A Christmas Story
The #1 Christmas movie of all time comes to The Rep stage this holiday as one of the most popular shows this season!
A Christmas Story
Adapted by Philip Grecian
Based on the Motion Picture by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark
“Pay What You Can” Night: Dec. 1 | Curtain 7 p.m.
Preview Performances: Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 | Curtain 7 p.m.
Pre-Show Director Talk 6:15 p.m.- 6:45 p.m. in the Theatre
Run: Dec. 3 – Dec. 26
Times: All Evening Curtains 7 p.m.
Saturday Matinees at 2 p.m.
Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m.
Ticket Info: Advance Tickets: $10 off A Seating, $5 off B Seating
Advance Tickets start at $20 - $40. Advance Tickets are on sale now until Opening Day and cannot be combined with any other discount.
Regular tickets go on sale Dec. 3 and start at $25 - $50.
Call The Rep Box Office at (501) 378-0405 or visit www.therep.org for complete ticketing details.
(Little Rock, Arkansas) - The #1 Christmas movie of all time comes to The Rep stage this holiday as one of the most popular shows this season, and it's packed as dense as a fruitcake with local flavor.
A Christmas Story is the 1983 comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd. The film has since become a holiday classic. On December 24, 2007, AOL ranked the film their #1 Christmas movie of all time. In the year 2000, an authorized stage play adaptation of A Christmas Story was written by Philip Grecian and is produced widely each Christmas season.
Nearly everyone knows the story: Nine-year-old Ralphie Parker wants only one thing for Christmas: an official Red Ryder BB gun. Between run-ins with his younger brother Randy and having to handle school bully Scut Farkus, Ralphie does not know how he will ever survive long enough to get the BB gun for Christmas.
Jason Harper, a familiar face around Little Rock, stars as the narrator adult Ralph "Ralphie" Parker in The Rep's production. Harper woke up Arkansas for eight years as a morning television host at KATV and is appearing on The Rep MainStage for the first time.
Cole Ewing, a Little Rock 7th grader and actor in The Rep's Young Artist program, also appears on The Rep MainStage for the first time as young Ralph, or "Ralphie" as he's affectionately known.
"Every year we watch this movie as a family," says Harper. "I feel like a kid when I watch it. In fact, I shot everything with a BB gun. I once shot a basketball from a foot away. I still have the scar on my forehead."
Rep Resident Director and Director of Education Nicole Capri takes the helm as director of the production, bringing with her several talented cast members from previous Rep Young Artist productions, including Matthew Carey as the yellow-eyed bully "Scut Farkus," Spencer Davis as "Flick" and John Logan Darr as little brother "Randy."
“The charm and appeal of A Christmas Story is in its simplicity,” says Capri. “It’s a holiday story of the not-too-distant past, before video games, smart phones and emails to Santa. In this show, we realize we are all still kids at heart.”
Bill Timoney as the "Old Man" and Georgette Rilley Timoney as "Mother" round out the cast as Ralphie's parents, along with Laura Medford as "Miss Shields," C.J Fowler as "Grover Dill," Abby Stroud as "Emily Jane," Marina Redlich as "Esther Jane" and Damon McKinnis as "Schwartz."
And then there’s the real star of show: the "official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time!" Red Ryder BB guns are manufactured at Daisy Manufacturing in Rogers, Arkansas. In 2008, Daisy Manufacturing celebrated 50 years at its Rogers location, and a Daisy Airgun Museum has been located near the factory since 2004.
In addition to an official Red Ryder BB gun, The Rep’s production will also feature the infamous leg lamp, a pink bunny suit, a frozen flagpole, an exploding furnace, a department store slide and plenty of mashed potato plate flinging, and that's just for starters.
The Rep's production of A Christmas Story runs from December 3 - December 26. Advance tickets range from $20 - $40. Regular tickets go on sale December 3 and range from $25 - $50.
