romantic”
7:30PM • THURSDAY DEC 5 • 2019
Gregorio Allegri,
6:30pm Special pre-concert performance
James MacMillan,
7:30PM • FRIDAY DEC 6
Arvo Pärt and Caroline Shaw.
Sasha Rice PIANO Gloria Yin PIANO Gabriel Crouch CONDUCTOR
RICHARDSON AUDITORIUM ALEXANDER HALL
TICKETS
✤
$15 General
✤
$5 Students
DATE NIGHT SPECIAL
TWO TICKETS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
MESSIAH Dec 20 & 22
Princeton | Newark
Use promo code DATENIGHT
Buy tickets at music.princeton.edu, call 609.258.9220, or at any University ticket office in advance of concert. Offer not valid at door
Tickets $15 / $5 students music.princeton.edu 609-258-9220
HANDEL’S
music.princeton.edu
Tickets start at $20! njsymphony.org | 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) Made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
CONCERT SPONSOR XIAN ZHANG MUSIC DIRECTOR