Joe Hanreddy talks about The Holiday Season and A CHRISTMAS CAROL

It’s that time of year when the trees are almost bare, the holiday season is approaching and we’re in rehearsals for three plays designed to take the chill off the advancing Wisconsin winter.

In the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, veteran Milwaukee Rep director J.R. Sullivan will direct virtuoso Rep Resident Acting Company Member Laura Gordon as THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS. For almost half of the 20th century, readers from around the world sought the advice of Midwest native Esther Pauline Lederer, who, under the name of Ann Landers, wrote a syndicated advice column for the Chicago Sun-Times. Topics ranged from the deliciously trivial (the appropriateness of vacuuming in the nude to the proper way to hang a toilet roll), to heartfelt pleas for help with depression, divorce and grief, to the cultural lightning rods of abortion and homosexual unions. David Rambo’s beautifully crafted and respectfully-written play imagines Mrs. Lederer finishing the column that begins: “The sad, incredible fact is that after 36 years of marriage, Julius and I are being divorced.” As she struggles to embrace the one life event that has no easy answers, ‘Eppie’ re-lives with her readers her funniest and most controversial columns. Laura and J.R. are sure to make THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS a fully emotionally-engaging and entertaining evening.

Over in the glorious Pabst Theater, I’m delighted to return to direct our annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL after entrusting the production to Judy Berdan’s capable hands for the last few years. During my time as The Rep’s Artistic Director, working on A CHRISTMAS CAROL has always been a wonderfully joyful, celebratory experience and including it as one of my artistic projects during my last season at the helm was a top priority. Just as the Pabst is one of Milwaukee’s great treasures, actor Jim Pickering is one of The Rep’s great assets, and he will be returning as Ebenezer Scrooge. In past CAROLs, Lee Ernst and Jon Daly have also given us memorable, yet quite different, Scrooges and one of my great joys at The Rep has been to lead an acting ensemble where this demanding role can be so well served by so many members of the same company. As in all of Charles Dickens’ works, A CHRISTMAS CAROL is filled with an array of richly-drawn characters and this year’s production boasts one of the strongest casts we’ve ever assembled, including Lee Ernst making his debut as Jacob Marley. Another notable CAROL debut this year will be Grant Goodman, last season’s Mr. Darcy in our production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, in the key role of Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew, Fred.

And in the Stackner Cabaret, we will be premiering HOLMES AND WATSON: A MUSICAL MYSTERY, a brand new work from Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hilgartner, the writing/composing/directing team that gave us such great Stackner shows as DOGPARK: THE MUSICAL, THEY CAME FROM WAY OUT THERE and CHAPS!. In their newest creation, Holmes and Watson are trapped by their arch nemesis, Moriarty, and must deal with blackmail, murder, mayhem and a secret that has been buried for 20 years. Jahnna and Malcolm have devised a devilishly clever story that takes the legendary duo on a journey from Baker Street to Victorian music halls and back again as they play a desperate game to solve the mystery in time to save their lives. Come see how it all turns out.

All the best for a lovely holiday season and a prosperous and healthy new year.

Joseph Hanreddy, Artistic Director

So what is it about A CHRISTMAS CAROL? Why do people find the story so compelling? Why do you?

It’s the story that best captures the truest and purest spirit of Christmas. Ebenezer Scrooge’s long night with the Ghosts of the Past, Present and Future is a living example of how the practice of charity and compassion can lead to humane working conditions, opportunity and a decent life for all. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is also one of the most hopeful of stories. Ebenezer’s great epiphany is understanding that the man he was in his younger years is not the man he must be forever, and that living a life that takes into account the well being of others is essential to living fully and joyfully. This is the elemental and universal lesson of life, the cornerstone of all religions and the perfect complement to the celebration of Christ’s birth.

There is also a special appeal to experiencing a performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL with loved ones in that the story focuses strongly on the family unit as a wellspring of love and support – a theme we’ve tried to foreground in our stage adaptation.

What company members are in the cast this year? Is anyone joining the cast for the first time?

Jim Pickering is returning to play Ebenezer Scrooge, Torrey Hanson will play Bob Crachit and Gerry Neugent will play Young Scrooge. Lee Ernst, who was a fine Scrooge in a long list of fine Scrooges at The Rep, will play Jacob Marley this year. Jonathan Smoots and Jenny Wanasek will come back to play Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig. Grant Goodman, who was so outstanding as Mr. Darcy in last year’s production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, will play Scrooge’s nephew, Fred – the role that I think embodies the purest spirit of CHRISTMAS. The wonderful Elizabeth Ledo returns to play Fan. Nell Geisslinger, a lovely young actress from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is joining us to play Belle. Timothy Douglas, who has directed past Rep productions of GEM OF THE OCEAN, THE NIGHT IS A CHILD and TROUBLE IN MIND, is also a very talented actor and will play the Ghost of Christmas Past. Actors who have been featured at The Rep, but will be performing in A CHRISTMAS CAROL for the first time, are Wayne Carr, Drew Brhel and Carey Cannon. I’m really looking forward to working with the exceptional cast we’ve assembled this year.