(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents a seasonal scripts-in-hand presentation titled Merry, Merry Mischief: Holiday Classics, happening on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 11:00am at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. The presentation is the final piece in the Theatre's 2025 Classics for Kids! Series. Lead Teaching Artist Isaac Hickox-Young directs the festive collection of short stories including The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Rabbi's Gift, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle: A Sherlock Holmes Holiday Mystery, and A Visit from St. Nicholas.
The Stories: The Elves and the Shoemaker is a classic tale that follows a poor cobbler who discovers that mysterious nighttime visitors are crafting exquisite shoes on his behalf. In The Rabbit’s Gift, a group of rabbits share a precious gift that inspires unexpected kindness among the people who receive it. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle is a holiday mystery in which the iconic sleuth investigates a priceless jewel found inside a Christmas goose. Through clever deduction and a touch of seasonal goodwill, Holmes unravels the case with wit and warmth. A Visit from St. Nicholas captures the magical arrival of Santa Claus as witnessed by a startled father on Christmas Eve. With vivid imagery and joyful anticipation, the poem paints an enduring portrait of holiday wonder.
The Cast: A winning cast of five actors will portray various characters throughout the presentation. Michael Stewart Allen returns to The Shakespeare Theatre, having performed in over twenty productions with the Theatre. He will star as the Shoemaker in The Elves and the Shoemaker. Keith Hale, in his fifth season with STNJ, will appear as the Deer in The Rabbit’s Gift. Amy Hutchins will play Allen’s counterpart as the Shoemaker’s Wife. Ryan N. Murray, who appeared as Ugly Duckling in another scripts-in-hand presentation this season, steps into the role of Narrator in A Visit from St. Nicholas. Billie Wyatt, praised for her portrayal of Juliet in the Fall production of Romeo and Juliet, will star as the titular role in The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle: A Sherlock Holmes Holiday Mystery.
The Director: Isaac Hickox-Young is in his eighth season with The Shakespeare Theatre. He has directed two Shakespeare LIVE! productions at the Theatre within the past two years — Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hickox-Young has also appeared onstage in numerous STNJ productions including Romeo and Juliet, The Book of Will, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, The Rose Tattoo, The Caretaker, and A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Additionally, Hickox-Young is a Lead Teaching Artist and is currently one of the educational lecturers in the Theatre’s Summer Professional Training Program. He is a proud graduate of the Acting Program at the University of Cincinnati: College-Conservatory of Music.
Tickets are $15 for patrons 17 and under. Adult tickets are $20. Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the Box Office at (973) 408-5600. The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located on the campus of Drew University (36 Madison Avenue) in Madison, New Jersey.
The 2025 Classics for Kids! Series is generously sponsored by Stark D. Kirby, Jr.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately 75,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, CTW Foundation, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, Union Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Hyde, and Watson Foundation, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Turrell Fund, The Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
