DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements '24 I => Topic started by: PennyDreadful on November 21, 2021, 07:01:56 PM
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At long last, the DS cast version of 'A Christmas Carol' is going to be a reality! [clap2]
Methinks this will be the stuff of legend...
(https://i.imgur.com/QARZ2J6.jpg)
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Alexandra Moltke Isles and David Henesy are participating?! Those are huge coups!!
Thanks so much for sharing the info, PennyDreadful. [hall2_smiley]
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Is this the first acting that either of them has done in decades?
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Wow this is wonderful news thanks for letting us know.
Love, Anne ❤️😘
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How exciting! I remember learning on this forum many years ago that Dan Curtis had wanted to use the DS cast for "A Christmas Carol" production. I seem to think that the idea was that it would replace one regular episode of DS.
What a dream cast assembled here - though I would picture Mr. Frid as Ebenezer Scrooge if only that were possible!
Are these radio productions usually released on CD?
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Unless I'm mistaken, this look likes it's going to be a video because the ad says a Zoom link is coming. It should be something similar to last year's Halloween chat, except for the most part the stars will be performing A Christmas Carol rather than simply chatting...
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On one of KLS's cameos, she made it sound like they already did the play because she mentioned Jerry Lacy joining them and being a great Marley. So either she was post dating the cameo for the recipient to receive later or they already recorded it and wanted to make sure no technical difficulties this time ( David Henesy had a bad connection last time.) Will see how it all comes together online but should be fun to watch.
I kind of thought Lacy would be Scrooge but guess that will be Selby. Maybe Mitch as Cratchit, Storm as ghost of Christmas past and David Henesy as Tiny Tim.... Lol.
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This is going to be great, seeing many of the DS actors performing in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” We never really saw the DS actors perform in any Christmas-oriented episodes on the original series. I always wanted them to have the Collinwood drawing room to be decorated for Christmas with an eight-foot-tall Maine tree. The colorful Christmas stockings would be hanging by the majestic fireplace. Of course, the drawing room piano would be resplendent with a woodlands berry centerpiece from L.L. Bean of Freeport, Maine. And, speaking of the piano, wouldn’t it be great to hear Louis Edmonds (as the unfailingly convivial Roger Collins) singing Christmas songs with his favorite niece, Carolyn “Kitten” Stoddard, accompanying Uncle Roger on the piano?
Regarding the upcoming DS production of “A Christmas Carol,” I noticed that Patrick has mentioned that Jerry Lacy will be portraying Jacob Marley with David Selby taking on the role of the querulous and parsimonious Ebenezer Scrooge. Since Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge’s faithful and long-suffering chairwoman, is an important character, because she deals with both the initially miserly Scrooge and the joyously reformed Scrooge, I suppose KLS will assume the role. Incidentally, in the 1951 film, “Scrooge,” considered to be the definitive film version of the Dickens classic, Mrs. Dilber is performed by British actress Kathleen Harrison. The late, great Patrick MacNee, who portrayed young Jacob Marley in the same film, said that Ms. Harrison was one of England’s great character actresses. So, Ms. Scott has large shoes to fill.
As to some of the other key roles, I could see James Storm as the kindly Bob Cratchit with Marie Wallace as Mrs. Cratchit. David Henesy, being the youngest cast member (at age 65!) will portray Tiny Tim. (Boy, does THAT make me feel old!)
Perhaps Alexandra Isles will portray Fan “Fanny” Scrooge, Ebenezer’s beloved sister, who dies much too young
in childbirth? Lara Parker might portray Alice, Ebenezer’s gentle and selfless wife, whom the cold and curmudgeonly Scrooge divorces and, later, lives to deeply regret it.
Mitchel Ryan would be terrific as the Ghost of Christmas Past. And if we could see some the deceased DS actors portray some Dickens characters, wouldn’t the distinguished Thayer David be absolutely superb as the larger-than-life of Christmas Present? The Ghost of Christmas Future doesn’t have much to do in the story. Maybe the ubiquitous Richie Halpern could assume that role?
