COVID-19, begone! Ye shall not destroy the arts!

My play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge will be produced by Orlando Shakes in a Video on Demand virtual theater experience, from December 10 – 20, 2020.

Some dear friends of mine are in this production. Philip Nolen, who did the original workshop and world premiere of the play, and who has been an inspiration to me for my writing, will play Ebenezer Scrooge. Anne Hering, who I’ve known forever and has been in several of my shows, will play Mrs. Cratchit, Sarah Wainwright, and The Translator (The Ghost of Christmas Future doesn’t speak english after all).  Sarah Hubert, who was in a reading of my play “The Gentleman Thief” and helped me translate the Feydeau play Monsieur Chasse (which became my play A Hunting We Will Go!) will play The Ghost of Christmas Present, Fan, and Belle. And all three are members of my pseudo-virtual-theatre company Quarantine Rep.

Quinton Cockrell and I worked together a lifetime ago at Orlando Shakes. And I have no idea who the other actors are. But they better not blow it. I kid I kid. Or maybe not.

Not a Typical Streaming Production

The show won’t look like your basic Zoom-like meeting. Orlando Shakes is coming up with a cool digital set design. From what I understand, all of the actors received a green screen and lighting. It looks like it’s going to be very cool.

About the Production

Here’s what the press release has to say about the show.

In this laugh-out-loud, twisted take on the holiday classic, it’s one year after A Christmas Carol and Scrooge has returned to his miserly ways… The Ghosts of Christmas are on trial for breaking and entering, kidnapping, slander, pain and suffering, attempted murder, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Both silly and sweet, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge is a heartwarming comedy for the whole family!

“This show is just packed with Christmas cheer and plenty of laughs,” says Jim Helsinger, Orlando Shakes’ artistic director and director of this production. “And it adds a delightful twist to the classic Dickens tale. With this Video on Demand experience, patrons can enjoy theater for the holidays from the safety of their home.”

Dec 10 – 20th.

Tickets cost $15 per person to stream. $10 for students.

Available now by phone (407) 447-1700 ext. 1 or online at orlandoshakes.org.

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COVID-19 be damned. My play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge is full-steam ahead this December at Orlando Shakes in Orlando, FL.

I don’t need to tell you that COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the theatre community (and every other community). But after much planning, Orlando Shakes will produce a video-on-demand production of my play.

Nothing compares to actually being in a theatre, but these are crazy times and I’d love for you to see the show. And the great part is, you don’t need to be in Orlando to see this production. Heck, you don’t even need to be in this country. (And really, let’s face it, we’d all like to be in New Zealand right now).

Video on demand is available December 10 – 20. Tickets are on sale now! 

Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Don’t ingest Clorox.

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The great thing about having a Christmas show along with other scripts means that this is the most wonderful time of year for productions of my shows. This holiday season has been a busy one. December 6 is a particularly busy day. I have 5 productions opening that night. I’m very grateful for theatre choosing to do my shows.. Here are some of the productions around ye olde globe.

December 3 – 22. Around the World in 80 Days at the Istanbul State Theatre in Istanbul, Turkey

December 6 – 15. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at Sapulpa Community Theatre in Sapulpa, OK.

December 6 – 22. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at Clarion Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, CA

December 6 – 22. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at Peninsula Community Theatre in Newport News, VA

December 6 – 15. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at Epping Community Theater in Epping, NH

December 6 – 15. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Evendale Bell Tower Center in Cincinnati, OH

December 10 – 28. Around the World in 80 Days at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West, FL.

December 12 – 14. Around the World in 80 Days at Mansfield Timberview HS (I love it when schools do my shows)

December 13 – 22. Around the World in 80 Days at Savannah Rep PLAYShop in Savannah, GA.

December 19 – 29. The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Lake Country Playhouse in Hartland, WI

Last Month

I’m not sure what productions I had last month, but I do know of these two.

The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Volcano Theatre Company in Volcano, CA

The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Southfields Theatre Group in Southfields, England

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What do you do if you don’t like cold weather and hate traveling when there are large crowds at the airport? Well if you’re me you go to Minnesota over the Thanksgiving long weekend. But it was worth it as I was visiting friends at the Commonweal Theatre Company to see their production of The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Three years ago the good folks at the Commonweal Theatre invited me up to see their production of my play Around the World in 80 Days. It was a fantastic production. More importantly I made some good friends while I was there. (A trip where  my friend Jeremy van Meter and I found ourselves at the Miehlisch Turkey Farm, in the middle of nowhere and owned by a lovely German family, to watch Germany play in the finals of the World Cup).

Jeremy and me. He’s the better looking one.

The Unnecessary Travel Details

Well this year I was invited up to see their production of The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. I flew out on Black Friday and came back on Cyber Monday, so I missed most of the insane crowds. I stayed at the Thompson House, a lovely B&B in Lanesboro, MN. If you ever decide to go to Lanesboro, stay at the Thompson House. Owners David and Marti are loads of fun and they make you feel like family.

