Photo Credit: AKA Photography
By Lauren Boykin, NTPA | Contributor
North Texas Performing Arts (NTPA) announces that Plano resident Darrell Rodenbaugh, who has played the title role of Scrooge since the tradition began in 2011, is again taking the stage in its 10th annual Christmas celebration of Scrooge – The Musical presented by Transamerica. The musical runs December 9 – 20, 2020 at NTPA in the Rodenbaugh Theatre at Willow Bend Center of the Arts, 6121 W. Park Blvd. in Plano.
For this year’s milestone 10th anniversary of Scrooge – The Musical, and to accommodate COVID-19 concerns, NTPA will offer audiences an option to view Scrooge – The Musical at the theater with limited seating or from the comfort of their own home with a livestream high-quality video experience.
Since 2011 and by the end of this year’s schedule, Rodenbaugh will have taken the stage 80 times, attended by over 10,000 patrons. Over a decade, Rodenbaugh has dedicated an estimated 2,000 rehearsal/practice hours into this role and Scrooge – The Musical productions.
“I come back each year because I believe in Scrooge’s very special message of rebirth and redemption.”
Explains Rodenbaugh, “It (Scrooge) teaches us that we have the opportunity to start our lives all over again and change for the better, and now, more than ever, we need this positive message of history’s second greatest Christmas Story.”
Rodenbaugh’s performances have been described in the Dallas Morning News as “brilliant … robust and passionate,” and the show continues to gain each year in its following with many patrons making it a Christmas tradition to see NTPA’s Scrooge – The Musical.
“You might think after ten years he would ease off, but each year he pushes to make it bigger and better,” says the shows Director Mike Mazur. And while he has brought the role to life so many times, each year he re-auditions and earns his spot, then goes on to become one of the hardest working members of the cast. The result each year is a group of actors who are more than a cast… we become a family.”
In this year’s special production, Darrell will be joined by his son Christopher Rodenbaugh as Young Scrooge, who played the role from its opening season through 2016. Unable to perform in the production since 2017 due to attending an out-of-state college, Christopher is excited to reprise the role once again this year.
“Darrell continues to re-invent this character each year with such attention to detail,” says Plano Children’s Theatre Founder and four-time Scrooge Director Sara Akers who is now NTPA’s VP of Community Affairs. “He effectively brings us from hating him to celebrating with him at the end, and the entire performance is a true delight!”
Since reopening in June, North Texas Performing Arts has adopted a strict protocol of mask requirements, safe social distance guidelines, and health checks. Theatre seating is limited to enable distancing between groups in compliance with the Governor’s guidelines, and streaming is available to those preferring to view these performances online. Patrons, staff and actors must wear protective masks at all times (including onstage), and no more than 25 performers at a time are permitted on a safe socially distant stage.
In its exciting tenth anniversary production of Scrooge – The Musical, this North Texas Christmas tradition has been critically acclaimed and historically plays to sold-out crowds. The show regularly tops regional “must-see” event lists for the Christmas season. Scrooge closely follows the plot of Charles Dickens’ acclaimed book, A Christmas Carol. The movie adaptation received four Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globe nominations. Scrooge was written by award-winning songwriter Leslie Bricusse, creator of the musical versions of Jekyll & Hyde and Willy Wonka.
This year’s production is directed by award-winning and off-Broadway and international performer Mike Mazur, with support from the show’s Music and Children’s Director, NTPA Resident Director Kaitlyn Wright, and Choreographer, award-winning NTPA Resident Director Hannah Makepeace.
Scrooge – The Musical is sponsored in part by the City of Plano and Transamerica.
NTPA’s Scrooge – The Musical will offer 14 performances between December 9 – 20, with two “Gift to the Community” performances December 9 and 16 in the Rodenbaugh Theatre at Willow Bend Center of the Arts in The Shops at Willow Bend Mall at 6121 W. Park Blvd., Plano, TX 75093.
Scrooge – The Musical
Cost: $20
For tickets: https://northtexasperformingarts.org/event/scrooge
Performances:
- Wednesday, December 9, GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY Performance 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 10, 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 11, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, December 13, 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 16, GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY Performance 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 17, 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 18, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 19, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, December 20, 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
For more information and showtimes, click here.
About North Texas Performing Arts:
North Texas Performing Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to developing the character of youth through quality performing arts education and family entertainment evolving from the Plano Children’s Theatre created three decades ago by Sara Akers. NTPA is Headquartered at Willow Bend Center of the Arts in Plano and has theatres in Fairview, Frisco, and Dallas. Each year NTPA provides opportunities to more than 11,000 youth ages three to 18 years old to experience the impact of the performing arts through its “learning lab” training process.
Photo Credit: AKA Photography
Photo Credit: AKA Photography