Finally, wouldn’t it be great to see Dark Shadows’ first romantic couple, Joe Haskell and Carolyn Stoddard, a/k/a Joel Crothers and Nancy Barrett, portraying, respectively, Fred, Ebenezer’s estranged nephew, and Fred’s lovely wife?
I understand that Joel Crothers was an expert on Charles Dickens’ novels from Mr. Crothers’ days as an undergraduate student at Harvard University.
Oh, yeah, I could also see Denise Nickerson, Kathy Cody and Michael Maitland as Tiny Tim’s siblings. I look forward to seeing the DS cast in this classic Christmas tale.
Bob
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Here's a new video with information about the show, courtesy of Ansel H. Faraj and Richard Halpern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fghhlRDRx5Y&feature=youtu.be
(https://i.imgur.com/j8Qqz1o.png)
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Kathryn Leigh Scott, Ansel H. Faraj, and Rich Halpern joined me on my DS podcast to discuss the event! The Zoom video version was a lot of fun, so I'm posting video for the first time with this episode. [santa_smiley]
YOUTUBE VERSION:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HEVKjdrvVA
(https://i.imgur.com/7Xv2Hve.jpg)
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I'm so disappointed I won't be able to watch live this evening ... but I'll be looking for the performance later.
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This is just absolutely wonderful. Another huge feather in David Selby's cap, to be sure! [santa_thumb]
And spot on casting of the other roles. It was definitely fun to see David Selby and Alexandra Motke Isle interact because that's something they never did on the show because she had left before he came on. And what a departure with a bearded Tiny Tim. [santa_wink]
Also, loved the use of some of my favorite NoDS music. Marie Wallace's hat was too funny, and I never thought anyone else would outdo it, well, until I saw Mitch Ryan's as the Ghost of Christmas Present! [santa_cheesy]
Something well worth watching and something that will be well worth returning to in future Christmas seasons...
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I didn't get a chance to get it yesterday - I'm assuming it is or will be available.
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[pointing-up] Josette (and anyone else who might like to watch), go here:
A DARK SHADOWS CHRISTMAS CAROL (2021) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyHVM2Wl2no)
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Thanks, MB!!
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Thank you, MB!!
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This probably won't come as a surprise to anyone but even though I own all the DS DVDs, I still haven't watched all the extras on all of them. Though while doing the screen captures of the eps for the MUST Slideshow I do check out some of the interviews if I see a disc has one and I have the time to watch it. Just a short while ago I watched the Alexandra Moltke interview that's on Disc #3 of The Beginning Collection 1 (Disc #3 of The Complete Original Series boxed set). In often warm and glowing terms she talks about many of the actors that she worked with on the show, many of whom she worked with on this production. It's really quite a fun and interesting interview, and if you've never seen it, I suggest watching it as soon as you're able to.
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MB,
I remember reading an interview in which Ms. Moltke expressed great admiration for the late Thayer David as both an actor and a gentleman.
Apparently, during the first year episodes, Ms. Moltke and Mr. David spent a lot of time together, while filming those episodes where Vicky is tied up with the crazed Matthew Morgan in that secret room behind the bookshelf in the drawing room of the Old House.
Ms. Moltke remembered that Mr. David was quite the intellectual, whose extensive knowledge of many subjects was very impressive. She enjoyed discussing so many topics with the Harvard University-educated Mr. David.
It’s funny, but when I saw 1797 DS episodes for the first time, and Vicky meets Ben Stokes for the first time in the Old House, she screams out in great terror, “Matthew Morgan!” Well, I sat there, wondering, “Who’s Matthew Morgan?” as I had never seen the “pre-Barnabas” episodes before.
As I recall, poor, innocent Ben quickly got into trouble with the imperious Joshua Collins for having had the chutzpah to even speak with a young woman in the Old House. Of course, the lovely and saintly Vicky feels terrible for getting Ben into trouble with the Ebenezer Scrooge of Collinsport.
Although, later the noble and selfless Ben befriends Vicky and he and Barnabas do all they can to help and protect Vicky from the loathsome Rev. Trask.