Inside A.C.T.

  by A.C.T. Staff 1. They both know how to work a head-to-toe look. A.C.T.'s  A Christmas Carol Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanor, and its joyful air . . . “You have never seen the like of me before!” exclaimed the Spirit. —Charles Dickens,  A Christmas Carol A.C.T.'s  The Matchmaker   MRS. LEVI: I’ve seen the workroom a hundred times. I’ll stay right here and try on some of these hats. —Thornton Wilder, The Matchmaker   2. They both believe that a well-laid table can work magic. A scene from A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol   MRS. LEVI: I’m the best cook in the world myself, and I know what’s good. —Thornton Wilder, The Matchmaker   3. Pretty much everything would be better if we all followed their advice. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for...

  By Michael Paller  * This article originally appeared on Inside A.C.T. in 2016.  In the mid-1970s, regional theaters around the country discovered that audiences wanted a Christmas story at Christmastime, and none more so than Dickens’s  A Christmas Carol . Adaptations began appearing, starting with the Guthrie (1974) and the Actors Theater of Louisville (1976). Artistic Director Bill Ball asked Company Director Laird Williamson to look at the handful of existing adaptations and choose one to direct. Williamson found them sentimental and clichéd. They were “sugar-coated Dickens,” he said. “Tiny Tim is not the leading character. Scrooge is the real story.”  The cast of A.C.T.'s 1981 production of  A Christmas Carol . Williamson was drawn to the tale’s psychological and social realism, to its “comment on poverty and the inequality of the classes.” He suggested that he and Dennis Powers, the company’s literary jack-of-all-trades, do their own version. Ball a...

By Claire L. Wong As you walk into the Geary Theater to experience the holiday magic of  A Christmas Carol , you may marvel at the sparkling decorations throughout the theater. How did all those wreaths get  up  there? It’s an A.C.T. tradition that each class of fellows participate in decorating the Geary, and this year was jubilant as ever. With holiday cheer, boxes of glittering decorations, and a little elbow grease, the 2019–20 Fellows Cohort had the perfect recipe for trimming the tree in Fred’s Lounge and wrapping garlands around the stairwell railings. Some of the 2019–20 Fellows in the Geary Theater. Photo by Amy Dalba. With fellows working in such varied departments throughout the company, gathering together to decorate, drink hot cider, and catch up is a welcomed winter event. Outside of decorating and their individual duties, the 2019–20 Fellows Cohort has also been hard at work preparing for the upcoming production of Collective Rage: A Play in Fi...

By Claire L. Wong  “Theater is really about connection,” says A.C.T. Community Programs Manager Stephanie Wilborn. “We can’t do it alone.” For over a decade, Wilborn has been working with community arts organizations, using theater and social justice as a platform to give voice to those who are often overlooked or underrepresented onstage. Wilborn’s work with Larkin Street Youth Services is just one of the partnerships A.C.T. is building with nonprofits throughout the Bay Area, not just this holiday season but throughout the year.  A.C.T. teaching artist Radhika Rao and A.C.T. Community Programs Manager Stephanie Wilborn speaking at Larkin Street Youth Services' 2019 Performing Arts Night. Photo by Dace James. Larkin Street Youth Services is the largest provider of housing, healthcare, employment, and education services to young people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. This summer and fall, Wilborn and teaching artist Radhika Rao (who has worked as a teach...

By A.C.T. Publications Staff   Coming home for the holidays is a multi-generational affair for the cast of A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol . Since 2005, this adaptation of the seasonal classic has united actors from the Young Conservatory, the Master of Fine Arts Program, and professionals on the Geary stage. It is crafted to showcase a variety of experience, and has roles for actors from an elementary school student to an A.C.T. veteran like Ken Ruta, who was part of A.C.T.’s original acting company in 1967.  To make the familial bonds as strong as possible, the YC and MFA Program actors spend a week working together before rehearsals for  A Christmas Carol  start. During this time, each YC actor is paired with an MFA actor who guides them through the ins and outs of a professional rehearsal room, the bustle of backstage, and the bright lights of the Geary Theater.  The cast of A.C.T.'s 2018 production of  A Christmas Carol . Photo by Kevin Berne...

