An annual holiday classic returns to Civic Theatre of Allentown and The Pennsylvania Playhouse stages an adaptation of a beloved Louisa May Alcott story.<\/p>\n
Civic Theatre presents \u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d Dec. 5 to Dec. 20, Nineteenth Street Theatre, Allentown<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania Playhouse presents \u201cLittle Women,\u201d Dec. 5 to Dec. 21 at the Bethlehem playhouse.<\/p>\n
Civic Theatre\u2019s beloved production of Charles Dickens\u2019 classic tale of redemption returns for its 34th year, inviting audiences once again to experience the heartwarming story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his unforgettable journey through past, present and future.<\/p>\n
The show, which tells the tale of Scrooge and his redemption, has included thousands of Lehigh Valley children over the years. More than 70 children in two casts will fill the stage this year with urchins, carolers and party children, among other roles.<\/p>\n
The Civic production is adapted by Civic Theatre of Allentown Managing Artistic Director William Sanders and Civic Theatre of Allentown Board President Emeritus Sharon Lee Glassman.<\/p>\n
The journey takes Scrooge through Victorian London as Dickens spins his magical tale about the true spirit of Christmas.<\/p>\n
Sanders directs the Civic show, which features Jarrod Yuskauskas returning to play Scrooge. Yuskauskas is a familiar face on Civic\u2019s stage, most recently portraying the height-impaired Lord Farquaad in \u201cSkrek The Musical.\u201d It\u2019s the second time Yuskauskas is playing Dickens\u2019 \u201ccovetous, old sinner\u201d at Civic Theatre.<\/p>\n
The production, filled with Victorian atmosphere, familiar music and dazzling stagecraft, celebrates kindness, compassion and the joy found in community.<\/p>\n
Civic offers a \u201cpay what you can\u201d performance Dec. 6.<\/p>\n
\u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, 10, 12, 18, 19; 3 p.m. Dec. 7, 14; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, 20, Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. 610-433-8903, https:\/\/civictheatre.com\/<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania Playhouse is celebrating the holidays with Kate Hamill\u2019s feminist-friendly stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott\u2019s 19th century coming-of-age novel \u201cLittle Women.\u201d<\/p>\n
The story follows the lives of the four March sisters, Meg (Bryanna Pye), Jo (Mia Zappacosta), Beth (Emma Funderburk) and Amy (Angella Brown) in their passage from childhood to womanhood.<\/p>\n
The adaptation centers on the tomboyish Jo, who isn\u2019t a typical Victorian lady. She is headstrong, independent and determined to become a great American novelist.<\/p>\n
As Christmas approaches in the midst of the Civil War, the March sisters come together to celebrate and support one another. Growing up in a world defined by gender, class and personal tragedy, they strive to be brave, intelligent and imaginative young women. As adulthood looms, each sister must balance her private ambitions with society\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n
The cast includes Alec Gould, Nana Abenaa Nyanor, Amy Oselkin, Krista Metter, Charlie Dalrymple, Shawn McCoy and Daniel VanArsdale.<\/p>\n
The Dec. 12 performance will feature understudies Sarah Wright (Jo), Gianna Kegler (Beth) and Seye Dada (Laurie).<\/p>\n
Melissa Miller directs the Pennsylvania Playhouse production. Safran Astra is costume designer. Brett Oliveira is scenic designer.<\/p>\n
The Playhouse offers \u201cpay what you are able\u201d for the Dec. 13 performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cLittle Women,\u201d 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20; 3 p.m. Dec. 7, 14, 21, The Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick\u2019s Mill Road, Bethlehem. 610-865-6665, http:\/\/www.paplayhouse.org\/<\/p>\n
\u201cCurtain Rises\u201d is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com<\/p>\n
PHOTO: MIKE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHYJarrod Yuskauskas (Scrooge), \u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d Civic Theatre of Allentown.<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY MARISSA BREWERFrom left: Bryanna Pye (Meg), Angella Brown (Amy), Emma Funderburk (Beth), Mia Zappacosta (Jo), \u201cLittle Women,\u201d Pennsylvania Playhouse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An annual holiday classic returns to Civic Theatre of Allentown and The Pennsylvania Playhouse stages an adaptation of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52965,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[119,121,120],"class_list":{"0":"post-52964","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-allentown","8":"tag-allentown","9":"tag-allentown-headlines","10":"tag-allentown-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52964"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52964\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}