Joe Smith from KGW joined us in the lobby last night before A Christmas Carol for a live broadcast as part of their 7 pm news broadcast. After showcasing some members of the Portland Symphonic Choir who were here to provide a little pre-show caroling entertainment, he chatted with our Literary Director Mead Hunter about his adapation of A Christmas Carol.

We were delighted to host them!

Watch the clip here.

The Symphonic Choirwill be joining us for another free pre-show concert on December 16th. Learn more about the Symphonic Choir and get the complete list of our invited Community choirs right here.

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I’ve worked in professional theater for (gulp) 28 years now, and this is the first time I’ve been part of presenting a production of Dickens’ holiday classic.  Seriously, that is a lot like someone who’s been a waiter for 28 years and never poured a cup of coffee. It’s just plain unlikely. But in this case, it’s true.

I’ve had a few near misses. There was brief discussion back in the early 80s, when I worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, about launching a holiday show (we closed our season in early November, didn’t open again until February). But after our eight month season, we all decided we just needed a break, so that conversation didn’t last long. And of course, the very first Portland Center Stage version of A Christmas Carol was presented at Christmas 1998–and I had just left the company in July of 1998, after ten years. So I just missed that one! And in Seattle, I worked at Seattle Repertory Theatre, and ACT had the Dickens franchise all wrapped up. So our holiday fare leaned toward, well, nothing holiday-ish.

When I re-joined the staff at Portland Center Stage last June, I realized I’d reached the end of my personal Tiny Tim drought. Huzzah!

With an office next to the rehearsal room, I’ve been hearing beautifully sung carols for weeks. I’ve also noticed for the first time how many popular references there are to Dickens’ classic tale around this time of year, in both political satire and even in a daily comic strip, like this series for the past week in “Grand Avenue.” And our very creative multi media guy, along with some of our talented marketing team, are in the midst of creating this week a very special holiday treat for our audiences that is filling all of us with more mirth than should be allowed (stay tuned, we should be launching this gem later this week).

The capper for me? On Friday night, at the official opening, many young people from area alternative schools and programs joined us as our guests. I was talking to two of them after the performance, and they told me it was their first real live theater experience, ever. And the young man completed the full warm up of my holiday heart by telling us “this was way better than TV!” 

Yeah. Best theater holiday season ever! Now, what’s next on my list? Hmmmm…I’ve never worked at a theater that has produced Jean Genet…

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Have tickets for tonight’s performance of A Christmas Carol?

You may want to come on down a bit early to enjoy a Christmas Present from the Armory bar and some holiday caroling from the Portland Symphonic Choir.

Starting at 6:45 pm on the Armory mezzanine, a contingent from the Symphonic Choir will regale you with gorgeous holiday choral music- just the thing to get you in the mood for this classic tale of generosity and redemption that the Oregonian just called,”a show that reminds us brightly once again that Christmas is a time for giving and for thankfulness, especially in these frightful times.”

Can’t make this evening’s performance? You can enjoy the Portland Symphonic Choir before the December 16th performance of A Christmas Carol as well. Or enjoy one of these other community and school choirs that will grace our lobby for free concerts throughout the holiday season:

St. Mary’s School Marians (Dec. 11th),

Vancouver Madrigal Singers (Dec 14th)

Flash Choir (Dec. 17th, 19th, and 20th).

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Ok, well, not Scrooge, exactly, but Wesley Mann, who plays Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. In addition to being magnificent stage persona, Mr. Mann is an accomplished voice artist (that’s him in our sassy radio ads).

If you’d like to hear more of his dulcet tones and even stay in the holiday spirit, head over to audible.com and listen to him read O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi

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All month long we’ll be hosting Portland area community and school choirs in our lobby for a little pre-show caroling before A Christmas Carol.

To kick things off on a beautifully cultural note, tonight’s performance of A Christmas Carol will feature a pre-show concert from the Kareliean Folk Music Ensemble, a russian traditional folk group that uses instruments including button accordians, lyres, and birch bark flutes and goat horns.

Yes! GOAT HORNS! Check it out:

The group is managed by our Finance Director, Lisa Comer, and according to their website they are:

“a trio from Petrozavodsk, in the Russian Republic of Karelia. Karelia is a region that encompasses both sides of the Finnish/Russian border and the ensemble’s music is an exciting and interesting mix of Finnish, Russian and Karelian cultures. Their music ranges from the ancient epic songs accompanied by Finnish harps to a capella Russian village songs, from old shepherd melodies on wooden flutes and trumpet to Finnish dances on accordions, and from scythe accompaniment to church bells.”

My Russian grandmother would be in heaven. You too, can be in a little Russian heaven, just by joining us at 6:45 pm on the mezzanine this evening. The bars will be open, and tonight is “Pay What You Will Night” for A Christmas Carol if you’d like to stay and get a jump start on your holiday cheer.

Other choirs who will be joining us this month include The Portland Symphonic Choir (Dec 9th and 16th), St. Mary’s School Marians (Dec. 11th), Vancouver Madrigal Singers (Dec 14th), and the Flash Choir (Dec. 17th, 19th, and 20th).

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