By Claire L. Wong For the next two weekends, the MFA class of 2021 springs back to turn of the 19th century Germany with Spring Awakening: The Play , directed by Christine Adaire. “The main crux of the show relies on a culture where people struggle to communicate,” says MFA Program actor Allen Darby, who plays Moritz. “ Spring Awakening asks us questions about tricky concepts that we have done our best to answer, but leave open for the audience to ponder after the show.” The class of 2020 kicked off the MFA Program season with Derek Walcott’s  Ti Jean and His Brothers , directed by Dawn Monique Williams. Catch the same actors this winter in A.C.T.’s seasonal favorite  A Christmas Carol , which runs November 29–December 24. The third-years are onstage again February 20–29 for  Passage  by Christopher Chen, an Obie Award–winning Bay Area playwright. “It’s a fantastical examination of colonialism and xenophobia,” says Associate Producer Ken Savage, “and it’s i...

By Elspeth Sweatman and Annie Sears Christmas may have passed, but the holiday spirit is still thriving here at A.C.T. Many members of the A Christmas Carol cast and crew have made this performance an integral part of their holiday tradition, including actor Sharon Lockwood, who plays Mrs. Dilber and Mrs. Fezziwig. Lockwood has performed at A.C.T. for nearly 30 years, including 14 seasons of A Christmas Carol . We sat down with Lockwood to hear more about what it’s like to integrate a familiar role into an ever-changing cast. James Carpenter as Scrooge and Sharon Lockwood as Mrs. Dilber in A.C.T.'s 2017 production of A Christmas Carol . Photo by Kevin Berne. How does it feel to return to the same role every year? Like getting in touch with an old friend?  Old friends? Yes! It's so nifty to play two wildly different characters back and forth in the course of a show, even changing make-up in between. Dominique [Lozano], our director, is always coming up with ways to fi...

By Mads Leigh-Faire From the grid of The Geary descends a mirage in white—the Ghost of Christmas Past. Perched on a trapeze swing, this spirit almost appears to glow. What the audience in The Geary won't know is that, like the varying adaptations of Dickens's classic novella, the costume for this ghost continues to evolve for a new generation. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Marisa Duchowny) in A.C.T.'s 2010 production of A Christmas Carol . When A.C.T. mounted this adaptation in 2005, designing the costume for the Ghost of Christmas Past posed an unusual challenge. In the original book, says A.C.T. Costume Director Jesse Amoroso, the Ghost is described in an ethereal but contradictory way: old and young, worn-down and sprightly. The Ghost is depicted as androgynous, says Amoroso, and like a candle in constant flux. Their garb is described as wintry and yet light. Costume Designer Beaver Bauer's vision for the character featured a Ghost in white and pale gray, w...

By Elspeth Sweatman and Annie Sears A Christmas Carol is a classic story, one many of us know well. But actor Cindy Goldfield may know it best. She's played or understudied all the adult female roles in A.C.T.’s adaptations—from Mrs. Fezziwig to Mrs. Cratchit to the Ghost of Christmas Present. She most often plays Charitable #1, a role she loves because of its dynamic story arc. As Goldfield prepared to return to this cherished character, she shared about how the often-told story retains its sense of newness. Cindy Goldfield as Charitable #1, James Carpenter as Scrooge, and Howard Swain as Charitable #2 in A.C.T.'s 2017 production of A Christmas Carol . Photo by Kevin Berne. How does it feel to return to the same role year after year? It feels like a good old coat. It’s the same role, but it's magical how different it feels year to year. The sets, text, costumes, lighting, sound, people, and director may be close to exactly the same, but somehow it always fee...

By Mads Leigh-Faire If you find yourself in The Geary Theater anytime during the run of A.C.T.’s A Christmas Carol , you may find yourself in an Arctic flurry (though you won’t need to bundle up to deal with this snow). A.C.T. is lucky to host a version of Charles Dickens’s Christmas Carol where snow falls from the theater’s rafters. Do we cut a hole in the ceiling of The Geary and let actual snow fall on the audience? Do we hire Jack Frost? Snow falls on the cast of A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Kevin Berne. As impressive as that would be, the real answer is even more magical. Four years ago, A.C.T.’s backstage crew took on a huge challenge for Carol : making snow fall onstage. The snow could not be made out of anything water-based, as it would make the stage slippery for actors and could damage costumes, set pieces, or lighting and sound equipment. Painting snow in a set would work but does not create the 3-D effect of real snowfall. After researching h...

