This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of Cincinnati’s primo holiday traditions: Playhouse in the Park’s annual staging of A ChristmasCarol, which was faithfully adapted by Howard Dallin from the Charles Dickens classic.
Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge, center) celebrates with Ty Joseph Shelton (Tiny Tim) and the rest of the cast of A Christmas Carol in the finale of the 2014 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
To ring in the occasion, the Playhouse shared some of their favorite photos of the production—specifically of the large group of children that rounds out the cast each season. The show has Actors Equity status, which means that most of its 29 actors are members of the professional actors’ union and are based in New York City. But as a gesture to its home city, the Playhouse opens up nine roles to local children (who don’t have to be union members). The local children from those first years of A Christmas Carol would now be in their early- to mid-30s.
Scroll through our gallery to see the children of A Christmas Carol:
Alan Mixon (Ebenezer Scrooge) with Michael Ingram (George) in the Playhouse’s second annual production of A Christmas Carol in 1992.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Michael Ingram (Boy Scrooge, center) with Kristen Schwarz (Fan, right) in the 1993 production. Background: Alan Mixon as Ebenezer Scrooge, left; Dorrie Joiner as Ghost of Christmas Past, second from left.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
The Cratchit family in the 1994 production, left to right: Kristen Schwarz (Belinda Cratchit), Ben Sands (Peter Cratchit), Sarah G. Fischer (Martha Cratchit), Dale Hodges (Mrs. Cratchit), Patrick Frederic (Bob Cratchit), Christopher Bissonnette (Tiny Tim).
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Andrew Chaney (Peter Cratchit, left) and Kristen Schwarz (Belinda Cratchit, right) in the 1995 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
In the 1997 production Sam Rosenthal (left) portrayed George and Joneal Joplin (right) took over the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Girls at the Fezziwig party in the 1999 production, left to right: Mary Jesse Price, Susan Baker, and Cherylanna Schaeper.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
The Cratchit family in the 2000 production, left to right: Mary Jesse Price (Martha Cratchit), Dustin M. Hicks (Peter Cratchit), Adam Weinel (Tiny Tim), Regina Pugh (Mrs. Cratchit) and Bob Cratchit (Bruce Cromer). Background: Mark Mineart (Ghost of Christmas Present) and Joneal Joplin (Ebenezer Scrooge).
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Joneal Joplin (Ebenezer Scrooge, left) observes his former classmates and his younger self in the 2001 production, left to right: Aaron Mayo (Charles), Dustin M. Hicks (Gregory), A.J. Grubbs (Boy Scrooge, foreground), and Nathan Wallace (Matthew).
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
The 2002 production’s finale, left to right: Dustin M. Hicks (Peter Cratchit), Sloan Thacker (Martha Cratchit) and McKenzie Miller (Belinda Cratchit), with Bruce Cromer as Bob Cratchit, and Regina Pugh as Mrs. Cratchit.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Corri Elizabeth Johnson (Fan) greets Evan Martin (Boy Scrooge) as Joneal Joplin (Ebenezer Scrooge) looks on in the 2004 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
The Cratchit family in the 2005 production, left to right: McKenzie Miller (Martha Cratchit), Jo Ellen Pellman (Belinda Cratchit), Andy Prosky (Bob Cratchit), Regina Pugh (Mrs. Cratchit), and Cullen Cornelius Arbaugh (Peter Cratchit).
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge, left) practices his social graces with Christian M. Spaulding (George) in the 2007 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Boys at the Fezziwig party in the 2008 production, left to right: Richard Lowenburg, Eben Franckewitz, and Methani Ran.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Javier Gresham (George) interact with the Poulterer (Matthew David Gellin) in the 2010 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
In the 2012 production, Ignorance (Joseph Forest Lennon Hamzy, right) and Want (Aubrey Elizabeth Jones, left) confront Ebenezer Scrooge.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Allison Edwards (Fan, second from left) greets Ethan Verderber (Boy Scrooge, second from right) as Raye Lankford (Ghost of Christmas Past, left) and Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge, right) observe in the 2013 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge, center) celebrates with Ty Joseph Shelton (Tiny Tim) and the rest of the cast of A Christmas Carol in the finale of the 2014 production.
Photographs by Sandy Underwood
The 25th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol runs in the Playhouse’s Robert S. Marx Theatre through Dec. 30.
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