For Immediate Release Contact:
Aja Jones 412-281-3973
ajones@pittsburghCLO.org
Cast Announced for Pittsburgh CLO’s A Musical Christmas Carol
One of Pittsburgh’s Greatest Holiday Traditions Returns!
Pittsburgh, November 15, 2010 – The talented cast includes exciting new faces and a host of returning favorites, led by Pittsburgh’s own Tom Atkins as Ebenezer Scrooge. A Musical Christmas Carol – celebrating 19 years as a true Pittsburgh holiday tradition, December 9-23. Tickets are now available by calling 412-456-6666, online at pittsburghCLO.org or at the Theater Square Box Office
About the Cast
(Listed in alphabetical order) Tom Atkins (Ebenezer Scrooge) returns for a third consecutive appearance in A Musical Christmas Carol. Mr. Atkins is perhaps best known for his numerous film and television credits, including “Escape from New York,” “The Fog,” “Creepshow,” “Lethal Weapon,” “Bob Roberts,” “Striking Distance” and “My Bloody Valentine 3D,” as well as “M*A*S*H,” “The Rockford Files,” “Homicide” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” A Pittsburgh native, he has performed in numerous Pittsburgh Public Theater productions, most notably starring as Art Rooney Sr. in The Chief. He recently reprised his role in the film version of The Chief. On Broadway, he appeared in The Changing Room and The Front Page.
Paul Domencic (Young Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Future) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol. A graduate of The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, he has appeared regionally with Colonial Theatre, St. Michael's Playhouse, The Depot Theatre, St. Vincent Summer Theatre and most recently as Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night at Mountain Playhouse. He has also appeared on several daytime soaps.
Wesley Edwards (Wilkins/Watkins) returns to the Byham after making his Pittsburgh CLO debut in 2009 in A Musical Christmas Carol. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Edwards is a graduate of Point Park University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in musical theater. He has performed at The Mountain Playhouse and the Pittsburgh Opera.
Tim Hartman (Mr. Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas Present) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the 12th time. Broadway credits include A Tale of Two Cities and Finian’s Rainbow. Pittsburgh roles include Don Quixote in The Man of La Mancha, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, El Gallo in The Fantastiks, and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Other theater credits include Miles Gloriosus in …Forum, Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Falstaff in Henry IV, C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands and The Big Bang at the CLO Cabaret. Tim has also appeared as Merlin in Camelot, Ziegfeld in Funny Girl with Anna Gasteyer, FDR in Annie and 24 characters in the one man show The Cotton Patch Gospel. Film credits include “Silence of the Lambs,” “The Piano Lesson,” “The Mothman Prophecies” and “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.”
Jeff Howell (Bob Cratchit) is a veteran of numerous productions of A Musical Christmas Carol. He was most recently seen as Mr. Brownlow in Pittsburgh CLO’s 2010 production of Oliver! His other Pittsburgh CLO credits include Beauty and the Beast, Bells Are Ringing, Chess, Singing In the Rain and The Most Happy Fella. Local credits include Candide for Quantum Theatre and Show Boat with Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Joe Jackson (Topper) returns to Pittsburgh CLO after his debut this past Summer Season in Oliver!, The Producers, Hairspray and The Student Prince. Regional credits in include several roles for Walnut Street Theatre and Arena Stage.
Allison Scarlet Jaye (Mrs. Cratchit) makes her Pittsburgh CLO debut. A University of Pittsburgh alum, Allison has been in productions coast to coast. Pittsburgh credits include leading roles in Lion In The Streets, Proof, Fairest and festivals of new plays and musicals.
Rebecca Knowles (Fan/Alice) is also making her Pittsburgh CLO debut. She currently attends Point Park University. Theater credits include Mary Turner (Of Thee I Sing) with Boston’s Lyric First Stage Company and Minnie Fay (Hello, Dolly).
