Watch A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL on WQED!
Pittsburgh CLO is pleased to share the magic of A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL for the 29th consecutive year! Recorded live at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater in 2018, this special production will be broadcast on WQED as a holiday gift to the community, so that families can once again experience this cherished tradition together.
Starring Broadway and Television's Richard Thomas in the iconic role of Ebenezer Scrooge and a cast of Pittsburgh's favorite performers, A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL is available to stream for FREE via the WQED website now through December 31!
Sponsored by:
A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM
NOTE: All headshots and bios are listed as they appeared in the program for the 2018 production.
RICHARD THOMAS (Ebenezer Scrooge) received a Tony Award nomination for his most recent appearance on Broadway in The Little Foxes. His other Broadway appearances include You Can’t Take It With You, An Enemy Of The People, Race, Democracy, The Front Page, The Fifth Of July, and his professional debut at 8 years old in Sunrise At Campobello. Recent performances include the Old Globe production of Othello, the Arena Stage premiere of Camp David, and the off-Broadway revival of Incident At Vichy for which he received Drama Desk Award nomination. Richard was last seen on tour in the hit revival of 12 Angry Men and in the Tony Award winning play The Humans. On television, he created the roles of John-Boy on The Waltons for which he won the Emmy Award and Agent Frank Gaad on The Americans. He will be seen next on television in the TNT series Tell Me Your Secrets.
ALLISON CAHILL (Charity Worker/Ghost of Christmas Past/Peg) is excited to return to CLO’s A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL for a fourth season. She has performed internationally, with Pittsburgh Public Theater, West Virginia Public, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Playhouse, St. Vincent College, Off The Wall Theatre, KSMT, Terra Nova Theatre Company. Honored graduate of AADA (NYC). Proud AEA Member since 1990.
JUSTIN FORTUNATO (Fred, Businessman) is honored to be returning to A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL for his seventh year. Credits include: The Pittsburgh Public, PICT, The REP, Pittsburgh CLO, Primestage, St. Vincent Summer theatre, and Dream Catcher Theatre. He is the co-founder of Carnivale Theatrics and is currently the Producing Artistic Director of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
DANIEL FRONTZ (Tiny Tim) is returning for his second year as Tiny Tim in Pittsburgh CLO’s A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Past roles include Chip in Pittsburgh CLO’s production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Trouble in Pittsburgh Opera’s Madama Butterfly. Daniel is a sixth grade musical theatre major at Pittsburgh CAPA and studies at CLO Academy.
LISA ANN GOLDSMITH (Mrs. Cratchit) is thrilled to be back for her eighth year! Recent credits include Glinda, Wicked Witch of the West, and others in The Wizard of Oz (Bricolage), and Mrs. Staunton in The Speckled Band (Kinetic Theatre). Lisa Ann has appeared locally and regionally with such companies as Arkansas Rep, Primary Stages, Theatre by the Sea, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical and many others. She appears as Mary Travers (of Peter, Paul & Mary) in the upcoming feature film 116 Macdougal.
ASHTON GUTHRIE (Tom Watkins, Dick Wilkins, The Undertaker) has appeared in A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL since 2014. Pittsburgh credits include: Oklahoma!, The Playboy of the Western World, The Wild Duck (Pittsburgh Playhouse), My Fair Lady and Guys and Dolls (Pittsburgh Public Theater). He holds a BFA in Acting from Point Park University.
LUKE HALFERTY (Town Crier/Young Scrooge/Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come) returns to Pittsburgh CLO where he was previously seen in Titanic, The Full Monty, Brigadoon, First Date and The 39 Steps. Luke has also appeared regionally with Pittsburgh Public Theater, PICT, The Rep, St. Vincent Summer Theatre, Stage Right and The Conservatory Theatre Company of Point Park University where he earned his BFA.
TIM HARTMAN (Charity Worker, Mr. Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, Businessman) Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities, Finian's Rainbow. Pittsburgh: The Man of La Mancha, Les Misérables, Into the Woods, Annie and The Sound of Music. Other favorites include Henry IV, Shadowlands, Camelot, Funny Girl, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and 24 characters in the one man show The Cotton Patch Gospel. Movies: The Silence of the Lambs, The Piano Lesson, The Mothman Prophecies, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and The Fault in our Stars. timhartman.com
JEFFREY HOWELL (Bob Cratchit) past Pittsburgh CLO shows include Titanic, Brigadoon, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Damn Yankees, Sunset Boulevard and Bells are Ringing. Other credits include Citizens Market, A Funny...Forum, Souvenir, Choir Boy, The Light in the Piazza, Man of La Mancha, Lost Highway, Candide and Red Herring. Television: All My Children, The Young and the Restless. Films: The Cemetery Club, Sudden Death.
