(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company brings nineteenth-century London to life again, but this season with a new adaptation than their previous productions. This year the company will present a version written by Stephen Temperley, which features few actors who cover a variety of roles each. A Christmas Carol recaptures for audiences the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with this timeless Dickens classic and all the favorite characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come—and everyone's favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. The production runs November 27 through December 13.
The cast includes a few of Centenary Stage Audience favorites including Carl Wallnau as the beloved, yet, cantankerous, Ebenezer Scrooge, Stephen Davis as “Actor 1” covering the roles of Timothy Cratchit, Beggar, Ignorance, and Boy and Lea-Antolini Lid as “Actor 2” which consists of the roles of Mrs. Dibler, Christmas Past, and businessman. Wallnau also serves as the production’s Director, and is the Company’s own award-winning Artistic Director. Wallnau has appeared in several CSC productions, including: The Sunshine Boys (Willie Clark), Dracula (Abraham Van Helsing) and directed numerous productions at CSC, including world premieres of Inventing Montana, The Tillie Project and The Poetry of Pizza, as well as, several American and New Jersey premieres. In addition to his work at CSC, Wallnau has worked extensively at numerous regional theatres including Paper Mill Playhouse, Second Stage in NYC, People’s Light, The Lark Theatre, The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage, Bristol Riverside, Forum Theatre, Premiere Stages, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Foothills Playhouse and spent 14 months on the road with the First National Tour of Titanic.
Stephen Davis has served as the CSC fight choreographer for Newsies, Peter Pan, Deathtrap, The Liar, Breakfast with Mugabe, Oliver!. Davis has also recently appeared in Centenary Stage Company’s production of Newsies! (Wiesel) and The Wizard of Oz (The Wizard). Stephen has a BFA in acting from the Theatre School at DePaul University, as well as an MFA in directing from USC. As Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Centenary University, Professor Davis was honored with both the 2014-15 Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award and the 2010 -11 United Methodist Exemplary Teaching Award and he teaches classes to all ages.
Antolini-Lid serves as Centenary Stage Company’s Educational Director of the Young Audience Series programming, which she founded, and producer for the NEXTstage Repertory Summer Musical series, and is an assistant professor of theatre with the Centenary University theatre program. Some of her recent credits include Oliver!, The Learned Ladies, A Christmas Carol, and Christmas at Small’s Empire Music Hall (Centenary Stage Company), The Last Five Years, The Fantasticks! (Women’s Theater Company of NJ); A Year with Frog and Toad, Mid Summer Night’s Dream, Junie B. Jones and Seussical (The Growing Stage Theater Company). As a director and choreographer, Lea has received awards from the KCACFT Foundation for outstanding direction and choreography in a Musical (Cabaret, Centenary University 2008 and TAPE 2009) and has assisted Carl Wallnau in several of the productions at Centenary Stage Company. Lea has also received various honors including “best featured actress in a musical” (Star Ledger 2006), “best comedian in a musical” (Daily Record 2007) and “Hardest Working Actress in NJ” (Daily Record, 2006).
The cast also features, Patrick Cogan as “Actor 3” covering the roles of Businessman, Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, and Old Joe. Cogan was last seen in CSC’s Annie as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Newsies as President Roosevelt as well! Patrick Cogan also just completed his run with the National Tour of Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville. A newcomer to Centenary Stage, Kyle Walton is “Actor 4” consisting of the roles of Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, and Businessman.
A Centenary Stage Company and Centenary University Alum, CJ Carter, will be playing Fred, Young scrooge and Peter Cratchit. Carter was in several Centenary Stage Company productions including Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Ghost Train (Charles Murdock), and Beauty and the Beast (Gaston). The cast is rounded out by Centenary University Theatre students: Emily Bennet as Belle and Mrs. Cratchit; Amanda Ackerman as Fan, Annabelle, and the Cratchits’ Daughter; and student ensemble members Christopher Hara, Luis Rodriguez, Christine Polichetti, Kayla Yepez, and Casey Giblin.
This can’t miss holiday event will be presented November 27 through December 13 in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown, NJ. Performance dates and times are Thursdays, December 3 and 10 at 7:30 pm; Fridays, November 27 and December 4 and 11 at 8:00 pm; Saturdays, November 28 and December 5 and 12 at 8:00 pm; Sundays, November 29 and December 6 and 13 at 2:00 pm; with special additional matinee performances on at 2:00 pm Wednesdays, December 2 and 9 and Saturday, December 5th. Tickets range from $25.00 to $29.50 for adults with discounts available for seniors, students, and children under 12, as well as special offers for Hackettstown Residents and Thursday evening performances.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 PM and two hours prior to all performances. The Centenary Stage Company box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.
Centenary Stage Company remains committed to the health and safety of our community and adheres to all requirements set forth by the State of New Jersey including, but not limited to; observing social distancing, limited capacity, and requiring masks or facial coverings. For more information regarding CSC COVID-19 policies visit centenarystageco.org/faq.
The 2020-2021 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premiere Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), and Fulton Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.
