Merry Christmas, Ebenezer!

We closed A Christmas Carol for Two Actors yesterday afternoon, with a delightful audience; Julie Phillip's parents made it, and Dad was tapped to be Martha Cratchit. Delightful. Also seen were several longtime Hoodwinker fans (the official fanclub of alumni"Carol" actor Molly Hood, and first year "Mudgekins," a phrase I'm not sure they even yet knew.

I'd like to take a moment to thank our wonderful audiences for attending; it's for you that we work all year to create our art. Thank you, too, to all of Richmond Shakespeare's artists, staff and trustees for a year of tremendously hard work. From Doctor Faustus to a great summer festival and from Will Power to Youth Richmond to welcoming fantastic new additions like Kerry Hugins, (our new Bookkeeper, whom everyone absolutely loves) it's been a very busy year, indeed. In fact, even though the offices are closed this week, we're looking at posting a bit more of a roundup here as we close out 2007, so check back toward New Year's.

Until then, here are two shots from the closing weekend of "Carol," the first from Andrew and Karen Hamm's Christmas party: that's Julia Rigby, Patrick Bromley (The Temepst) and Frank Creasy (The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night), who will all be performing for RS this coming March in As You Like It, with Andrew directing. I'm absolutely thrilled, and very much looking forward to that show--many of you know it's very dear to me, and I can't imagine a more wonderful cast and director to take us into the forest of Arden.

First up, though, is Measure for Measure, part of the Acts of Faith series of professional theatre all across Richmond, and I'm quite pleased to announce here that Julie Phillips will also be performing in Measure, making three in a row for this tremendous actor. That's Julie, below, with yours truly, enjoying a little well-earned holiday cheer at Penny Lane Pub, across 5th street from our Chapel theatre at 2nd Presbyterian. Julie is simply amazing. It's been my absolute joy to work with her, and I'm very grateful for the chance. She's smart, incredibly organized, and one of the warmest people I've ever met. Do come see her in Measure, (It opens Feb 7), after which I promise, she can have a little more than one week's downtime between projects.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and God bless us, every one.

-Grant

Now Playing: "A Christmas Carol for Two Actors"

In case you didn't know, the Richmond Shakespeare Theatre is now presenting A Christmas Carol for Two Actors.

Check out the beautiful poster design by Jamin Hoyle, who has done all of the poster art for the Richmond Shakespeare Theatre since Fall 2006.

The script is from Dickens' novel, adapted by Grant Mudge and Cynde Liffick and performed by Grant and the amazing Julie Phillips. Grant, of course, is our Artistic Director, and Julie has held several positions with the company, as Master of Verse for Doctor Faustus and The Tempest, box office manager last year, and multiple roles in Richard II.

It's a really special show, as full of warmth and spirit as all your memories of A Christmas Carol are, and wonderfully acted by Grant (Scrooge) and Julie (pretty much everyone else). If you think you've seen this show before, think again. This is Julie's first year playing the parts, and she's a very different presence than the previous (wonderful) performances from Cynde, Molly Hood, and Jennie Meharg. I'm especially fond of her facial expressions as the Ghost of Christmas Past listens to Scrooge's vacillations in the bedroom, and her character voice work is spectacular. I've known Julie for a few years now, and she's one of my favorite theatre artists in the world, absolutely one of Richmond's best. Grant is pretty darn fantastic, as usual, as well.

The show plays Thursday through Friday nights at 8:00 and Sunday afternoons (except December 9) at 2:30. We perform in the chapel at Second Presbyterian Church, 5 N. 5th Street, just down the block from Penny Lane Pub. (Mmmm, Penny Lane Pub!)

Come early on Friday and Saturday nights and join the Christmas carol sing-along beginning at 7:40, led by yours truly (Andrew).

Tickets are available at http://www.richmondshakespeare.com/ or by calling 1-866-BARD-TIX (1-866-227-3849). $24 for adults and $13 for students and seniors.