Veteran stage actor Allen Fitzpatrick will perform Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” this holiday season in a co-production of Vashon Center for the Arts (VCA) and Vashon Repertory Theatre (VRT), at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at VCA.
Fitzpatrick presents his solo adaptation of the Dickens classic tale in a captivating gather-round-the-fire rendition of the story — telling it in the same way Dickens did in the 1800s. The show follows in the footsteps of the author who, a few years after writing the novella, began public readings of “A Christmas Carol” which he continued to perform until his death in 1870 at age 58.
“We are thrilled to bring Allen Fitzpatrick to Vashon audiences,” said Charlotte Tiencken, VRT’s producing artistic director. “His performance of this story is known for keeping even unruly youngsters enraptured from start to finish.”
Fitzpatrick has acted in every major Seattle theatre; he was featured in 28 productions at the 5th Avenue Theatre. His career spans 48 years on Broadway and in professional theatre, working with such notables as Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Harold Prince, John Guare, and Marvin Hamlisch.
He debuted on Broadway in “Les Misérables,” and his other eight Broadway credits include “Driving Miss Daisy,”with James Earl Jones, “Damn Yankees,” with Jerry Lewis, “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” and “42nd Street.” He was the stand-by for John Lithgow in “Sweet Smell of Success,” directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner.
Considering giving a gift of theater this holiday season? Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” cost $18-$25, and are on sale now at vashoncenterforthearts.org.
