'A Christmas Carol' Opens in Cranston

For the first time in the eight years that the Black Box Theatre has produced “A Christmas Carol,” the show will be presented at the historic Rhodes on the Pawtuxet.

In addition to the eight performances scheduled at the Artists’ Exchange from Dec. 8-18, three shows will be held at the Rhodes on Dec. 22-23.  

“The show at the Rhodes will be much bigger as far as staging is concerned. That will be the challenge for us,” said Richard Morra, Artistic Director of The Black Box Theatre.

According to a press release put out by the theater company, “the ballroom will be outfitted for a full-scale production with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, all within the walls of a structure that was built in the same era as the setting of the Dickens classic, creating a historically accurate telling of the tale.”

Playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge is Cranston’s own Alex Rotella.

“This is Alex’s second time playing Scrooge and he is very excited to play the role,” said Morra. “Alex is a great actor.”

Most recently, Rotella played the lead role in the CCRI Players’ production of The actor portrayed a struggling young composer.

The cast of “A Christmas Carol” has been rehearsing three times a week for the last eight weeks. There are more children in this year’s show than previous years’ and many of the children are from Cranston.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening performances will begin at 7 p.m., while Sunday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. A matinee geared for schools will take place on Dec. 22 at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 each for this show, which is also open to the public. Tickets for all other performances start at $15.

The Dec. 23 show at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet will be preceded by a Holiday Gala from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The fundraiser will feature a silent auction, food and drinks from local restaurants, live entertainment and horse-drawn carriage rides. Tickets to the gala are $75.

Funding for the production has been provided in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and private funders.

The Artists’ Exchange is located at 50 Rolfe Square. The Rhodes on the Pawtuxet is located at 60 Rhodes Place. For more information on the show, call 490-9475 or visit www.artistsexchange.org.