Theatre News Wire

Rehearsals for the 46th annual production of A Christmas Carol, "the greatest seasonal story of all" (Chicago Tribune), are underway. Acclaimed Chicago artist Jessica Thebus returns for her fourth season directing a cast that stars Larry Yando in his 16th year as Ebenezer Scrooge-with Austin Tichenor stepping into the miserly businessman's shoes for eight performances-leading a cast of 34 newcomers and returning favorites, including Christian Lucas as Tiny Tim joined by young performers Viva Boresi, Annabel Finch, Amir Henderson, Rika Nishikawa and Leighton Tantillo. A Christmas Carol runs at the Goodman Theatre from November 18 - December 31.

Additionally, the Goodman's annual Tree Lighting at 6:45pm on opening night, (Sunday, November 26), will feature special guests leading a countdown to light the tree.

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

"A Christmas Carol is a Chicago tradition, one that I celebrated from the audience as a child, then as a mom and now as an artist," said Director Jessica Thebus. "This year, we lean into the notion of how we can find each other in celebration, when so much that we encounter in our world seeks to divide us."

The "perfect Chicago holiday tradition" (Chicago Parent), Dickens' classic is a "beautiful, timeless message of generosity's triumph over greed" (Chicago Tribune). Businessman Ebenezer Scrooge's sizable bank account is only matched by his disdain for the holidays. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who take him on a spectacular adventure through his past, present and future, helping him on his discovery of kindness, compassion and redemption in a tale with a "first-rate cast and marvelous staging (that) shines merry and bright" (Chicago Sun-Times). Now in its fifth decade, A Christmas Carol is "still the best Christmas story ever told" (Time Out Chicago) and a signature event of the Chicago holiday season with a star-studded history that includes stage and screen notables like Jessie Mueller, Joe Minoso, Del Close, Harry J. Lennix, Felicia P. Fields, Raul Esparza, Sally Murphy and Frank Galati.

For a full list of Cristmas shows in Chicago this holiday season, visit our Christmas Shows In Chicago page.

Full Company of A Christmas Carol (in alphabetical order)

Adeoye......Ensemble/Poulterer/Stag Deer/Undertaker
Kareem Bandealy.........Marley/Young Marley/Topper
Dee Dee Batteast..........Frida
Hillary Bayley................Musician
Mark Bedard............Juggler/Max Fezziwig/Abe/Dilber
Viva Boresi...............Child in Doorway & Mirror/Pratt/Emily Cratchit/Ignorance
Thomas J. Cox.....Bob Cratchit/Wreath Seller
Amira Danan......Belle/Future Crow
Tafadzwa Diener.........Martha Cratchit/Fan/Catherine
Jalbelly Guzman..........Dance Captain/Ensemble/Hat Seller/Doe Deer/Young Woman
Amir Henderson..........Newspaper Seller/Johnston/Gregory Cratchit/Turkey Child/Future Crow
Gregory Hirte............Musician/Dick Wilkins/Young Man
Susaan Jamshidi......Mrs. Cratchit
Christian Lucas.........Tiny Tim/School Child
Daniel Jose Molina......Young Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Future
Rika Nishikawa............Belinda Cratchit/School Child
Detra Payne.................Chestnut Seller/Philomena/Old Josephine
Delin Ruhl...............Musician
Malcolm Ruhl.........Musician
Robert Schleifer......Mr. Fezziwig
Lucky Stiff.........Ghost of Christmas Past
Leighton Tantillo......Peter Cratchit/Boy Scrooge/Want
Bethany Thomas.........Charwoman/Ghost of Christmas Present
Austin Tichenor.........Alternate Ebenezer Scrooge
Penelope Walker......Crumb/Mrs. Alice Fezziwig
Andrew White............Narrator
Larry Yando.........Ebenezer Scrooge
Wai Yim......Ortle/Tree Seller/School Official

Jazzlyn Luckett Aderele......US Crumb/Charwoman/Doe Deer/Mrs. Alice Fezziwig
Tatiana Bustamante..........US Ghost of Christmas Past/Martha/Fan/Belle/Young Woman
Arash Fakhrabadi..............US Young Man/Poulterer/Dick Wilkins/Abe/Undertaker/Old Joe
Annabel Finch..........US Young Performers
Sam Hyson................US Musician
Loren Jones.............US Bob Cratchit/Narrator/Ortle/Marley/Young Marley

Creative Team
Assistant Director....Jamal Howard
Set Designer.....Todd Rosenthal
Costume Designer ......Heidi Sue McMath
Puppet Designers & Creators....Jillian Gryzlak and Rachel Anne Healy
Lighting Designer.....Keith Parham
Associate Lighting Designer...Brian Elston
Sound Designers.....Richard Woodbury and Pornchanok Kanchanabanca
Composer....Andrew Hansen
Music Director.....Malcolm Ruhl Choreographer....Tommy Rapley
Fly Director....Andrea Gentry