DANIEL KRELL (Marley’s Ghost, Young Marley, Businessman) has appeared in over 35 productions with Pittsburgh CLO. He's played major roles with the region’s professional theaters, such as Pittsburgh Public, City Theatre, and Quantum, as well as theaters around the country, including Clarence Brown Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory and Gateway Playhouse among others. Look for Dan as Mr. McFeeley in the Tom Hanks/Mr. Rogers film A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.
ALEX MANALO (Fan, Alice, Laundress) is making her debut in Pittsburgh CLO's A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. She is a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Point Park University. She has worked with several theater companies throughout the city including MTAP, Front Porch Theatricals, Pittsburgh Playhouse, City Theatre and countless others. Credits include Brewed (Colette), Big Fish (Mermaid) and South Pacific (Liat).
JULIA PALADINO ((Missy Watkins/Martha Cratchit) returns to Pittsburgh CLO for her fourth production of A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Past roles include Maria in West Side Story, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Adele in Die Fledermaus and many more.
BENJAMIN KENT PIMENTAL (Peter Cratchit, Young Scrooge’s Schoolmate) is a CCM Musical Theater student whose credits include: World Premiere: Tink! (Jack of the Green), Sleeping Beauty (Prince William). Regional Credits: Disney's Newsies (Finch), West Side Story (A-rab), Rock of Ages (Franz), Sweeney Todd (Anthony).
CORWIN STODDARD (Topper, Vendors, School Master) is joining the cast of A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL for the first time. His recent credits include The Bridges of Madison County (Michael) with Carnivale Theatrics and Evil Dead (Ed) with PMT, along with both Floyd Collins (Jewell Estes) and Violet (Billy Dean) with Front Porch Theatricals. Proud alumnus of Point Park University, Perry-Mansfield and HSPVA.
ERIKA STRASBURG (Belle, Bess) is back for her sixth year with A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Other Pittsburgh CLO credits include: Titanic (Caroline Neville), Up And Away (Susie Dare), Pump Boys & Dinettes (Prudie Cupp) and Ring of Fire. Proud Carnegie Mellon drama graduate.
TERRY WICKLINE (Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig) returns to A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL for her 18th year. Favorite regional credits include My Fair Lady, Our Town, The Importance Being Earnest (Miss Prism and Lady Bracknell), Much Ado About Nothing, The Sound of Music, Crazy For You, The Grapes of Wrath, The Music Man (Eulalie Shinn), Big River (Widow Douglas) and Jekyll and Hyde (Lady Beaconsfield). CLO Cabaret roles: Nunsense (Rev. Mother) and Always…Patsy Cline (Louise Seger). TV: Outsiders (Sally Yates).
The cast is rounded out by a host of carolers and party guests.
ZANNA FREDLAND (Caroler) has appeared locally with Pittsburgh Public Theater, Front Porch Theatricals, St. Vincent Summer Theatre, and has been a soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. Zanna is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and Rice University's Shepherd School of Music.
LARA HAYHURST (Caroler) has previously appeared in Xanadu and Legally Blonde: the Musical at Pittsburgh CLO. Broadway: Lady Day… starring Audra McDonald. Off-Broadway: Do Re Mi. National Tour: Bye Bye Birdie (Kim). Selected Regional: Flat Rock Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh Public, Maine State, Fulton, Paramount Chicago and PMT. BFA Pace University, NYC.
GAVAN PAMER (Caroler) Over 25 shows including Damn Yankees (Van Buren), Man of La Mancha (Padre), 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Joseph. .. (Reuben), Carousel (Heavenly Friend). CLO Cabaret: Xanadu (PSM), My Way (Choreographer), Forever Plaid (PSM). PPT: …Forum (Hysterium), The Fantasticks (Hucklebee), Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet), A Grand Night for Singing (Martin). Temple Theatre: 1776 (John Adams), Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), The Addams Family (Uncle Fester). Tours: Cats (Mungojerrie), A Chorus Line and 42nd Street.
ALLAN SNYDER (Caroler) is happy to return for his fourth year in A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Pittsburgh credits include Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public, off the Wall, Pittsburgh Musical Theater and Lincoln Park PAC. Broadway/off-Bway/Tour: Les Misérables, The Fantasticks and The Phantom of the Opera (title role). Next up: Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream at PICT Classic Theatre.
Several Pittsburgh CLO Academy students will also take part in the holiday production
JOE CHUFO (Turkey Boy) is a 6th grade Musical Theater major at CAPA and studies theater at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy of Musical Theater. This is his second year appearing in A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL.
