A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley

After 45 years of teaching speech and drama at Tyler Junior College, Clarence Strickland will be on the TCTC stage as the narrator, Jacob Marley, in TCTC’s December production, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley. TCTC has staged Charles Dickens’ classic several times, each with a different adaptation. This version, adapted by Israel Horovitz, features Marley as the narrator throughout. Cast as the other title character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is Steve Swords of Lindale. Both are newcomers to TCTC Besides Strickland and Swords, the large cast includes 11 other persons making their TCTC debut.Several actors will play multiple roles, but their principal identities are listed below. The Cratchit family members will be played by Bob Cloos of Tyler (Mr. Cratchit), Kayla Belk of Tyler (Mrs. Cratchit), Donna Cloos of Tyler (Martha), Hunter Regian of Tyler (Peter), Kirby Lemon of Tyler (Belinda), JJ VanDeventer of Tyler (Emily), and Noah Jackson of Flint (Tiny Tim). Seen as the three ghosts who visit Scrooge will be Kelsey LaFerney of Tyler as Christmas Past, Rob Carter of Tyler as Christmas Present, and Grady Davis of Tyler as Christmas Yet to Come. Characters in Scrooge’s Christmases Past include Bryn Birt of Ben Wheeler (Belle), Sampson Cukier of Tyler (Dick Wilkins), Jordan Gilpin of Tyler (Young Scrooge), Stuart Gilpin of Tyler (Fezziwig), and Faith Wilkerson of Tyler (Fan). Characters in Scrooge’s Christmas Present include Kenny Davis of Tyler (Scrooge’s nephew, Fred), Lydia Groth of Tyler (Want), Hannah Jacobsen of Big Sandy (Fred’s wife, Caroline), Nathan Steele of Winona (street boy), Spencer Webb of Tyler (Ignorance), and Cheryl Weber of Lindale (collector). Characters in Scrooge’s Christmases Yet to Come include Kat Cloos of Tyler (charwoman), Don Gipson of Tyler (Joe), Manny Gurrola of Tyler (undertaker), and Lexie Rains of Flint (Mrs. Dilber). Onstage as holiday shoppers and guests at the Fezziwigs’ party will be Rebekah Groth of Tyler, Jacob Mangum of Whitehouse, Benjamin Stacey of Tyler, Noah Tew of Lindale, and Melanie Webb of Tyler.