METRMAG Spotlight On: John Little of The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Annual Production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
(Cover Photo: John Little as "Ebenezer Scrooge in Troy Siebels' adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through December 22, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Lambert)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
METRMAG Spotlight On: John Little of The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Annual Production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
Presents its Annual Production of
Charles Dickens'
"A CHRISTMAS CAROL"
Written by Charles Dickens
Adapted and Directed by Troy Siebels
Choreographer Ilyse Robbins^
Associate Director/Music Director Steve Gagliastro*
Organist Sean Redrow
Cast Includes: John Little* as “Ebenezer Scrooge,” Brad Reinking* as “Jacob Marley,” Jermaine L Pearson* as “Ghost of Christmas Present,” Lillian Rogers as “Ghost of Christmas Past,” Gregory Boover* as “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,” Shahjehan Khan* as “Timothy,” Alka Nayyar* as “Mrs. Cratchit,” Levin Valayil* as “Bob Cratchit,” Alexis Anu Thakkallapalli as “Martha Cratchit,” Shriram Shenoy as “Peter Cratchit,” Riana Sukhija as “Belinda Cratchit,” Samarth Shenoy as “Tiny Tim,” Steve Gagliastro* as “Mr. Fezziwig, Charitable Gentleman,” Annie Kerins* as “Mrs. Fezziwig,” Aidan Levinson as “Young Ebenezer,” Channing Rion as “Belle,” Deanna Dunmeyer* as “Charwoman,” Daniel Reardon* as “Fred,” Laura D. DeGiacomo* as “Millie (Fred’s Wife),” Aidan Leach as “Topper,” Shelly Fawson as “Suzannah,” Kate Fitzgerald as “Lucy,” Marta Rymer* as “Laundress, Fiddler,” Takaaki Matsumoto* as “Dick Wilkins,” Jacob Seaman as “Newsboy,” Rylie Pennington as “Fan,” Chris Bardizbanian as “Young Scrooge, Ignorance,” Magnolia Dolan as “Want, Tiny Tim u/s,” Charlotte Siebels as “Youth Ensemble,” Alyssa Morales as “Martha Cratchit u/s, Baker u/s.”
Additional Creative Team:
Associate Director/Associate Choreographer - Annie Kerins*; Scenic Designer - James Kronzer+; Costume Designer - Gail Astrid Buckley+; Lighting Designer - Charlie Morrison+; Sound Designer - Nick Joyce; Flying Effects - ZFX Inc.; Production Stage Manager - Jane Siebels*; Assistant Stage Manager - Melissa Daroff*; Assistant Stage Manager - Abby Ray*; Vice President, Operations and Production - Lisa Hackman*; Production Manager - Chadyn Case; Production Assistant - Alyssa Morales; South Asian Cultural Consultant - Alka Nayyar.*
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
+Member of United Scenic Artists
^Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Performances:
December 15, 2024 through December 22, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Presented at the HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester.
For More Information: 877-571-SHOW (7469) info@thehanovertheatre.org
TICKETS:
Please contact the box office at 877-571-7469 for more information.
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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METRMAG Spotlight On: John Little of The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Annual Production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
As the Hanover Theatre once again gets ready for its 17th production of "A CHRISTMAS CAROL," its continuing commendable effort to entertain while acknowledging inclusion and diversity is clearly part of its ongoing distinction.
The classic Charles Dickens' masterpiece "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" returns to The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts' main stage December 15th through the 22nd.
"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" is a holiday staple but there are multiple variations of the show out there.
During its 17 seasons, the Hanover Theatre has and still strives to make the show more relatable and tweaks it a little bit each year, and this year is no different.
Almost every year since the beginning many Hanover audiences have enjoyed Siebels’ adaptation of "A CHRISTMAS CAROL."
It is simple yet elegant, a merging of the classic Dickens novella with timeless songs and with dazzling production values.
"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" is a story of one man’s redemption (‘Scrooge’), carrying with it a message of how people should interact with each other.
The production displays people from every walk of life - where they came from, their varied backgrounds and different struggles but, ultimately, they all come together and show their humanity.
The show also illustrates the power and ability of people and the possibility for change.
This production of "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" isn’t a musical. It is a play with music, but there’s a lot more storytelling and, as such, the text shines through, with a plethora of faces on stage which speaks volumes of the Hanover Theatre commitment to diversity, inclusivity and telling a traditional story from different cultural perspectives.
(Photo: John Little as "Ebenezer Scrooge" in a scene from Troy Siebels' adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through December 22, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Lambert)
This year, METRMag speaks with "Ebenezer Scrooge" himself, actor JOHN LITTLE, who speaks fondly of his association with the Worcester production (created and spearheaded by Hanover Theatre’s departing President and CEO Troy Siebels).
JOHN LITTLE's screen credits include appearances on the shows “Law and Order” and “Boardwalk Empire.”
His many stage credits include playing “Herr Schultz” in “Cabaret” in 2019 at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT. and as the “Grandfather” in “Ragtime” at the Barrington Stage Company in 2017.
LITTLE also has had a long association with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, appearing in productions of “Oliver Twist” Henry IV, Part 1,” “The Grapes of Wrath” and “The Devil’s Disciple.”
"I also was in a show called 'And a Nightingale Sang' by C.P. Taylor," says LITTLE, adding "Which was my tenth show with them and a great experience."
