Photo Submitted by Commonweal Theater
LANESBORO, MN — The Commonweal Theatre in historic Lanesboro, MN is pleased to announce the conclusion of its 2021 live theatre season with a production of the timeless classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol adapted by the Commonweal from the novella by Charles Dickens. The beloved redemption story begins discounted preview performances on Friday, November 19 with opening night set for Saturday, November 26. For more details and to purchase your tickets today, visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org or call 800-657-7025.
The production is quite a special one in that the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, written as a male and traditionally performed onstage in that manner, has been adapted into a female character. Filling the role of Ebeneza Scrooge is Commonweal professional resident ensemble member and Associate Artistic Director Adrienne Sweeney. Various theatre companies across the country have given this fresh perspective to the age-old story and the Commonweal is honored to join the ranks of the ensembles shining a brand new light on Scrooge’s journey of atonement.
The remainder of the cast will feature Commonweal professional resident ensemble members Lizzy Andretta, David Hennessey, Jaclyn Johnson, Tim Sailer, and Jeremy van Meter. Joining the cast and making her return to the Commonweal stage is guest artist Betti Battocletti. Stage Manager Rivka Kelly leads the production team consisting of designers Kelsey Heathcote (sound), Justin Hooper (sets), Anna Hill (costumes), Elizabeth Dunn (props), and Thomas White (lights).
The company is pleased to welcome Twin Cities theatre artist Craig Johnson back to the director’s chair. Johnson’s most recent directing stint in Lanesboro was the wildly popular Boeing Boeing in 2019. “We go to the theater for many different reasons–to be entertained, of course, or to learn about other people or an issue,” says Johnson. “A Christmas Carol is ritual theater: a special, annual event that we return to as a cultural touchstone to reconnect with its values, maybe to bring young ones along to introduce them to it. Our “Christmas Carol” this year will remain faithful by telling the same story with the same language and setting while also adding in a fresh twist. Having decided to present Scrooge as a woman,” he continues, “led us to some big questions: How could a woman in Victorian England become a wealthy person in business? How would she embody Scrooge’s miserliness and sharpness? How might that resonate for women in business today? And how can this change not be a gimmick, but a way of widening the story to make it newly impactful?”
For the complete set of details regarding the company’s current COVID policies plus a full performance calendar, please visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org. For any and all patrons unable or unwilling to attend in person, the production will be made available for viewing via streaming every Saturday evening during the run. Streaming of the production will also be available free of charge on Friday, September 17th for residents of Fillmore and Houston counties in MN as a part of the company’s popular County Free Night Program. For more information on how to take advantage of the streaming opportunities, please visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org.
Funding for Commonweal Theatre’s 2021 programming is provided in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, a grant from the McKnight Foundation, and private funders.
(Commonweal Theater)
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