JACK ENGEL (Cratchit Child) returns for his second year in A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Jack recently appeared as Nathan in the Pittsburgh CLO production of The Full Monty. Credits include: The Magic Flute, Honk, Peter Pan and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Jack attends Shady Side Academy and is a student at the CLO Academy.
RACHEL GRANT (Cratchit Child) is excited to return to A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. Credits include Peter Pan Jr., Jungle Book Kids and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Rachel, a Trinity Christian School fifth-grader, studies at CLO Academy. She's grateful for the support of family and friends.
CHLOE GRIFFIN (Cratchit Child) is 11 years old and has previously performed as Olive in Little Miss Sunshine and Annie in Annie with community theater companies.
CREATIVE TEAM
DAVID H. BELL (Original Director / Choreographer / Adapter) has served as Artistic Director of the Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. and Associate Artistic Director to Kenny Leon at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia and is currently the Artistic Director of the American Music Theatre Project and Director of the Music Theatre Program at Northwestern University. David initiated a program of co-productions between the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Northwestern – collaborating on two original musicals that have joined NU students with RCS Masters Actors and presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the last three years. David teaches classes in MT Techniques, Directing the Musical and Writing for MT.
SCOTT EVANS (Director) has directed for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Theatre Aspen, Forestburgh Playhouse, NYU, Northwestern, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and here at Pittsburgh CLO. Off-Broadway: Associate Director for Ten Chimneys and The Silver Cord. He has a 20-year history with this show, beginning as a cast member at Ford’s Theatre and continuing to work with David H. Bell as an actor, associate director, director and creative producer of his works. Scott is Artistic Director of Somerled Arts and an Associate Artist with the American Music Theatre Project.
McCRAE HARDY (Music Director) joyfully returns for his 20+ season with A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL. 22 seasons as music director/conductor of The North Carolina Theatre, MD/arranger: Unto These Hills, The Lost Colony, Patsy (Branson, Toronto, National Tour) and many others. Guest conductor and arrangements for The North Carolina Symphony. Lives in Raleigh, NC with partner, Eric, and their three amazing children, Alex, Cristofer and Amélie plus a menagerie of critters.
D MARTYN BOOKWALTER (Scenic Designer) has shared this 27-year journey of A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL with David Bell and the Pittsburgh CLO, having designed the original production. He has designed more than 500 productions for theaters across the country. Mr. Bookwalter was the Art Director of the Fox TV show MADtv, for which he received eight consecutive Emmy nominations. Other awards include the 2001 Angstrom Lighting Lifetime Achievement Award from the L.A. Drama Critics Circle, four Drama Critics Circle awards and a Sarah Siddons Award for Design Excellence.
ANDREW DAVID OSTROWSKI (Lighting Designer) National credits include The National High School Musical Theater Awards in NYC, The Asolo, Virginia Stage Company, North Shore Music Theatre, George Street Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Merrimack Repertory Company, The Arden, Spoleto Festival USA, Madison Opera and Dallas Summer Musicals. International credits in France, Sweden, Scotland and Ireland. Local credits include almost every company in Pittsburgh. His local designs total over 300 productions. This marks year 25 with the show.
MARIANN VERHEYEN (Costume Designer) New York: NY Public Theater, Second Stage, Hudson Guild, Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pan, 10 years commercial styling. Regionally: Alliance, Ford’s, Huntington and Studio Arena, Missouri Repertory, Cincinnati Playhouse, plus Chicago, Alabama, Oregon and Colorado Shakespeare Theaters. Additionally, Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, Disney and Viking Cruise Lines and Sea World. Design awards in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and 2 Distinguished Achievement Awards. Head of Costume Design, Boston University College of Fine Arts, School of Theater.
HEATHER ANKLEY (Stage Manager) has been part of the theater arts in Pittsburgh for almost 20 years. She has had the opportunity to work in a variety of entertainment mediums: Musical Theater, Opera, Dance, Comedy and Rock n’ Roll. SM Credits include: Pittsburgh CLO’s SPARK Festival, Titanic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Brigadoon, Disney’s Newsies, Mamma Mia!, Scottsboro Boys, Wig Out!, Merchant of Venice, The Double-Threat Trio (World Premiere), Peter Pan and Once.
KELLY HAYWOOD (Assistant Stage Manager) is happy to be back with the A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS CAROL family. Favorite Pittsburgh CLO productions include: Titanic, Aida, Mamma Mia!, Peter Pan, In the Heights, 42nd Street, Pittsburgh Public Theater: Born Yesterday, Noises Off, An Iliad and True West. Pittsburgh Ballet: Don Quixote, Peter Pan, The Great Gasby, Pittsburgh Opera: Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Flight, Aida, The Grapes of Wrath, L’Italiana in Algeri and La Bohème.