THE DIRECTOR
Nicole Capri (Resident Director and Director of Education) began her professional theatre career as an intern at The Rep in 1988. Almost twenty years later, she returned to The Rep as Resident Director and Director of Education. Now in its 6th successful year, Nicole is also the founder and director of The Rep's Summer Musical Theatre Intensive training program for young artists - the fastest growing program in the history of The Rep. A graduate of The University of Memphis and The National Theatre of the Deaf's professional training school, Nicole has directed and/or choreographed more than 100 productions. Favorite credits include Eve in The Apple Tree (Fairmount Theatre of the Deaf/Cleveland Playhouse/International Tour), "Best Performance" (First International Theatre Festival, Volgograd, Russia), Ram In The Thicket (Off Broadway/Judith Anderson Theatre), "Critics Choice Award" Mary in The Miracle Play and Director/Choreographer/Editor for the world premiere of Rich Mullins' Canticle of the Plains. However, Nicole's favorite credit to date is working with the amazing and talented young artists at The Rep!
Featured CAST
Jason Harper (Ralph) is honored to be playing Ralph in A Christmas Story. Since his younger days of trying to blow up a rubber basketball with a BB gun and almost shooting his eye out, he feels a certain connection to the character. He’s been hosting “FLW Outdoors” on the Versus Channel since January of 2008. Although, he admits, he’s still a rookie in the sport of professional bass fishing, he’s not new to a live audience. He woke Arkansas up for eight years as a morning television host at KATV. Jason attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in the area of Commercial Music and Music Business.
Cole Ewing (Ralphie) is a 7th grader at Arkansas Baptist High School. This is Cole's first MainStage production at The Rep and he's excited and thankful to be able to participate. Cole would love to be an actor when he grows up and has already been in multiple theatre productions at the Arkansas Arts Center Children's Theatre. You may have recently seen Cole in the Rep's summer production of Review the Revue.
John Logan Darr (Randy) is 7 years old and in the second grade at Jefferson Elementary School. He is so excited about his first on-stage experience at The Rep, having sat in the audience since he could barely walk for every single one of the SMTI shows. He would like to thank all of his family for their support, and the most awesome director in the world for this opportunity. He hopes this experience will give him an inside track on how to handle paparazzi and how to meet Selena Gomez.
Matthew Carey (Scut Farkus) Matthew Carey is twelve years old and attends seventh grade at Pulaski Academy. His previous experiences in the theatre include Annie (Bert Healy) at Pulaski Academy, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Sonny), If You Sing It, They Will Come, Follie Holidays, and Review the Revue here at the Rep. He has also been in church choir since he was in kindergarten and bell choir since he was in fourth grade. He enjoys singing, acting, travel, and reading.
Bill Timoney (Old Man) appeared earlier this year Off-Broadway in The Irish Curse, and in the world premiere of Picking Palin at FringeNYC 2010. A New Jersey native, Bill’s home state stage appearances include NJ Rep, Shadow Lawn Stage, the Bickford Theatre, the Celtic Theatre Company, and The Black Box of Asbury Park. TV: Malcolm in the Middle, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Lipstick Jungle, Guiding Light, and several years on All My Children as “Alfred Vanderpool.” Bill is a veteran voice-actor who can be heard in hundreds of movies, TV shows, and animated programs. He is the voice of the spacecraft computer in the Disney movie Mission To Mars, and the World War II newsreel narrator in Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front. He specializes in dubbing Japanese animation – aka “anime” – into English. Fans of the genre know Bill as “Parn,” the hero of the anime shows Record of Lodoss War and Chronicles of the Heroic Knight. He also voices several recurring roles on the popular TV show Pokemon.
Georgette Rilley Timoney (Mother) most recently appeared on-stage in the world premiere of Picking Palin at the 2010 NYC Fringe Festival. Her other stage credits include Fast Girls (American Stage Company), Don't Dress for Dinner (Bristol Valley Theatre), The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 (Bickford Theater), Private Eyes (12 Miles West), and Shadow Lawn Stage’s The Odd Couple, the USA premiere of the Irish play The Way You Look Tonight, and Chapter Two with three-time Emmy® Award-winner Bryan Cranston (TV’s Breaking Bad). Georgette’s 17 appearances with the Celtic Theater Company include The Weir, The Playboy of the Western World, and The Field. Georgette’s vocal talents can be heard in such animated programs as Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Gokudo: Witches Extraordinaire, and the popular TV cartoon series Pokemon.