Daniel Krell (Marley) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the ninth time. He is a veteran of over 20 Pittsburgh CLO productions, including Curtains, Oliver!, Les Misérables, The Full Monty, 1776, Jekyll & Hyde, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific and Anything Goes. Mr. Krell starred in Quantum Theatre’s production of When the Rain Stops Falling this year and has also appeared in productions for City Theatre and Pittsburgh Public Theater, among others.
Caitlin Elizabeth Reilly (Miss Watkins/Martha Cratchit) returns to Pittsburgh CLO after six previous appearances in A Musical Christmas Carol and as the understudy CLO Cabaret’s productions of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and My Way. Her previous regional credits include Oklahoma!, Picnic, Grease!, The House of Yes, High School Musical and Annie Get Your Gun.
Connor Russell (Peter Cratchit) is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut. His credits include: 42nd Street, The Who’s Tommy, Bye Bye Birdie (Village Theatre), Disney’s High School Musical (Seattle Children’s Theatre), Zanna Don’t! (Contemporary Classics), Thoroughly Modern Millie and Carousel (Pittsburgh Playhouse Conservatory). Mr. Russell is currently a junior musical theatre major, dance minor, at Point Park University.
Peter Matthew Smith (Fred) returns to Pittsburgh CLO after appearances in The Student Prince and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His Broadway credits include RENT, Mamma Mia, Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof (Motel) and Cry Baby.
Amanda Serra (Ghost of Christmas Past) returns to the cast of A Musical Christmas Carol for a 10th time. Her other Pittsburgh CLO credits include The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!, Me and My Girl and The Sound of Music. In New York, she has appeared in Disembodied Heads, Dialing For Donna, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Ripper – the Musical.
Amanda Slaughter (Bess/Belle) is also returning to the cast of A Musical Christmas Carol. She is a graduate of Point Park University with a degree in musical theater. Ms. Slaughter has performed in CLO’s Gallery of Heroes productions of First Lady and Pioneers of Flight. Her other credits include the National Tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Brigadoon, Into the Woods, Quilters and Oklahoma!
Eli Tokash (Tiny Tim) returns for his second season as Tiny Tim. He is a 7 year old, second grade student at St. Joseph the Worker School in Weirton, WV. He attends the Pittsburgh CLO Academy and last performed for Pittsburgh CLO in Oliver! this past summer. Other credits include the short film "Anywhere But Here" which premiered at the Three Rivers Film Festival and the upcoming feature film "Super 8," directed by JJ Abrams. Eli can also be seen as a face/voice for the American Diabetes Association in their public service announcements.
Terry Wickline (Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig) returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for the 11th year. Her Pittsburgh CLO credits include The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, Crazy For You and Bye Bye Birdie, as well as Always...Patsy Cline and Nunsense at Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret. She has also appeared in Pittsburgh Public Theater’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Man of La Mancha and Much Ado About Nothing.
The cast is rounded out by a host of carolers and party guests.
Greggory Brandt is a veteran of several productions of A Musical Christmas Carol. He most recently performed in the 2009 Pittsburgh CLO productions of Les Misérables and Into the Woods. Prior to that, Mr. Brandt appeared on Broadway in A Tale of Two Cities and in both the Broadway and National Tours of Les Misérables.
Jodi Gage returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for her third year. Her other credits include Orpheus and the Underworld (Diana) at Oberlin Conservatory; Working (Housewife) in Hamilton, Scotland; Lion in Winter (Alice) at Hamilton Civic Theater. Ms. Gage is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory.
Christina McCann returns to A Musical Christmas Carol for a fifth time. Previously, she toured for Pittsburgh CLO in numerous productions of its Gallery of Heroes program. She has also performed in the Pittsburgh Opera productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Eugene Onegin and La Boheme. Her other credits include: Gypsy (Louise), Chicago (Velma) and Brigadoon (Fiona) and will next appear in Camelot for Pittsburgh Public Theater.
Scott P. Sambuco is a Pittsburgh CLO veteran making his 11th appearance in A Musical Christmas Carol. He has appeared in Pittsburgh CLO productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Annie, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, She Loves Me, Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You, Grand Hotel and Bye, Bye, Birdie.