By Annie Sears Fifth graders from Bessie Carmichael Elementary perform before the 2017 A Christmas Carol SMAT, led by teacher Peter Sroka. Photo by Ryan Montgomery. Every year, 91 schools bring a total of 5,000 students to A.C.T. stages as part of our Student Matinee program (SMAT), which provides steeply discounted tickets to student-only performances. Local music and theater teacher Peter Sroka takes it a step further; not only does he bring 70 fifth-grade students from Bessie Carmichael PreK-8 School/Filipino Education Center to an annual SMAT, but he also leads them in a pre-show performance. At a Christmas Carol SMAT this week, students will stage one of these mini-musicals, which Sroka writes himself. He tailors the songs and comic scenes to the play’s themes. “It’s a chance for students to engage with the text,” says Sroka, “to think about the different layers of a show.” Sroka combines many of his talents in leading these performances. He has a master’s degree in ...

By Elspeth Sweatman and Annie Sears The 12 days of Christmas? For actor James Carpenter, it’s more like the 12 years of A Christmas Carol . This will be his 12th year gracing the Geary stage as tightfisted Ebenezer Scrooge. Carpenter has frequented A.C.T. stages for nearly 20 years, from Glengarry Glen Ross (2001) to Rock ’n’ Roll (2008) to Heisenberg (2018), and he’ll be playing Charlie in Edward Albee’s Seascape this coming January. But first, he returns to Scrooge. We recently sat down with Carpenter to hear about his intimate knowledge of this iconic character. James Carpenter as Scrooge and Sharon Lockwood as Mrs. Dilber in A.C.T.'s production of A Christmas Carol (2017). Photo by Kevin Berne. How does it feel stepping back into the role of Scrooge? Does he feel like an old friend? I don’t know that I’d call Scrooge an old friend. A mutual combatant, perhaps. A role I know I’m going to have to gird my loins for and ready myself to take on. This year, Anthony Fusc...

By Annie Sears Fifty actors, more than 1,000 costume items, and immeasurable excitement. This will be the 42nd year that our Costume Shop crew has crafted the onstage kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, and textures that is A.C.T.'s Christmas Carol , and the process is well underway. Over the last few weeks, each actor has visited our Costume Shop for a personal fitting. Build Manager/Draper Keely Weiman helps third-year M.F.A. actor Avanthika Srinivasan adjust her hoop skirt. Photo by Elspeth Sweatman. Actors may have begun developing their character psychologically, but with the addition of a costume, they get a sense of how their character feels physically. From dainty earrings to the intricate texture of the Ghost of Christmas Past’s sleeves, our costume shop crew makes sure everything fits perfectly and that the actors have the range of motion needed to portray their character. Build Manager/Draper Keely Weiman laces the Ghost of Christmas Past's corset. Photo...

By Elspeth Sweatman and Annie Sears The holiday season is a time of traditions: hot chocolate and candy canes; humming the same tunes and baking the same treats; feasting and exchanging gifts with family and friends. For some—such as actor Anthony Fusco—A.C.T.’s Christmas Carol is a large part of the holiday ritual. Fusco is an A.C.T. regular, having appeared in over 35 mainstage productions. He’s been involved with A Christmas Carol for the last 17 years, first playing Bob Cratchit in the Dennis Powers and Laird Williamson adaptation. After A.C.T. transitioned to Paul Walsh and Artistic Director Emerita Carey Perloff’s adaptation, James Carpenter assumed the role of Scrooge and Fusco was his understudy. “That first year, I went on when Jim got sick, having never rehearsed the role onstage!” says Fusco. “That was exciting !” The role is demanding, as Scrooge never leaves the stage. So Fusco and Carpenter now share the part. We recently sat down with Fusco to hear about what it’...

