A Christmas Carol, the classic Christmas tale of a greedy humbug's last-minute redemption, takes a twist in Crown Point Community Theatre’s holiday production, Tiny Tim: A Christmas Carol Revisited. While audiences have for years been familiar with all kinds of adaptations of Dickens’ holiday ghost story, this production takes what is likely a wholly new approach for most audiences.
The play, written by Florida-based playwright Steve A. Rowell, poses a situation where Tiny Tim has grown up, left his family in England and immigrated to New York City. Although Tim has wealth and power, he has lost his humanity and his Christmas Spirit! The ghost of Tim's Uncle Scrooge shows up with the Spirits of Christmas -- each in unique, distinctly American forms you will have to come to the play to see -- to take Tim on three quests to recapture his understanding of the comforts and joys of the season.
“Everyone knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts,” explains director Matthew Byerly, “and everyone immediately recognizes the innocence represented by Tiny Tim Cratchit in the original story. Here, we see what can happen when that innocence is lost, and what roads must be travelled to find it again. As one line in the play states, ‘Minds change, hearts remain steadfast.’ Tim has to once again find his heart.”
The cast of the production includes Ken Siegfried of Michigan City as the adult Tim Cratchit and Larry Hinken of Hammond as Ebenezer Scrooge. Crown Point High School students Nick Sansone and Josey Andrews are featured as Cratchit’s clerk John Jackson and John’s wife, Heather. Hermine Robinson of Lake Station appears as Tim’s lost love, Sophia Triozzi. Rounding out the ensemble in various roles are Joe Culley of Merrillville; Mark Tobecksen, Christopher Landers and Lydia Hogan of Crown Point; Pat Pohrte of Munster; Payton and Pamela Heinemann of Griffith; Erin Mahns of Hebron; and Colleen Zana of Valparaiso.
To further enhance the holiday cheer, local performers will be featured in pre-show Christmas music for each show. On select nights, live ensembles will perform. The remaining nights, the theatre will feature local musicians by highlighting the CD “Raise Your Voice: 16 Artists, One Vision,” a recording of holiday music performed by local musicians being sold as a fundraiser for Kids Alive International, a children’s relief agency based in Valparaiso. Visits with Santa Claus will also be available in the theatre for families.
“I want this to be a fun experience for our patrons, and hope that they come back to the theatre again in the future,” says Byerly, “but I also wanted to give back. The Santa appearance and the partnership with Kids Alive are small ways in which we, as a community theatre, can foster community spirit.”
Tiny Tim: A Christmas Carol Revisited will be presented December 13 to 15 and 20 to 22 in CPCT’s black box theatrical space, 2,500-square-foot storefront located at 1125 Merrillville Road (on the southeast corner of the same shopping plaza as Jewel, Bronco’s Restaurant, and other businesses). Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. There will be two matinees: Sunday, December 15 and 22, both at 3:00pm. General admission tickets are $15 per adult and $12 per student, senior citizen, or military personnel. Groups of 10 or more may make reservations for tickets at the group rate of $10 per ticket. As with all CPCT family-oriented shows, lap-sitting preschoolers are FREE with a paid adult. Reservations or ticket purchases may be made via the theatre’s web site at www.cpct.biz, or by calling the box office at 219-805-4255 and leaving a message.
Those interested in a unique holiday gift may be interested in purchasing multi-show passes. For $50, patrons receive five tickets to come see any main stage performance during our season, however they want to use them. See five shows in our season once, bring five people to one performance, or in any combination in between. It's up to you! The multi-show pass will save you $5 per ticket, compared to the general admission rate, and has no expiration date. Multi-show passes are available for purchase by contacting our box office at (219) 805-4255.
About Crown Point Community Theatre (CPCT) – CPCT is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, based in Crown Point, Indiana, which exists to promote and support community theatre, community programs and the arts for the enrichment and welfare of the citizens of Crown Point, Indiana, the citizens of Lake County, Indiana, and the greater theatrical patronage of the surrounding region, and to further the education of and provide entertainment to its members and the community in the area of theatrical arts. The 2013-2014 season marks CPCT’s first full decade, and the second year in which they have had their own performance space. CPCT is a member in good standing of the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation (NIETF) and the Indiana Community Theatre League (ICTL), and continues to seek ways to reach out to the community.