Several Pittsburgh CLO Academy students will also take part in the holiday production. Kylie Byers (Belinda) join the cast of A Musical Christmas Carol for the first time. She is a seventh grader at Shaler Area Middle School, a fourth year CLO Academy student, and a Pittsburgh CLO Mini Star. Her most recent appearance was in Pittsburgh CLO's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and her school’s production of Willy Wonka.
William Davis (Cratchit Child) performed in last year’s Avonworth High School musical Mame as Patrick; a role for which he won a Gene Kelly Award. He is currently performing with the Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars.
Allison Joyce (Cratchit Child) is a fourth grader from the Avonworth School District who loves to sing, dance and act. She was a member of the Children's Choir in Pittsburgh CLO’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Trent Soyster (Turkey Boy) comes from the North Allegheny School District to make his Pittsburgh CLO debut. He is a first year student at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy and a seventh year student at Act One Theater School.
About the Creative Team Tim Gregory (Director) is back for a third year directing A Musical Christmas Carol. He is the Founding Artistic Director of Provision Theater Company in Chicago, where some of his directing credits include Provision Theater’s Jefferson Award–Nominated productions of A Christmas Carol, The Hiding Place and the critically-acclaimed production CS Lewis On Stage.
Bruce Barnes (Musical Director) returns for a fourth season as musical director for A Musical Christmas Carol. His National Tour credits include Happy Days, Kiss Me, Kate, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, Camelot and Peter Pan. He made his Broadway debut conducting Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby, and regularly substituted as associate conductor of the Sam Mendes production of Cabaret at Studio 54. As a pianist, Mr. Barnes has accompanied a range of artists, including Patti LuPone, Penny Fuller, Ruthie Henshall, Beverly Sills, Billy Porter and Eartha Kitt.
The stage manager for this production will be Fredric H. Orner. This production features original scenery by D Martyn Bookwalter and lighting by Andrew David Ostrowski.
More Merry Musical Information
In what has become A Musical Christmas Carol tradition, local choirs will perform prior to each performance. Musical groups from all over the Tri-state area have the opportunity to perform on the Byham Theater stage and take part in this special holiday celebration. The list to date includes:
McKeesport High School Thursday, December 9, 7:00 pm
Harrison Middle School Friday, December 10, 7:00 pm
Howe and Hoover Thursday, December 16, 7:00 pm
Karns City Choir Friday, December 17, 7:00 pm
The Coraleers -Tri County Institute Saturday, December 18, 11:30 am
Whitehall Elementry School Saturday, December 18, 3:30 pm
West Allegheny High School Choir Saturday, December 18, 7:30 pm
Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars & CLO Academy Students Sunday, December 19, 1:30 pm
A Musical Christmas Carol will be presented at the Byham Theater (6th & Fort Duquesne Boulevard) December 9-23. Tickets range from $26.75 - $46.75 with half-price tickets for children 3-14 and are now available by calling 412-456-6666, online at pittsburghCLO.org or at the Theater Square Box Office.
Special events available for groups include School Matinees Dec. 8-10, 16-17 and 21-23, Girls’ Night Out on Dec. 9 with Lidia’s Italy and Holidays with Habitat on Dec. 22. You can also pair a meal at your favorite restaurant with a performance of A Musical Christmas Carol. Let our holiday party planners do the work for you. For more information on these and other group events and discounts, please call Group Sales at 412- 325-1582.
Pittsburgh CLO gratefully acknowledges the support of our production sponsor First Niagara and Macy’s for sponsoring Half-priced Tickets for Kids.
A Musical Christmas Carol Public Performance Schedule
Media members may access photos and other show materials by visiting the Press Room at pittsburghCLO.org. When prompted, simply enter “pressroom” as the username and “pittstadium” as the password.
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Since 1946, the Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Pittsburgh CLO is a not-for-profit arts organization that appreciates the support of nearly 200,000 patrons each year. Its dedication to the musical theater art form extends beyond the summer season with such programs as the CLO Academy, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the National High School Musical Theater Awards, the Construction Center for the Arts and the CLO Cabaret.
