Rubicon Theatre Company Presents Peter Van Norden & Joe Spano in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

VENTURA, Calif. - Nov. 28, 2017 - PRLog -- Rubicon Theatre Company kicks off its 20^th Anniversary Season with the return of the critically-acclaimed holiday hit CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Broadway, TV and film veterans Peter Van Norden (RTC's Taking Sides, Copenhagen) and Emmy Award-winner Joe Spano ("NCIS," RTC's Bucky) reprise their roles as Scrooge and Marley, respectively, in this innovative telling of Dickens' timeless tale of transformation and redemption.  Adapted by Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns and directed by Brian McDonald, the 27-member cast features many of the same actors from the original production that earned a "Critic's Pick" in the Los Angeles Times and rave reviews from Ventura County Star, CASA Magazine, VIDA Magazine and the Ventura Breeze. This imaginative version of Dickens' novella offers a revealing portrait of the yearning, lost child inside the cold-hearted miserly man. Actors perform in the storytelling style of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Nicholas Nickleby, playing characters, animals…even dressing gowns and doors! CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL opens in Ventura on Saturday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. followed by an after-party at Rhumb Line Restaurant. Low-priced previews are December 6-8. The show runs Wednesdays through Sundays through December 23.

The plot of A CHRISTMAS CAROL follows the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Van Norden) who is visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley (Spano) and three spirits, who show him the error of his ways. Drawing upon from rich language of Dickens' novel, the production is presented in a storytelling style in which actors play multiple characters and also narrate their thoughts and actions. The lack of a fourth wall allows the audience to be a part of Scrooge's inner journey as he discovers the joy and meaning in Christmas.

Director Brian McDonalddescribes Rubicon's version of the holiday tale as, "an actor-driven, ensemble-devised production, full of surprises. The story is told in an imaginative, narrative style, with actors directly addressing the audience at various moments."

McDonald continues, "Rubicon has always been dedicated to producing theatre that is relevant and engaging. It's one of the core reasons I love working here. The premiere of this production was a thrilling experience for us as artists, and for the audiences, with many performances sold out. We decided to bring the production back in order to share it with those that were not able to get tickets and those who wanted to see it again. The remount also affords us a wonderful opportunity to enhance the production by incorporating new scenes and theatrical elements."

Critics cheered Rubicon's version of this yuletide favorite, with Philip Brandes of the Los Angeles Times praising the direction, the cast and Burns' fidelity to the text.

"Brian McDonald makes a virtue of the aforesaid Dickens grandiloquence by incorporating techniques popularized by the Book-It Repertory Theatre of Seattle -- to wit, the allocation of recited narrative as well as dialogue among the excellent cast to better illuminate their characters' back stories, perspectives and interior states."

Brandes called the performances of both Van Norden and Spano "virtuoso." He continues, "…light-hearted assumptions are quickly dispelled…by Spano's harrowing transformation into Marley's tormented ghost…for his part, Van Norden offers nuanced insight into the origins of loneliness and poverty that shaped Scrooge, and an affecting transformation of his own in portraying the reclamation of human warmth…"

Rita Moran of the Ventura County Star remarked, "The show is a compelling ensemble piece, due to Burns' flowing adaptation, director Brian McDonald's finesse, and the actors' ability to slip in and out of roles and moods with alacrity as they travel over the multiple stairs and stages of the handsomely conceived set."

James Spencer and Shirley Lorraine of the Ventura Breeze enthused, "The performances and overall dynamic freshness of the Rubicon's show will renew your appreciation for the depth and power of this holiday tale…Triple-A production – amazing, astounding and awe inspiring."

CASA Magazine succinctly claimed, "This Carol has no wrong notes," and VIDA Magazine called it "Excellent and very entertaining."

"Whatever one's belief system," says Burns, "we hope attendees will find Rubicon's A CHRISTMAS CAROL both entertaining and moving. Scrooge's journey is a universal one. Whatever hurts we have experienced, whatever wrong turns we have made," says Burns, "it is never too late to change. We can honor the past, present and future. Like Ebenezer Scrooge, we can become a child again and be reborn."

Tickets for CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL range from $40 to $65 (opening night is $150 and includes a post-show reception. Tickets for students with ID are $25; teachers, Equity members and military are $40. There is a $5 discount for seniors 65 and older with ID. All tickets have a $4 processing fee. Discounts of 10% to 20% are available for groups of 10 or more, depending on the size of the group. Tickets for CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL may be purchased in person through the Rubicon Theatre Company Box Office at the corner of Main and Laurel in Ventura (Laurel entrance and downstairs) or online at www.rubicontheatre.org. To charge by phone, call 805.667.2900.