Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy, continues its 2022/23 Season with Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, a Manual Cinema production adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens, devised by Manual Cinema with additional writing by Nate Marshall. Told through puppetry and music, this striking holiday experience comes to brilliant life on stage for the first time. Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol will be presented November 29 – December 24, 2022 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 3:00pm.
Tickets are now on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org. Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol is recommended for patrons ages 6+.
An avowed holiday skeptic, Aunt Trudy has been recruited to channel her late husband Joe’s famous Christmas cheer over a Zoom call with family. But as Trudy becomes more absorbed in her own version of the Ebeneezer Scrooge story, the puppets take on a life of their own, and the family’s call transforms into a stunning cinematic adaptation of Dickens’s classic ghost story.
After the stunning success of its online Christmas Carol, Manual Cinema uses its groundbreaking creativity and powerful storytelling to elevate one of the most famous holiday stories ever told to new heights in this unique theatrical experience. Featuring the combined talents of actors, puppeteers and musicians, come experience a new holiday tradition unlike anything else you’ve seen before.
“Back in 2020, when the pandemic suddenly closed theaters around the world, we discovered an unexpected opportunity to spend some time making our dream project. In addition to adapting some of the most beloved parts of Dickens’ Yuletide ghost story, we added some contemporary elements that spoke to our collective experience of the pandemic and living in the year 2020,” noted Manual Cinema’s co-Artistic Directors Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter. “While proud of its success, we missed the presence of a live, in-person audience. We’re so grateful to Writers Theatre for inviting us to mount the world premiere live production of Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol here in Glencoe.”
The cast includes LaKecia Harris (Aunt Trudy, Puppeteer), Lizi Breit (Puppeteer), Julia Miller (Puppeteer), Jeffrey Paschal (Puppeteer), Ben Kauffman (Lead Vocals, Keys, Piano, Voice Over), Emily Meyer (Violin, Vocals), Kyle Vegter (Cello, Keys, Bass, Vocals, Voice Over) and Sarah Fornace (Puppeteer Understudy).
The creative team includes Manual Cinema’s Drew Dir (Storyboards and Puppet Design), Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter (Original Score and Sound Design); Trey Brazeal (Lighting Design), Hannah Wien (Associate Lighting Design) Chicago Puppet Studio artists Caitlin McLeod, Jackie Kelsey, Sion Silvio and Tom Lee (additional Puppet Design and Fabrication), Julia Miller (Costume Design), Lizi Breit and Julia Miller (Manual Cinema Puppet Build Assistants), and Mike Usrey (Sound Engineer). Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter serve as Co-Artistic Directors for Manual Cinema.
About the Artists
Lizi Breit (Puppeteer) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Chicago. She has worked with Manual Cinema as a performer, designer, animator and director since 2011.
Drew Dir (Storyboards and Puppet Design) is a writer, director, and puppet designer. Previously, he served as the Resident Dramaturg of Court Theatre and a lecturer in theater and performance studies at the University of Chicago. He holds a master’s degree in Text and Performance Studies from King’s College London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Sarah Fornace (Puppeteer Understudy) is a director, puppeteer, choreographer, and narrative designer based in Chicago. She is a co-Artistic Director of Manual Cinema. Outside of Manual Cinema, Sarah has worked as a performer or choreographer with Redmoon Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Garage, and Blair Thomas and Co. Most recently, Sarah wrote the story mode for the video game Rivals of Aether. In 2017, she directed and edited the first episode of the web series, The Doula is IN. In 2016, she directed and devised an "animotion" production of Shakespeare's Hamlet with Rokoko Studios for HamletScen at Kromborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark.
LaKecia Harris (Aunt Trudy, Puppeteer) is so excited to be making her Manual Cinema and Writers Theatre Debut. She is a native of Chicago’s Southside and attended Ball State University for her BFA in Acting. After leaving Ball State she returned to her hometown; you may have seen her most recently in The Secretaries: A Parable (First Floor Theater) or Hurricane Diane (TheaterWit). LaKecia is represented by Gray Talent Group; she is also an ensemble member of Midsommer Flight and Artistic Associate of Babes with Blades. She is grateful to her family and friends for all their love and support.
Ben Kauffman (Lead Vocals, Keys, Piano, Voice Over) is a Chicago-based composer, director, interactive media artist and co-Artistic Director of Manual Cinema. His film and interactive work has been shown at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (Chicago), the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Chicago), the University of Wisconsin and CUNY’s Baruch College (NYC). He has lectured at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's MediaLab, New York University and Parsons the New School of Design. His past composer credits with Manual Cinema include Ada/Ava, The End of TV and the New York Times documentary The Forger. He holds a Master’s degree from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP).
Emily Meyer (Violin, Vocals) graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education from Illinois Wesleyan in 2004. She held principal positions with the Civic Orchestra and was the concerto competition winner while at Illinois Wesleyan. Ms. Meyer was a finalist for Yavapai County Teacher-of-the-Year in 2014. She taught at Cottonwood Middle School and Mingus Union High School as the band director and general music teacher from 2011-2022. She performed with the Verde Valley Sinfonietta in principal positions from 2017-2022. Ms. Meyer performs with the Oak Park and River Forest Symphony.
Julia Miller (Puppeteer) is a director, puppeteer, and puppet designer. With Manual Cinema she has directed Mementos Mori and The End of TV as well as created original roles in Frankenstein (The Creature/Elizabeth), Ada/Ava (Ada), Lula del Ray (Lula's Mother), The Magic City (Helen), and Hansel und Gretel (Hansel). In Chicago, she has worked as a performer and puppeteer with Redmoon Theatre and Blair Thomas and Co. She spent several years training in devised theatre, clown and mask with Double Edge Theatre, Carlos García Estevez and at the Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo, Italy.
