Additional cast members have been announced for the award-winning adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, penned by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), which will return to The Old Vic November 12–January 7, 2023. Opening night is scheduled for November 23.
Joining previously announced Tony winner Owen Teale (A Doll's House, Game of Thrones), who will star as Scrooge, will be Melissa Allan (The Mirror and The Light) as Little Fan, Merryl Ansah (Heathers) as Jess, Roger Dipper (Matilda the Musical) as Bob Cratchit, Julie Jupp (Richard III) as Ghost of Christmas Past, Alastair Parker (Matilda the Musical) as Fezziwig, Dominic Sibanda (Hairspray) as Fred, Samuel Townsend (Harold and Maude) as Young Ebenezer, Meesha Turner (Six) as Mrs. Cratchit, Lydia White (The Last Five Years) as Belle, Geraint Downing (A Christmas Carol) as Ferdy/George, Sebastien Torkia (Grease) as Father/Marley, Raffaella Covino (A Monster Calls) as Dance Captain/Swing, Billy Cullum (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as Nicholas/Swing, and Jenny Fitzpatrick (Oliver!) as Ghost of Christmas Present/Mrs Fezziwig. Further casting will be announced at a later date.
The creative team has also added musical director Katharine Woolley (Waitress), dialect coach Penny Dyer (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), props supervisor Lisa Buckley (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), hair, wigs, and make-up designer Campbell Young (Girl from the North Country), and musicians' contractor David Gallagher (Come From Away).
Old Vic Artistic Director Matthew Warchus (Matilda the Musical) will direct the production, which will showcase set and costume design by Rob Howell (Matilda the Musical), composition and arrangements by Christopher Nightingale (Groundhog Day), lighting by Hugh Vanstone (Back to the Future), sound by Simon Baker (Matilda the Musical), movement by Lizzi Gee (An Ideal Husband), casting by Jessica Ronane, and voice by Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Joe Austin (The Twilight Zone) serves as the associate director. Assisting on the creative team will be Simon Greiff, Megan Rouse, Irene Bohan, Sam Waddington, Jay Jones, Emma Laxton, and Helen Siveter.
The venue has also begun its search for this year's charity to support through post-show collections. The Old Vic has raised over £1 million during the last five years for food-poverty focused charities, including Field Lane, The Felix Project, Coram Beanstalk, FoodCycle and Fareshare.
A Christmas Carol opened at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre November 20, 2019, following several holiday runs at The Old Vic in London. The production won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation and took home five 2020 Tony Awards: Best Original Score (Christopher Nightingale), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Rob Howell), Best Costume Design of a Play (Howell), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Hugh Vanstone), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Simon Baker).
For more information, visit OldVicTheatre.com.
