ONE NIGHT ONLY! Tom returns to Studio5 for a staged reading of his beautiful novel, telling Dickens' famous tale from the perspective of Scrooge's former business partner. Last year's show was a smash!
Tickets: $20-25, Students $15-20. Appropriate for ages 12+. Click HERE for tickets.
LARRY SCHANKER TO JOIN TOM MULA!
Before I tell you about Tom's show, let me give you the very late-breaking news that joining Tom onstage will be Chicago theater music legend, Larry Schanker, providing a live, improvised score at the piano! This truly all came about in the past several days. Larry composed the beautiful score for Tom's original production of this piece, and you might recall that Larry was just here a couple of weeks ago accompanying silent films. We are excited beyond words at this late addition to what is already one of our favorite Studio5 events!
Béa and I have known Tom Mula almost as long as we've known each other. Tom is a brilliant actor/director/playwright, who, among many other accomplishments, portrayed Scrooge in the Goodman Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol" for seven years. Béa choreographed that show for ten years, which is how she got to know Tom. My friendship with Tom also extends back decades. He and I were co-writers on two theater productions, "Sylvia's Real Good Advice" (written with and based on the cartoon strip by Nicole Hollander), and "W!" (based on the presidency of George W. Bush). During Tom's run as Scrooge at the Goodman, a young girl who had seen the show told Tom that she thought Jacob Marley got a bad deal: Marley came back as a tormented ghost to tell Scrooge to change his ways in order to avoid his own fate, but Marley himself had no chance at redemption. Tom hadn't considered this, but agreed, and set out to correct the record. His beautiful novel, "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol", tells Dickens' famous tale from Marley's perspective. This impeccable story was a critical smash and has had many lives: Tom's recording of his reading of the novel was broadcast on NPR nationally for six years. Tom has performed the story across the country (including here at the Goodman) as a one-man play, and has adapted it for the stage for larger ensembles. All in all it has had over 400 productions, in 48 states, on four continents. And it is now available as an audiobook. Click HERE to view it at Audible.com.
We are honored that this event has become a Studio5 holiday tradition. For one special night we have Tom all to ourselves as he takes the Studio5 stage to perform an intimate reading of this inspiring, funny, deeply touching story. And this year, with the addition of Larry Schanker's live score, it will be an experience unlike any we've presented at Studio5. We hope you can join us to experience this master storyteller up close, and by all means, bring your family (appropriate for ages 12 and up).
We get it. This season is a busy one. But trust me, if you include this event in your holiday activities you will leave feeling enriched, and hopeful. At this point, can't we all use that? –SR
Cash bar, light snacks, free parking right outside. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain. Click below for a brief video preview: