A Christmas Carol Playbill
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AW o f AR S D- R W A I THE DICKENS, YOU SAY! N E N Y I Background information on some of the names and words used in A Christmas Carol. N 5 G THE 6 T ★ SCROOGE: The name was derived from a ★ CRATCHIT: From “cratch,” an archaic word H E A D for “creche,” the manger in which the T N word meaning to squeeze or crowd. R66 U E R O infant Jesus was laid. Also suggests the IN - T H E - ★ TIM: Originally called Little Fred, he may scratching of the clerk’s pen on paper. have been inspired by Dickens’ nephew, who suffered from tuberculosis and died ★ BAH, HUMBUG!: Scrooge’s famous young. He is referred to as Tiny Tim only catchphrase was only said twice by him twice in the novella. in the book. ★ PLUM PUDDING: There were no plums in ★ COUNTING HOUSE: A business office for Mrs. Cratchit’s Christmas pudding. It was correspondence and keeping accounts. a traditional English dessert -- a steamed These were poorly heated and dimly lit. pudding filled with nuts, spices, and dried Most firms were small, consisting of only fruit such as raisins, which were then one or two employees. A workday of called plums. 12 to 13 hours, six days a week was not uncommon. ★ FIFTEEN SHILLINGS A WEEK: Bob’s salary equals about $80 a week in today’s ★ BURIED WITH A STAKE OF HOLLY currency, but the cost of living was much THROUGH HIS HEART: It was common cheaper in 1843. A typical salary for a clerk practice at that time to bury a murderer at that time was 25 shillings or more. or someone who committed suicide with a wooden stake through the heart. ★ HALF A CROWN: A coin worth about 2.5 shillings, an extremely generous tip for the ★ MILLINER’S APPRENTICE: These º turkey boy. It was approximately a day’s apprentices were among the hardest- 0 wages for Bob, who would have worked 12 worked and worst-paid employees in 6 hours or more to earn that much money. Victorian England. The fact that Martha 3 had to work Christmas morning may mean ★ WALK-ER: An exclamation of disbelief, her employer was as mean as Scrooge. n as in “You’re pulling my leg,” used by the i Turkey Boy, who would have found half a ★ FANNY: This was also the name of crown to be an unbelievably big tip. Dickens’ favorite older sister. e r t ★ POOR LAW: Ostensibly enacted to help ★ MARLEY: An Irish doctor Dickens met on a the poor, it made escaping poverty almost St. Patrick’s Day while he was writing A impossible. Dickens, who grew up poor Christmas Carol. e and showed great compassion for poor h people, was an outspoken opponent of the ★ THE WORLD DEALS HARD WITH T Poor Law. POVERTY: Dickens had a life-long fear of poverty. When his father was sent to ★ OLD SCRATCH: Probably derived from an debtors prison, he was taken out of school Old Norse word meaning devil, goblin, or at age 12 and worked in a factory pasting monster. labels on bottles. ★ SMOKING BISHOP: A hot punch named The headline at the top of this page does for the dark red color of the wine, which not refer to Charles Dickens. Dickens was resembled the color of a bishop’s robe. A a name once given to the devil, as in: The typical recipe: five unpeeled oranges, one devil, you say! unpeeled grapefruit, ¼ pound of sugar, two bottles of strong red wine, and one bottle of port. - 16 - November 28 - December 14, 2014 2014/2015 season THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PRODUCTION STAFF COLONIAL A Home-Grown Tradition Director...........................................................................................................Carol Youmans Music Director...............................................................................................Roger Compton PLAYERS, People celebrate holidays in many different Choreographer.................................................................................................Anna Thomas INC. ways. Christmas traditions aren’t always… traditional. Do you favor a fragrant, freshly Producer......................................................................................................Joan Townshend 108 East Street • Annapolis, MD 21401 cut fir tree, or the convenience of an artificial Stage Manager...................................................................................................Tom Stuckey Telephone: 410-268-7373 version? The 1960s animated Rudolph the Red- Assistant Stage Manager......................................................................................Colin Hood Nosed Reindeer rerun, or modern Hallmark thecolonialplayers.org specials? Midnight Madness or Midnight Mass? Stage Crew.........................................................................................................Beth Starnes Costume Designer...............................................................................Dianne Andrew Smith BOARD OF DIRECTORS Variety abounds in our choices of tradition. Costume Assistants...........................................................Fran Marchand, Judi Hilton-Hyde However, in Annapolis, one single tradition has Corporate Officers: Seamstresses...........................................Julie Bays, Jeannie Beall, Ruth Bowen, Lois Evans, been a gift enjoyed since 1981: A Christmas President ...............................................Darice Clewell Joan Townshend, Carol Youmans Carol. The seeds are from England, but this is The Vice President .............................................. Herb Elkin Colonial Players’ very own homegrown version. Lighting Designer...................................................................................................Eric Gasior Secretary ................................................Theresa Riffle Lighting Assistants..................................Wes Bedsworth, Jennifer Dustin, Frank Florentine, Treasurer ...............................................Kaelynn Miller With book and lyrics by local playwright and Edd Miller, Shirley Panek, Heather Quinn, Matthew Shogren, Tom Stuckey, Directors: long-time CP colleague Rick Wade, and with Aiden Taylor, Joan Townshend Artistic .................................................. Carol Youmans the participation of countless individuals Sound Designer......................................................................................................Andy Serb Education & Special Projects ...................Scott Nichols and families onstage and backstage over the Sound / Lighting Technician.................................................................................Cody Smith Human Resources ................................... Shirley Panek decades, A Christmas Carol is one of this area’s Marketing .........................................Marguerite Jahns longest-running holiday traditions. Why? Properties Designer.....................................................................................Connie Robinson Operations ...........................................Wes Bedsworth Because when Rick turned Charles Dickens’ Lead Carpenter...................................................................................................Dick Whaley Production ............................................Jennifer Dustin novella into a script, and put words to the music Carpenters................................Norm Coleman, Bob Mumper, Jim Robinson, Ted Yablonski of his collaborator, Dick Gessner, it was done with a deep admiration for the classic story and Set Decoration and Floor Design...........................................................................Edd Miller CP SPECIAL EVENTS an even deeper love for our community. While Set and Floor Painting......................................................................Edd Miller, Tom Stuckey Season Sneak Peek some of the poorer characters you’ll see on Intern and Assistant to the Director.....................................................................Cody Smith Summer One Act Festival our stage may be wearing threadbare clothes, Backstage Assistants.............................................Cameron Currie, Lyn Keller, Anne Sharpe Promising Playwright Contest the love in this show is a strong thread that Post Show Talk Back weaves itself through the set pieces and props, Play Consultant................................................................................................Sharie Valerio Scholarship Award the sound, lights, costumes, and direction, and Rehearsal Assistant................................................................................................Angie Dey Season Celebration especially the performances you will see today. Audition and Rehearsal Pianists...........................................Anne C. Flood, Angela Linhardt Beth Whaley Series Poster / Program Cover Designer......................................................Drama Queen Graphics The story is timeless: The cold heart of a For information on these events, contact: lonely, sad man, rich in wealth but poor in Photography..................................................................................................Colburn Images [email protected] spirit; a heart thawed by the warm fires of Program Editor...................................................................................................Tom Stuckey unconditional love he witnesses among people Program Assistant...............................................................................................Nancy Long whose wealth is nowhere to be found, except FRONT OF HOUSE in each other. Box Office ...................................... Lynda Cunningham ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Subscriptions ................................. Lynda Cunningham We’re glad