CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE!
Like many of you, I grew up watching THE THREE STOOGES after school every day on local TV. While Laurel & Hardy and The Marx Brothers topped my list of favorite funny men, ironically, the three zany stooges came in at number three for me. But I still really liked them.
That's why when longtime friend, Jerold Goldtstein and his writing partner, William Squier, came to me with this adaptation, I jumped at the chance to do its premier back in 2001. I loved the music immediately: HOLIDAYS ARE HOLIDAYS and BAH HUMBUG are earworms that have stayed with me these 20+ years and I hope you'll enjoy them, too.
Sometimes theatre can be thought-provoking and/or even educational, and then other times, like now, it can be just for sheer fun. I think this reminds of the messages from Dickens while having a lot of fun! I truly hope you enjoy the work of our creative team, the cast and who have had a lot of fun while creating this production for you.
As always, as a nonprofit organization, we're always faced with fundraising as tickets sales alone don't cover the costs of maintaining four buildings and offer 12 full-scale productions annually. We'll be launching our Annual Appeal soon, so I hope we can count on your support. One way you can help without spending a dime is by voting for us in a $10,000 advertising give-away sponsored by Hearst CT Media.
Use this link now: Bit.ly/VOTE-10K
As we head into the holiday season, please accept the thanks from all of us at Curtain Call for your support. We wouldn’t be here without your regular patronage. We wish you the best this holiday season and in the coming New Year!
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US!
Sincerely,
Lou Ursone
Executive Director
Curtain Call, Inc.
By
Jerold Goldstein & William Squier
Direction & Music Direction by
Jerold Goldstein
Tina Cratchit
Caitlin Visconti
Bobbi Ann Cratchit
Meaghan Elliot
Ebenezer Scrooge
Michael “Motts” Pelazza
Harry Scrooge
Michael Kraus
Farley Scrooge
Paul Valenti
Foley Artist
Chris Nardi
Producer
Lou Ursone
Director/Author/Composer/Musical Staging
Jerold Goldstein
Additional Choreography
Kristin Ruggieri
Set Design
William Squier
Lighting Design
Jamie LaJoie
Costume Design
William Squier
Technical Director
Wayne Yeager
Production Assistant
Meghan Connolly
Special Effects
Owen Priscott
Setting:
A far-away land...not un-London-like
Time:
1843-ish
Prologue
A City Street
Scene One
The Office of Scrooge, Scrooge and Scrooge
Scene Two
The Bedchamber of Ebenezer Scrooge
Scene Three
The Home of the Cratchit sisters
Scene Four
A City Street
Holidays Are Holidays
Bobbi Ann & Tina Cratchit
Dysfunctional and Lovin’ It
Ebenezer Scrooge
In Da Name ‘A Brudderly Love
Harry & Farley Scrooge
O’ Man of Worldly Mind
Bobbi Ann & Ebenezer
Saint Nicholas is Nigh
Harry, Farley, Bobbi Ann & Tina
This Joyous Christmas Eve
Carolers
I Hate to Say It
Tina & Harry
Givin’ Up the Ghost
Ebenezer, Tina, Harry, Farley & Bobbi Ann
Bah Humbug
Bobbi Ann
A Haunting We Will Go
Harry, Farley & Tina
Holiday Aare Holiday Finale
Tina, Bobbi Ann, Harry, Farley & Ebenezer
THERE WILL BE A 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION
Meaghan Elliot (Bobbi Ann Cratchit) Meaghan is thrilled to be joining this zany cast and crew. It has been such a joy to head back to Connecticut after moving to New York to spend this holiday season at Curtain Call. Recent and favorite credits include: Amalia She Loves Me (Curtain Call), Luisa The Fantasticks (Town Players of New Canaan) Hope Cladwell Urinetown (Ridgefield Theatre Barn), Sandy Grease, Evelyn Nesbit Ragtime, Marian Music Man, Philia Forum (Curtain Call), Sandy Grease(Yorktown Stage). When she’s not onstage you can find her behind the scenes as a master hair and makeup artist for film, television, bridal and beyond! Follow along @meaghan_elliot_artistry to see what happens behind the scenes. Extra thanks to my Boat Boy for all the love and support in everything I do. I love you… merp.
Michael Kraus (Harry Scrooge) Michael last appeared at Curtain Call in 1776 (Andrew McNair). His other appearances at Curtain Call include Something Rotten (Puritan/Ensemble), Elf (Mr. Greenway), Newsies (Bunsen), Damn Yankees (Bouley), Scrooge the Musical (Tom Jenkins), Mary Poppins (Park Keeper, John Northbrook), Man of La Mancha (Jose/Muleteer), Meet Me in St Louis (Postman), Gypsy (Pastey), The Wizard of Oz (Ensemble) Other community theater includes Footloose (Rev. Shaw Moore) at St. Catherine’s Players, Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson), Cinderella (Prince Charming), Damn Yankees (Old Joe) and Shenandoah (John Anderson). When not performing on stage, Michael can often be found behind the scenes as an Assistant Stage Manager or running crew. He thanks the entire production team for giving him the opportunity to continue to learn and have fun. A special shout out to his fellow castmates who have been so supportive. It’s true what they say, “Comedy is hard”. The really good comedians make it look easy! Michael is especially thankful to his wife and all his family for their encouragement and support.
