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Event
Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs "A Christmas Carol." Again.
ABOUT THE SHOW
In 1853, ten years after having dashed off his surprisingly successful holiday story, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens gave his first public reading of the work. The effort was so well received, as well as providing much needed cash, that he continued to perform these celebrated readings for the rest of his career. Now, almost 160 years later, performances of A Christmas Carol have become one of our most enduring holiday traditions.
The only problem is that Dickens himself has long grown tired of this annual reading. Reports of his death in 1870 were greatly exaggerated, and year after year he has sustained himself with these solo performances albeit with dwindling enthusiasm as he has moved from the grand concert halls of London to finally, this year, The Building Stage in Chicago's industrial West Loop. Now, facing his 200th birthday, Dickens has reached the breaking point. He knows he must grant the holiday wishes of his audience but desperately hopes to entertain them with anything but another performance of A Christmas Carol.
Created and performed by The Building Stage artistic director Blake Montgomery, Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs... both celebrates and skewers our attachment to this classic tale. Performed in an invitingly warm Victorian atmosphere filled with holiday treats and traditions, the play captures the essence of the Dickens story and provides an affectionate view of the great author himself rediscovering his own passion.
ABOUT THE BUILDING STAGE
The Building Stage exists to create original theatrical events that celebrate, mourn, explore, and question our world and ourselves. Serving as both a neighborhood theater and a cultural destination, we seek to combine an entertaining, approachable experience with unique and challenging artistic products. We aspire to contribute to the evolution of the modern theater as we rediscover the vital role that theater can play in American cultural life.
The Building Stage works from pre-existing sources that reflect the world we live in. We transform those sources through rehearsal, creating on our feet, with no separation between play and production. This process allows us to highlight the rapport that is created between performers and audience in the space and time of performance. Our pieces do not simply tell narrative stories; instead, they play with the boundary between poetry and prose, engaging the mind as well as the emotions, stirring the imagination as much as the senses.
THE BUILDING STAGE 2011-12 SEASON
For the first time, after six years of producing on a project-by-project basis, The Building Stage will present a cohesive four-show season. Also, as part of our evolution, each play will unfold within the context of a larger event. So come join us as we celebrate, mourn, question, and explore together over the course of ten months.
"Hänsel und Gretel"
created by the building stage
conceived and directed by Blake Montgomery
inspired by the classic story and its variations from
The Brothers Grimm to the opera by Englebert Humperdinck
February 25 April 15, 2012
"Life is a Dream"
by Pedro Calderon de la Barca
in a new adaptation by the building stage
performed in an "outdoor setting" inside the building stage
May 5 June 24, 2012
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LocationThe Building Stage (View)
412 N Carpenter Street
Chicago, IL 60642
United States
Categories
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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Contact
Q&A
| Question: |
What is the run time for "Charles Dickens..."? |
| Answer: |
95 minutes with no intermission. |
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