"The story was set in the north of England in World War II - and I played the father of this family. I played the piano and sang but, like 'CHRISTMAS CAROL,' it also was not a musical. I always love working with them (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ) and have gone back almost every year."
A native of Dekalb, Illinois, LITTLE recalls an early acting experience which influenced his career choice and may have foreshadowed the path that brought him full circle to the Dickens tale.
"It was very early on, I was perhaps 10-years-old, and I was playing 'Tiny Tim' in 'CHRISTMAS CAROL,' LITTLE says. "I was a very tall kid, and our 'Bob Cratchit' could not pick me up and put me onto his shoulders."
"In high school I got to play 'Fagin' in 'Oliver.' So, I did a lot of Dickens plays. That’s what got me interested."
LITTLE says he first attended the Goodman School for college and then NYU, and ultimately received a masters degree from Yale.
"I've been fortunate to have been working pretty steadily ever since," adding his stage credits probably amount to "200 plays over the years."
(Photo: John Little as "Ebenezer Scrooge" in a scene from Troy Siebels' adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through December 22, 2024. Photo Credit: David Costa Photography)
LITTLE has played a wide array of characters in his career, including Scrooge, but have been other roles that stand out for him?
"I just did a play 'The Weir' by Conor McPherson about these guys just sitting around telling ghost stories. It was a fascinating play and I’ve done that one about three times over 20 years because it is just such a great play," LITTLE says, adding. "I have also played 'Atticus' in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' before it was on Broadway. I did that one in Fitchburg and Springfield and at a couple of theatres in New Jersey."
"I also like playing 'Pickering' from 'My Fair Lady' or 'Scrooge' because there are just some roles I feel like you can play forever – they are roles that can be adjusted for an actor's age and it doesn’t really matter...just so long as you can remember your lines."
LITTLE now returns for his third outing as the iconic Ebenezer Scrooge, his performance last year described in our review as being "masterful in his portrayal of the bitter old miser.”
(Photo: John Little as "Ebenezer Scrooge" with Brad Reinking as “Jacob Marley” in a scene from Troy Siebels' adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through December 22, 2024. Photo Credit: David Costa Photography)
Like many of those who come to see the annual production, LITTLE shares in his appreciation of the Worcester staging created and spearheaded by Hanover Theatre’s own Troy Siebels.
"We started early because of Thanksgiving (22nd) and we have another week before we go up," LITTLE says, describing the experience. "The cast has been great to work with, and having the Mighty Wurlitzer accompanying us is always spectacular, too. It is great to come back here to do the show. It is such a beautiful production and Troy (Siebels) did such a good job adapting it."
LITTLE points out how he recently came across some photos that were taken of last year's show.
"I was just amazed at how beautiful it all looked," LITTLE says, describing his own impression of the story.
"My personal feeling is that it really is a story of redemption. The scene where Scrooge sees his future and is just terrified by what he sees. Then, suddenly, he wakes up and determines he CAN change it. It is a moving scene because it tells us anyone can turn their life around and become a better person...not necessarily becoming a saint - just a better person."
"I think Dickens felt strongly about leaving this world a better place," LITTLE says. "He was involved with charitable work - and a lot of his writing had to do with the poverty he faced growing up as a child in London."
LITTLE further describes Dickens as being "consumed with writing, making money and leaving that money to his family and charitable organizations."
"Dickens' stories were very popular during his lifetime and 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL' has never been out of print in over 180 years...and there’s a reason for it."
(video: Troy Siebels' adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through December 22, 2024. Courtesy of the Hanover Theatre)
Working with this latest Hanover Theatre cast, what has stood out for LITTLE so far and been most interesting/enjoyable?
"One thing is that it is always fun working with these people," LITTLE says. "Working with the character of the charwoman is an actress (Deanna Dunmeyer) I worked with twenty years ago. There's also some new kids in the show."
LITTLE notes a new song has been added to the show, "Bells of London," written by the show's Music Director Steve Gagliastro and which LITTLE describes as "a lot of fun."
"One of the kids (Chris Bardizbanian who also portrays "Young Scrooge" in the show) starts us off. It is fun to see these kids grow and mature. They have such a good time being here. There’s a joyful feeling in the cast. A lot of fun."
LITTLE anticipates such enjoyment and enthusiasm will be extended to AND from upcoming audiences.
"The Hanover Theatre is just so big and we fill it with kids," LITTLE says. "There’s an incredible energy both on stage and also coming back from the audience – it works both ways. It's just exciting."
The 17th anniversary production of the Hanover Theatre's "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" will begin on December 15th and continue through December 22nd.
For tickets and more information, please contact the Hanover Theatre Box Office at 877-571-SHOW (7469).
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Approximately two hours with one intermission
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Adapted by the president and CEO Troy Siebels and featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, the annual production returns to the main stage with timeless music, lavish costumes, and spine-tingling special effects.
New and returning cast members tell the tale of curmudgeonly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the Spirits of Christmases Past, Present and Yet To Come.
The show is refined and revised each year to feature more magic than ever before, with an array of spectacles from smoke and fog to spectacular flying stunts.
BUY TICKETS
Please contact the box office at 877-571-SHOW (7469) for more information.
ABOUT HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Worcester Center for Performing Arts is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which owns and operates The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
2 Southbridge Street
Worcester, MA. 01608
# 877-571-SHOW (7469)