Jeffrey Paschal (Puppeteer) Is originally from a town called Corning in Upstate New York. In 2012 Jeff moved to Chicago to go to school at Northwestern University where he majored in Theatre. At Northwestern Jeff was involved with several theatre productions including Fabulation directed by Jerrell Henderson and Anna in the Tropics directed by Henry Godinez as well as directing and producing several short films through the school's RTVF program. Jeff graduated from Northwestern with a B.S. in Theatre in 2016. He currently lives in Chicago and is represented by Gray Talent Group.
Kyle Vegter (Cello, Keys, Bass, Vocals, Voice Over) is a composer, producer, sound designer, and Managing Artistic Director of Manual Cinema. As a composer of concert music he’s been commissioned by such groups as The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNOW series, The Pacific Northwest Ballet, and TIGUE. His music and sound design for theater and film has been performed worldwide and commissioned by the New York Times, NPR’s Invisibilia, Topic (First Look Media), the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, StoryCorps, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Poetry Foundation, Hubbard Street Dance, the O, Miami Poetry Festival, and others. His past Composer/ Sound Designer credits with Manual Cinema include Lula Del Ray, Ada/ Ava, FJORDS, Mementos Mori, The End of TV and various other performance and video projects. He has been an artist in residence at High Concept Laboratories, and co-founded Chicago’s only contemporary classical music cassette label Parlour Tapes+.
Fact Sheet / Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol
Title: Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol
A Manual Cinema Production
Adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens
Devised by Manual Cinema
Additional Writing by Nate Marshall
Cast: Lizi Breit (Puppeteer), Sarah Fornace (u/s Puppeteer), Ben Kauffman (Keys, Piano, Lead Vocals, Voice Over), LaKecia Harris (Aunt Trudy, Puppeteer), Julia Miller (Puppeteer), Jeffrey Paschal (Puppeteer), Emily Meyer (Violin, Vocals) and Kyle Vegter (Cello, Keys, Bass, Vocals, Voice Over).
Creative Team: Nate Marshall (Additional Writing), Drew Dir (Storyboards & Puppet Design), Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter (Original Score and Sound Design), Trey Brazeal (Lighting Design), Hannah Wein (Associate Lighting Design), Addition Puppet Design & Fabrication by the Chicago Puppet Studio artists, Caitlin McLeod, Jackie Kelsey, Sion Silvio, and Tom Lee, , Lizi Briet and Julia Miller (Manual Cinema Puppet Build Assistants), Julia Miller (Costume Design), Mike Usrey (Sound Engineer), Natalie Cohen (Stage Manager)
Dates: First performance: November 29, 2022
Press opening: Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 3:00pm
Closing performance: December 24, 2022
Performance Schedule:
- Tuesdays: 7:30pm
- Wednesdays: 7:30pm
- Thursdays: 7:30pm
- Fridays: 7:30pm
- Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm
- Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm
Additional Matinees at 3:00pm on Wednesday, 12/21 and Friday, 12/23.
Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org
Prices for all performances range from $35 - $90
Purchase early for best prices.
Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol contains brief moments of profanity and themes of grief and losing a loved one. Children under six are not permitted.
Notes of Interest:
When the pandemic suddenly closed theaters around the world in 2020, Manual Cinema discovered an unexpected opportunity to spend some time making its dream project. Manual Cinema originally performed this story as an online streaming production in December 2020. While proud of its success, the company missed the presence of a live, in-person audience, which led this world premiere live production.
WRITERS THEATRE 2022/23 SEASON
The Writers Theatre season starts with Tiger Style!, written by Mike Lew, directed by Brian Balcom, followed by Once, written by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard, and Markéta Irglová, directed by Katie Spelman. The season concludes with the Midwest premiere of A Distinct Society, written and directed by Kareem Fahmy. Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol also runs from November 29-December 24.
The 2022/23 Season will see the company now firmly at home in its award-winning building at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe, designed by Studio Gang Architects. Productions will be presented in the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required, in all Theatre spaces. Please visit https://www.writerstheatre.org/covid-safety for full details.
SEASON PACKAGES
Writers is offering four Subscription Packages, which each include one ticket to each production throughout the season. Choose from classic fixed seat subscription options, or a Flexible Subscription, which includes 3 tickets to be used throughout the season as the subscriber chooses.
Subscriptions include three familiar package types that all offer fixed seats to see all four WT productions this season, one ticket to each production. Subscriptions are made for those who are looking to set their schedule in advance and gain access to seating at the top of the Season.
Season package subscribers receive exclusive benefits including complimentary ticket exchanges by phone and mail (upgrade fees may apply), access to special play readings and lectures, special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets including the season add-on performance of Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, a year subscription to The Brief Chronicle digital newsmagazine and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org/join.
Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.
Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as a 2022/23 Season Sponsor, marking the Bank’s tenth consecutive year as season sponsor. Writers Theatre also acknowledges Capital Group Private Client Services as a Lead Production Sponsor.
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
WT also offers Access Performances, including ASL-interpretation and Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.
Writers Theatre is also working with Erika Walker and Maylene Peña of the Walker Thomas Group on workplace culture and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Additional information about this important and ongoing work can be found at writerstheatre.org/working-at-wt.
ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 30th season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal.
Since 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 120 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.
Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over two dozen world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.