Project Shakespeare brings their annual holiday production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to communities throughout the Monadnock region and beyond this holiday season. Adapted and directed by Deborah Shakespeare Thurber, Christopher Commander will don Scrooge’s top hat in this year’s production featuring 20 students [ages 6 to 18] promising a “Dickens” of a good time for the entire family fitting for the holiday season.
New this year, Project Shakespeare will also tour a “smaller” version featuring three actors doing all the roles with Christopher Commander still in need of redemption as Scrooge. Joining Commander will be Sarah Wendy Burman, Associate Director of Project Shakespeare, and Patrick Sherlock, a former Project Shakespeare student.
Joining Commander’s Scrooge is the ensemble cast including Brooke, Molly and Sarah Wendy Burman, Talia Droz, Abigail Hampson, Grace and Emily Lewis, Helen Martynuska, Alyssia Maki, Harold Thomas McCarthy, Benjamin Michaud, Grace & Gabrielle Ramsden, Kadin Rinaldi, Aurora Sousa, Sophia Spingola, Anna Taylor, Ella Weinmann, and Katie Whitaker.
Proceeds from the performances will benefit Project Shakespeare’s theatre education programs including students traveling to Stratford, Canada and England to see world-class theatre and participate in theatre workshops led by professional actors. For more information visit the web site: projectshakespeare.org.
Performances run from Dec. 13-23.
■Friday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m. Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Main St., Peterborough.
■Saturday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m., First Church in Jaffrey Center.
■Monday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. (3-actor performance), Monadnock Waldorf School, 98 S. Lincoln St., Keene.
■Friday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m., First Congregational Church in Rindge.
Tickets are $10 for adults $5 for children [12 & under]. Purchase at the box office half hour prior to the show.
Special holiday performances that include food and drink include:
■Sunday, Dec. 15, 3 & 5:30 p.m., The Hancock Inn, 33 Main St., Hancock. Follow Scrooge and company as they unwind their story in rooms throughout the historical Hancock Inn followed by dinner. Limited seating to 15 per performance. $50 per person. For reservations, call 525-3318.
■Saturday, Dec. 21, 10 a.m. A Family Christmas Carol Brunch at La Belle Winery, 345 NH Route 101, Amherst. Holiday buffet brunch and performance. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children [12 & under]. Reservations required at bit.ly/lwchristmascarol.
■Saturday, Dec. 21, 5 p.m. Homemade Holiday Dinner & Performance at The Jaffrey Civic Center, 40 Main St., Jaffrey. Performance followed by dinner. $50 per person. Limited seating to 50. Reservation required at 532-6527.
■Sunday, Dec. 22, 3:30 & 6:30 p.m., Aldworth Manor, Harrisville. Enjoy the grandeur of the Aldworth Manor set high in the hills of picturesque Harrisville. Limited Seating to 40. Tickets are $55 per person. Reservations requested at projectshakespeare@gmail.
■Monday, Dec. 23, 5 p.m., The Monadnock Inn, 379 Main St., Jaffrey. Dinner and performance. Limited seating to 40. Tickets are $50 per person. Reservations requested by calling 532-7800.
Intimate three-actor performance on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. Sunflowers Café, 21 Main St., Jaffrey. Limited seating to 30. Tickets $50 per person. Reservations required by calling 593-3303.