By Julia Ludwig Most years, A.C.T.'s annual gala auctions a behind-the-scenes experience and walk-on role for the production of  A Christmas Carol . As a part of my special events fellowship at A.C.T. during the 2016–17 season, I had the chance to chaperone our younger walk-on role participants. It was a fun and engaging experience, and I won't soon forget taking a bow on the Geary stage with the entire  Christmas Carol  company. Julia Ludwig dressed in her costume for the 2016 production of A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol . Photo courtesy Julia Ludwig. One of my favorite parts of the process was trying on costumes at A.C.T.'s costume shop. With more than 20,000 costumes, there are rows of colorful clothing and accessories from every era you can imagine—it's a dream closet. Once the costume team took my measurements, they picked out some options for me to try on. I loved the shoes I got to wear. On the day of the performance, I met the two children I w...

By Taylor Steinbeck Beautiful and haunting, the Ghost of Christmas Past's sweeping entrance across the Geary stage is one of the most memorable moments in A.C.T.'s time-honored classic, A Christmas Carol . The actor who plays the ghost each year is tasked with the unique challenge of being strapped into a swing and hoisted above the audience, all the while maintaining an air of elegance. Third-year Master of Fine Arts Program actor, and self-proclaimed daredevil Lily Narbonne was undaunted by this though. We sat down with Narbonne to chat about defying gravity, embracing the past, and scaring Scrooge. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Lily Narbonne) in A.C.T.'s 2017 production of A Christmas Carol . What can you tell me about Christmas Past’s costume? She has an ethereal, otherworldly nature about her and the costume reflects that. In Charles Dickens’s original text, he describes her like a light, so in our production, she is supposed to be the embodiment of a flame...

By Elspeth Sweatman  Mary (Beatriz Miranda) and Fred (Oliver Shirley)  in A.C.T.'s  production of A Christmas Carol .  Photo by Kevin Berne. A Christmas Carol was the first production Wardrobe Supervisor Mary Montijo worked on when she joined A.C.T. 12 years ago, and it remains one of the most challenging. “It’s an exercise in controlled chaos,” she says. “There are so many actors—usually 50, with more than half of them from the Young Conservatory—and so many costumes: more than 1,000 individual pieces!” Before the “controlled chaos” of this year’s Carol began, we sat down with Montijo to learn more about the life of a wardrobe supervisor. For someone not in theater, what does a wardrobe supervisor do? In a nutshell, we make sure every actor is always in the right costume, head-to-toe, at every point throughout the show. There’s a lot more to it than that, though. Here at A.C.T., the wardrobe supervisor acts as a liaison between the costume designer, t...

By Elspeth Sweatman With  A Christmas Carol  pulling in crowds at the Geary Theater, we reached out to five of our Young Conservatory returning actors—Alejandra Zavala (11 years old), Mattea Fountain (12 years old), Maximilian Wix (12 years old), Pilar Rivas (11 years old), and Seth Weinfield (13 years old)—to ask about their  Carol  experiences. This is Part Two. The Young Conservatory actors of the 2017 production of A Christmas Carol . What is your favorite part of the show? Pilar Rivas: My favorite part of the show is the beginning. Everything is so bright and lively. My favorite part about being in the show is meeting all the wonderful people. What has been the most challenging part of being in the show? Mattea Fountain: I live in the East Bay, so it's a solid hour of travel from home to the theater, and then another hour back. Over the course of two months that is hard on me and my family. I usually don't get all eight days of Hanukkah ...

This interview is adapted from the Christmas Carol edition of Words on Plays , A.C.T.’s in-depth performance guide series. A dazzling treat for the eye, A.C.T.’s annual production of A Christmas Carol has become a Bay Area holiday tradition over its 13-year run. We looked back at our 2010 Q&A with Carol scenic designer John Arnone to find out what inspired the set’s beautiful and haunting visuals. The concept sketch for the set of A.C.T.'s Christmas Carol . By John Arnone. How did you approach designing the set? As a team, we discussed the town and its atmosphere, the context for the piece, which is Dickens’s London. We wanted to convey the feeling of the congestion and the industrialization, as well as the paranoia and fear. Then we discussed the interiors, and the fact that there is only one interior that is real: Scrooge’s bedroom. It’s very claustrophobic, which I think is a metaphor for how dark Scrooge’s life has become. How did you get the idea for the Ghost of Ch...