ARTISTIC AND TECHNICAL TEAM
The Rep’s artistic and technical team for A Christmas Story includes Nicole Capri (Director), Rafael Colon Castanera (Production Manager), Shelly Hall (Costume Designer), Lynda J. Kwallek (Properties Designer), Mike Nichols (Set Designer), Jason Pruzin (Sound Designer) and Andrew Meyers (Lighting Designer).
Performances & Special Events
THE FOUR REPS
The Four Reps will entertain patrons in the lobby before performances of A Christmas Story with a repertoire of classic holiday favorites.
The Four Reps is an a cappella barbershop quartet featuring Rep Young Artists (l to r) Henry Melhorn, Jack Dowden, Matthew Morley and Charlie Askew.
The Four Reps have been traveling central Arkansas performing since the summer of 2009, including appearances at the Governor’s Mansion, Barton Coliseum and Little Rock City Hall.
Special Performance Dec. 13
The Four Reps will also perform in a special holiday concert with guests The Little Rock Company on Monday, December 13 at 7 p.m. on The Rep MainStage.
The Four Reps will entertain with classic holiday music and audience favorites from their repertoire. The Little Rock Company is an a cappella vocal group specializing in vintage and current holiday favorites. Tickets to the holiday concert can be purchased by calling The Rep Box Office at (501) 378-0405. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students.
NOW SERVING: SUFFICIENT GROUNDS
Local coffee shop Sufficient Grounds will serve specialty coffees and hot chocolate in The Rep lobby during the run of A Christmas Story.
PREVIEW PERFORMANCES
December 1 | 7 p.m.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette presents The Rep’s “Pay What You Can Night” on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Patrons can pay any amount they wish for their ticket. Tickets must be purchased in person at the Box Office at 601 Main Street the day of the performance. The Box Office will be open from 9 a.m. until curtain. Tickets are limited to (2) two per person. Offer is based on seating availability.
Wednesday, Dec. 1 | 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 2 | 7 p.m.
A Christmas Story previews are Wednesday and Thursday nights, and include a pre-show discussion at 6:15 p.m. in the Theatre with A Christmas Story Director Nicole Capri.
OPENING NIGHT
Friday, Dec. 3 | 7 p.m.
Opening Night for A Christmas Story will include a performance by The Four Reps in the lobby at 6:00 p.m., with additional performances throughout the run of A Christmas Story.
Opening Night will also include a post-show reception with A Christmas Story cast immediately following the show. Complementary champagne and light hors d'oeuvres will be provided.
PERFORMANCE RUN
A Christmas Story will run for four weeks, with Preview Performances on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2, Opening Night performance on Dec. 3, and performances through December 26, Wednesday through Sunday.
Wednesday, Dec. 8
Performance Interpreted for the Hearing Impaired
Tickets
Advance Tickets are on sale now and include a discount of $10 off A Seating and $5 off B Seating. Advance Ticket discounts cannot be combined with any other discount. Advance Tickets start at $20 - $40 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (501) 378-0405 or by buying online at https://tickets.therep.org. Regular tickets go on sale on Dec. 3 and start at $25 - $50.
“Pay What You Can” Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and must be purchased in person at 601 Main Street.
Group Tickets are on sale now and available for groups of 10 or more. Group tickets can be purchased by contacting Jeff Roper, Group Sales Manager, at (501) 378-0405.
Call The Rep Box Office at (501) 378-0405 or visit www.therep.org for complete ticketing details.
THE REP
Founded in 1976, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the state’s largest nonprofit professional theatre company. A member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT D), The Rep has produced more than 300 productions, including 40 world premieres, in its historic building located in downtown Little Rock. Producing Artistic Director, Robert Hupp leads a resident staff of designers, technicians and administrators in the creation of eight to ten productions for an annual audience in excess of 70,000 for MainStage productions, educational programming and touring. For more information, visit www.therep.org.