<– Here I am pretending to be the Third Duke of the Manor of Chigglesybridge.

I attended opening night, gave a wee speech at the opening night party, did salon talks after the matinees on Saturday and Sunday and shot a promo video. And drank a lot of wine. I mean, a lot of wine.

Trying to look like I know what I’m talking about.

The Show

The production was fantastic. The play premiered in 2005 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre and I don’t think I’ve seen a production since then. It was great to see it again.

The show stars Ben Gorman, Jeremy van Meter, Eric Lee, Philip Muehe, Abbie Cathcart, Elizabeth Dunn, Megan Hanks and David Hennessey. It was directed by Hal Cropp. Wine freely poured by Adrienne Sweeney

Here’s a great review of the show.

“The beauty of this production is that it’s a hilarious romp with quirky characters that fill in some blanks of what happened AFTER Scrooge found his heart…“The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge” is a superb show for all ages with a cast that is incredibly talented…see it yet with your family and make some great memories this holiday season.”

A Special Bonus

And a great bonus of my trip was my old high school friend, Jon Smits, drove two hours or so with his wife and son to come see me and the show. It was wonderful to see him. We haven’t changed a bit in 35-or so-years. And we both tried some aquavit at Granny’s Liquor and are huge fans of it now.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone at the Commonweal Theatre for a fantastic visit. I love you all. I can’t wait to come back.

The show runs until Dec 22. Click here for ticket info.

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I’m reading about the best places to get a Rolex, a brief history of the Virgin Islands, and then I get to the calendar of events. And here’s what I see.

December 18 – 20 Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

What!?

I don’t know if I’m more excited to have a production in St. Thomas or that I made it into a tourist guide book.

And I wonder if the girl on the cover made it to the show.

Thanks Pistarckle Theatre for doing one of my shows. I hope it went well.

If I had known before I was sailing to Tortola I would have swung by to say hello.

And if you ever need me to be there for some sort of event I’m sure I could pull myself away from LA to come down there. Cough cough.

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In two weeks I’ll be heading to Tahlequah, OK to the Tahlequah Community Playhouse for its production of Around the World in 80 Days.

Last year the theatre produced The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge and the people running the theatre are foolhardy enough to do another one of my shows.

When I was at TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, AR last November for the opening of its production of Around the World in 80 Days, some people from Tahlequah made the hour drive to come see it.

Everyone at the playhouse is lovely and they are extremely generous to fly me out for a few days. Bryn Smith, the president of Tahlequah Community Playhouse came to see every production of The Quest for Don Quixote when I was at the Arkansas New Play Festival at TheatreSquared. She’s a glutton for punishment.

I’ll be doing a talkback with the audience on opening night and I’ll be speaking at Northeastern State University earlier that day.

Look, it’s me talking to the Department of Languages and Literature. I feel sorry for the kids.

And word has it the mayor of Tahlequah wants to meet me. Please let it be about giving me the key to the city and announcing Mark Brown Day.

If you’re in the area come on out to see me and have a drink or ten.

Tahlequah Daily Press

A duck and cover drill yet they’re still rehearsing. Dedication.

Here’s the story from Tahlequah Daily Press about my visit.

Tahlequah Community Playhouse Inc. will present “Around the World in 80 Days” on Nov. 13-15 and Nov. 20-22 at the Tahlequah Armory Municipal Center Auditorium, 100 N. Water Ave.

The play was written by Mark Brown, based on the novel by Jules Verne. Brown will appear at a TCP member-only event on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 9:30 a.m. in the TAMC. Those interested in becoming members can do so by downloading the form from www.tcpok.com. Membership is $10 for individuals and $15 for a family.

 The author will also give a talk-back presentation after the Nov. 14 evening performance.

Tickets for the dinner theater are $25 for dinner and the show, and $15 for show-only tickets.

TCP is a member of American Association of Community Theatre and Oklahoma Community Theatre Association. The organization meets the last Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at St. Basil Episcopal Church on Vinita St. Check out the TCP website or Facebook Page for more information.

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Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s time to turn our attention to the ultimate holiday season of the year. That time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. And what better way to celebrate that glorious time than with a copy of my play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Start a new tradition by gathering the family by the fireplace and reading the play out loud. Your family will delight in the comedy, the supernatural, and the sweet message of the play.

Mark Brown’s “Hilarious sequel to A Christmas Carol” “Will leave you guffawing and cheering!” And people have said that “If there’s any justice, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge will enjoy a long life in regional theaters for many Christmas seasons to come.”

Mark Brown shows off his “Supreme deconstructionist wit” into this “inventive and delightful…new entry into the holiday canon.”

Buy a copy today. It makes a great Christmas gift, Chanukah gift, and a Kwanza gift.

