(Actor Beatty Barnes Jr. will reprise the role of Ebenezer Scrooge)
By Jerome Langston
“I’m a therapist by day, and a theater director by night,” says Maryanne Kiley, very early in our recent phone chat, about her job as director of Virginia Stage Company’s A Merry Little Christmas Carol, the celebrated theater company’s long-running annual tradition, which reliably packs audiences into Norfolk’s historic Wells Theatre, each and every year. Maryanne is indeed also a licensed psychotherapist, and she has worked in private practice in New York City. The Mark Shanahan adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic will run again in rep with his A Sherlock Carol, which this year will feature Steve Pacek back as director. Virginia Stage Company was the first American theatre to produce both shows in repertory, a feat that occurred just last season to much acclaim and success. Now we’re in season 47, and both shows have become a central part of the area’s annual Christmas holiday theatrical fare.
The ten-person cast of this year’s Christmas Carol are in their second day of rehearsals, and Maryanne shares that she’s already excited about what has transpired thus far, and for what’s to come. This is her first big equity production that she’s lead directing, following lauded prior work with the Generic Theater, and her prior AD gig with season 46’s Arsenic and Old Lace. I’m intrigued by the idea of a serious, licensed therapist, also directing local theater here in Hampton Roads. “I think they’re very similar. Theater is about exploring the human condition in a room with hundreds of people. And therapy is about exploring the human experience in a room with one person,” she says. “The story of A Christmas Carol is about a man reckoning with his childhood, and his past, and all of his old wounds… and trying to figure out if he can change, and live a better life,” continues Maryanne. “That is exactly what therapy is.”
The therapist/director’s life is also a beautiful example of how we can pivot, especially in mid-life… into a whole new life of increased purpose, career fulfillment, and all the things that encompass living fully. She shares with me that coming out of the pandemic, it made her really take stock of her life. Soon after that she was auditioning for roles at her hometown community theatre in Cape Charles, Virginia, and eventually earned a role in VSC’s epic production of Fiddler on the Roof, which launched season 45. Maryanne also understudied the entire cast of roles for Christmas Carol, in the two prior seasons, allowing her to really learn the show — and especially Tom Quaintance’s approach to directing the holiday classic. “When I was an understudy, I got to watch how he built the show,” she says. “I really respect Tom as like a directing mentor. So I have asked him to come see all the shows I direct.” And VSC’s producing Artistic Director, and long-time theater director, has apparently been very generous in providing her with meaningful, constructive notes.
When Charles Dickens first published A Christmas Carol way back in 1843, in London – he introduced the world to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser, who is visited by the three ghosts of Christmas. That experience leads to his eventual transformation into a kinder, more empathetic, generous version of himself. The Dickens classic remains one of the most popular in our literary canon and has led to almost countless adaptations for the stage and screen, since its initial publication nearly two centuries ago. Mark’s adaptation is superb — and has earned enthusiastic praise from respected media covering regional productions, that have produced his refined take on the iconic work.
Actor Beatty Barnes Jr. will reprise the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in this year’s production. The well-known stand-up comedian and actor has really refined his portrayal of the iconic character, through several seasons now, starring in the role. Other cast members include Scott Wichmann, Patrick Halley, Greg Dragas, and Elena Camp. God bless this cast — as core members also make up the cast of A Sherlock Carol. Maryanne’s vision for the show this year includes having half of the cast being kid actors…and even having them portray some of the adult roles. “I love seeing Beatty interact with kids. There’s something about his comedic timing, when he’s playing off of a young actor, which is just delightful to me,” she says. There’s also a brand-new set this year, and we can expect a lot of special effects that have become a hallmark of this show.
“One thing that I love about working with Virginia Stage is their commitment to really cool stage craft,” says the director, who also teases that there is a “surprise” this year, towards the end of the play. “I love the fact that you can feel the icy cold fog, as it rolls in, on the stage. That you can feel the temperature change…” she adds. And the music featured in the show will also occupy a prominent place in advancing the story. There’s even a new instrument that will be used on stage this year. Maryanne strongly believes in giving the audience a reason to leave the comfort of their homes, as they can just watch movies and shows using one of the many streaming services widely available these days. Of course the experience of live theater can’t be replicated in a person’s home, watching their smart TV or content on their laptop — but creating an immersive experience for audiences these days is only a plus. Towards the end of our chat, I ask the play’s new director why Christmas Carol has endured as a popular work of theatre and literature for so long. “I think it taps into this elemental, human craving for stories of rebirth and redemption.”
WANT TO GO?
“A Merry Little Christmas Carol”
Presented by Virginia Stage Company
December 3 –23
Wells Theatre
