Rep Stage, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), offers Kimberley Lynne's "A Dickens of a Carol" as an addition to its 17th season. "A Dickens of a Carol" opens December 1 and runs through December 20, 2009 at the Belmont Manor House on the grounds of the Belmont Conference Center in Elkridge, Maryland. Rep Stage producing artistic director Michael Stebbins directs James Kinstle and Christine Demuth in this site-specific theatrical and dining experience. There will be nine weekday dinner performances and three Sunday brunch performances. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 410-772-4900 or visit www.repstage.org.
"A Dickens of a Carol" will be presented at historic Belmont Manor House, a Georgian colonial mansion built by the Dorsey family in 1738. The experience begins as attendees drive up the mile-long tree-lined drive and witness the natural beauty of the Belmont's 82 acres of rolling meadows and beautiful gardens. Audiences will be transported back to 1843 as Charles Dickens commences storytelling over drinks and appetizers by the roaring fire in the Ballroom. Guests will then move to the dining room to enjoy a candlelit dinner highlighting holiday fare from the period while Mr. Dickens continues his story.
The choice of site for this production of "A Dickens of a Carol" is unique in that the site is the theatrical set. Whereas most off-site productions are performed within the confines of another theatre space, the Belmont's Manor House is the theatre. From the beginning to the end of the evening, the audience will be steeped in the time period of the piece (1843). The 18th century Manor House is the ideal setting in which to hear music from the 1800's and Charles Dickens' words being brought to life while enjoying a gourmet meal.
A sample dinner menu:
Chef's Choice of Hors D'Oeurves
Sweet Potato & Ginger Soup with Cinnamon Creme Fraiche and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Five Spice Roasted Magret Duck Breast or Turkey Breast with Chestnut Risotto and Cherry Apple Gastrique
White Chocolate & Banana Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce
Using Belmont as the backdrop for "Dickens..." makes for a unique experience, says director Michael Stebbins. "The Belmont Manor House offers up intimacy, so instead of Dickens performing for an audience across the footlights, he is drinking and eating and talking directly to his guests; it's very experiential in its presentation."
"I like the re-tooling of the script for Belmont," says "Dickens..." playwright Kimberly Lynne. "Plays are live and changeable beasts that can shift to fit each production. [The intimate space] allows for a clearer depiction of Dickens' reality issues and his manic tendencies."
Kimberly Lynne was born in Baltimore and graduated from Loyola College. She is a member of The Dramatists Guild. Twenty-six of her plays have been produced in Baltimore, Washington, Minneapolis and New York. "Dickens ..." was previously produced by Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, and Baltimore City Paper named "Dickens..." in its Top Ten Theatre Picks in December 2003 and as its Best Holiday Show in 2004. Apprentice House has published "Dickens..." and is in the process of publishing Lynne's ghost folklore compilation, "Dredging the Choptank." Pumpkin Theatre is producing Lynne's "Three Tales" in the spring, and the Reginald Lewis Museum is producing four of her living history plays.
Director Michael Stebbins is Rep Stage's producing artistic director. He has directed at various theatres in the region as well as New York City. For Rep Stage, he has directed "A Moon for the Misbegotten," "The Santaland Diaries" and will be directing "The Glass Menagerie" in February 2010.
The cast of "A Dickens of a Carol":
James Kinstle (Charles Dickens) has most recently been seen as Petrucchio in Baltimore Shakespeare Festival's "The Taming of the Shrew" (Artistic Director 2000 - 2008). He has been seen at Rep Stage, Everyman Theatre, CenterStage, and The Round House Theatre. A graduate of Towson University, Kinstle had acted or directed over 60 local productions. He is currently the Artistic Director for Pumpkin Theatre and President of the Board for Baltimore Theatre Alliance.
Christine Demuth has recently performed with Rep Stage, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Adirondack Shakespeare Company and Single Carrot Theatre. She will be appearing as "Laura" in Rep Stage's production of "The Glass Menagerie" in February 2010.