Here’s the Plot

A year after his miraculous transformation, Ebenezer Scrooge is back to his old ways and is suing Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future for breaking and entering, kidnapping, slander, pain and suffering, attempted murder and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The ghosts employ Solomon Rothschild, England’s most charismatic, savvy, and clever barrister. Scrooge, that old penny pincher, represents himself. One by one, Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s nephew Fred, solicitor and philanthropist Sara Anne Wainwright, and the ghosts themselves take the witness stand to give their account of the night in question.

Will Scrooge win? What will happen to the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future if he does win? Is Christmas itself in jeopardy? And will the Ghost of Christmas Future have a nervous breakdown?

Find out. Buy a copy today.

That wasn’t shameless at all.

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Congratulations to the Circle Theatre Company for their successful run of Around the World in 80 Days. How successful was it? Box-office records, baby. That’s awesome. And I think it was student directed. But I’m not sure.

CTC is located in Orlando and they did not one but two of my shows this year. Over the holidays they produced The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

When I wrote both shows I wanted to make them so they were accessible to every theatre. Whether it was professional, amateur, or a school. I’m happy to say “so far, so good.” (knock on wood).

Thanks again to everyone at Circle Theatre Company.

Here are some pics of the show and my guesses as to what scenes they’re from. I believe all pictures are by Snap Photography.

I’m guessing the Tankadere.

Passepartout in the Pagoda at Malabar Hill.

End of the show.

Detective Fix narrowly watching. Or the attack of the giant detective. Look at the size of that kid.

Detective Fix spying on Passepartout.

The calm before the storm.

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The Circle Theatre Company at the Circle Christian School in Winter Park, FL has become my new favorite theatre company. Not only did they produce The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge last month, but next month they’re producing Around the World in 80 Days.

Two of my shows. Back-to-back.

That’s only happened once before. Years ago Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, PA produced the same two shows back-to-back.

The eye gouging scene from The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

What possessed the Circle Theatre Company to do two of my shows in one season? Clearly not the devil, because being at a Christian school, that old Prince of Darkness would have been exorcised and forced to watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves for all eternity. And really that is the worst torment imaginable.

I don’t know. Maybe it was a momentary lapse of good judgement. Who knows? But whatever the reason, I’m glad they’re doing my shows. And what’s not to love about a theatre that comes up with a study guide. It continues to make me giggle that I’m in study guides.

Two Moms. One Dream. One Journey.

The cast of The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge

Fourteen seasons ago, two moms, who felt theatre was an important part of life, started the Circle Theatre Company at the Circle Christian School. Like any theatre, they started out small, but slowly they grew and grew. In just a couple of years they were offering classes in Movement, Voice Articulation, Improv, Character Development, Musical Theatre, and Shakespeare. Within a few more years they had a core curriculum that included Drama I, Drama II, Drama III, and Drama IV. They also added the Circle Theatre Kids, for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade; the Munchkin Players, for kids K-2nd grade and First Stage Players, grades 3-5. The season grew from two show to five. They launched a family series. In 2013, the theatre was named Best Theatre Group by the Orlando A-List.

“The Circle Theatre Company is committed to educating the next generation of young artists and enriching their lives and our community..and to provide a place where children could experience the beauty of theatre.”

I don’t know the names of the two moms. They’re not named on the theatre’s website. They should be. They need to be recognized for giving these kids such a wonderful gift.

And you know, I’m always up for coming to a theatre to do talkbacks and teach some classes. Just saying.

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The Ocean City High School Drama Guild in Ocean City, NJ will be doing my play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge.

“Making his directorial debut for the Drama Guild is Ocean City High School alumnus Don Toal Jr. A member of the class of 2003, Toal is also a substitute teacher and has worked in the arts for several years, directing shows and teaching classes for the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company.”

It turns out Don was in a production of The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge several years ago at DeSales University. I’m sure he and I have a lot of friends in common, given that I’ve had a long history with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, which is located at DeSales. (I knew the school back when is was called Allentown College. That’s how old I am).

A Cast of Thousands

The mighty cast.

What I love about schools and community theatres doing my shows is the ability to cast thousands of people. I wrote The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge for a cast of eight. Don has cast fifty! 50! He does it through the miracle of double casting. Here’s what the Ocean City Gazette had to say about it —

“As in years past, the show is double cast: The Plaintiff Cast and The Defendant Cast, with the plaintiff cast members performing Thursday and Saturday evening and the defendants performing Friday evening and during the Saturday matinee.”

That’s spectacular.

Thanks Don, everyone in the Ocean City High School Drama Guild, and Ocean City High for making sure the arts are a part of your school’s curriculum.

If you’re in the South Jersey area, head on out and see the show. I’m looking at you my brother, who has a house in Ocean City.

The Skinny:

Dec 18 & 19: 7:30 p.m.

Dec 20: 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.

Hughes Performing Arts Center, Sixth Street and Atlantic Avenue.

Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for students and senior citizens. For tickets, call 609-399-1290, ext. 1442.

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