Michael “Motts” Pelazza (Eb Scrooge) is excited to be doing a play at Curtain Call for the first time in 12 years! Motts has been seen in Twelve Angry Men(Juror 7), My Fair Lady ( Alfred P. Doolittle, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum(Pseudolus). Motts is also a standup comedian who has opened for Kevin Meany, Billy Gardell, Damon Wayans and Kevin Nealon. Motts is thrilled to be performing in The Three Scrooges again with such a great cast and crew! Thank You Jerold, Bill and Lou and of course my lovely bride Lisa!!
Chris Nardi (Foley Artist) is excited to be part of this production! He was most recently seen on the DRT Stage in Mulberry Street (George). Other recent credits at Curtain Call include Fiddler on the Roof (Avram/Bottle Dancer) and Arsenic & Old Lace (Officer Klein). Chris wants to thank Bill and Jerold for the opportunity to be a part of this show!
Paul Valenti (Farley Scrooge) is thrilled to be reprising his role as Farley Scrooge in this year's production of "The Three Scrooges." Paul is also one half of the comedy duo The Chris and Paul Show, which began its journey right here at Curtain Call over 20 years ago. The duo has since toured both nationally and internationally. A Huge thank you to Bill Squier and Jerold Goldstein for creating a timeless show and role that I identify with! Also giving me a wonderful opportunity to work with an amazing cast. Thank you to my loving family for pushing out the door and telling me not to come back until I make something of myself. To my Rox. Thank you for being all of the rocks. Now for a hardy Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk!
Caitlin Visconti (Tina Cratchit) is thrilled to be in her first full-scale production having previously appeared in two Curtain Call Theatre for Young Audience productions. Thanks to all for coming to see this fun musical.
Jerold Goldstein (Author, Composer, Director) is a seven-time nominee for best musical director in Connecticut. The shows he has directed and/or musical directed have been on the top ten shows of the year list too many too many times to mention. Many of his students have gone on to Broadway careers of their own. He is in high demand at high schools and colleges throughout the tri-state area to teach and help prepare students for shows and auditions. As an Actor, Jerold was most recently seen in the out of town tryout of Susan Seidelman’s BOYNTON BEACH CLUB and before that in FACE THE MUSIC for the ENCORES series at the City Center in NYC. Jerold played Mushnik on the national tour of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. He has appeared on Broadway in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, with Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and John Stamos, and in the musical AIN'T BROADWAY GRAND. He was featured in the national tour A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM starring Rip Taylor (standing by for Mr. Taylor) and co-starred with Dick Van Patten in SCANDALS at Theatre Virginia. Jerold played Chico Marx in both ANIMAL CRACKERS (Helen Hayes award winner) at Arena Stage, Washington and THE COCOANUTS at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. He won Philadelphia's prestigious Barrymore Award for his performance in GUN METAL BLUES at the Wilma Theatre. He was in the Kennedy Center's long-running production of SHEAR MADNESS and toured Europe as Bert Barry in 42ND STREET. On television he has been featured on NBC’s LAW AND ORDER and CBS’ HACK. As a composer, Jerold's shows (written with William Squier) have been performed around the country. They include: BABALU and MUSIC IS MY FIST -- their send up of the Rat Pack -- which was featured twice at Steve McGraw’s, their holiday musical THE THREE SCROOGES and their newest musical, ROUTE 66 (music: Fred Stark), has been performed in concert at the Stamford Center for the Arts and the inaugural Kansas City Crossroads Festival of New Musicals and in a full production at the University of Maine. Circa ’21 Theatre and The Depot Theatre. Individual songs that he has composed include ‘Garland of Hope,’ performed on Broadway at the Palace Theatre., and ‘Where’s the Party Tonight?’ (Lyrics: W. Squier) the theme song for the ABC-TV late night show, WHERE’S THE PARTY? For more info: www.JeroldGoldstein.com
Jamie LaJoie (Lighting Design) Jamie started working in theatre in 2006 as a sound designer for The Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope PA. After working with numerous different regional and equity theatres he was able to expand his skill sets to include master carpenter and lighting designer. Some of his favorite sound designs are Miss Saigon, Sweeny Todd, Tommy and Jekyll and Hyde (which he received a nomination for best Sound Designer for a musical). Some of his favorite lighting designs are Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Suessical the Musical, Jekyll and Hyde (Which he received a NEPTA award for best lighting design for a musical) All this knowledge has allowed him to be the Technical Director here at Curtain Call. Jamie is now the Technical Director for King School and teaches Technical Theatre classes there as well. As always a special thank you to my wife Meghan and my beautiful little girl Savannah. Daddy loves you.
William Squier (Author, Etc...) 25 years ago, Jerold Goldstein introduced Bill to Curtain Call’s Executive Director, Lou Ursone, and the two of them brought him their new holiday musical, The Three Scrooges, to see if he’d be interested in mounting it in his next season. Lou handed them the keys to the Dressing Room Theater and the show opened on December 7, 2001. That started a relationship with Curtain Call that has included appearances onstage and off and the premieres of several other of Bill’s musicals (Top of the Heap, Blindsided by a Diaper, A Merry Mulberry Street Musical, The Klemperers’ New Clothes). So he’s thrilled to be celebrating a quarter century by revisiting the show that started it all with two of the original cast members (Paul and Motts)!
