About the Show

From the bonny shores of England comes the Styckes-Upon-Thump Repertory Theatre Company, a stuffy old travelling troupe embarking on their fifteenth annual farewell tour of the Dickens’ tale. The company includes Sir Selsdon Piddock, the consummate actor, in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, with Mrs. Bettina Salisbury, Dame Rowena Middleton-Lewis, Mrs. Cordelia ffoliet-ffolkes ffortescue Woods, Teddy Shub and Elyot Crummels in multiple supporting roles. Sweet Cynthia Imbry, the general understudy, suddenly finds herself thrust onstage to perform a role she’s ill-prepared for! Bettina, the company diva, pretends to be ill, certain the production will be cancelled. However, much to her shock and rage, the show does go on without her! Roles are shuffled at the last minute and poor Cynthia finds herself center stage. The play begins but mid-way through the theatre doors open and in rushes Bettina, determined to reclaim her roles. Mayhem ensues as this professional company scrambles to keep the show going and everything that could possibly go wrong does, to hilarious, ridiculous results!

Credits

by Mark Landon Smith

Auditions

Audition Days

Dickens’ Christmas Carol is a hilarious play within a play…Which happens to be a Traveling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts performed by The Styckes-Upon-Thump Repertory Company who Proudly Present…”The Fifteenth Annual Farewell Tour of Charles Dickens’ Holiday Classic”

Sir Selsdon Piddock
A “Classical” actor in the truest sense of the word who will be playing Ebeneezer Scrooge.
(age range 40-on up

Mrs. Cordelia Ffoliet Ffolkes Ffortescue Woods
An actress who wishes her resume were as long as her name. She will be playing multiples roles.
(age range- late teens-40s)

Dame Rowena Middleton-Lewis
An actress of some pretensions who plays multiple roles.
(Age range 30s- on up)

Cynthia Imbry
A young actress who is the company understudy and is SUDDENLY forced into the production and isn’t prepared but anxious to make an impression.
(Age range late teens-30s)

Mr. Elyot Crummels
A once dashing leading man now playing character parts. He will be very busy in this production.
(Age range 30s-50s)

Teddy Shub
An over-anxious young actor who appears to be all teeth. He plays every scene as if it were MacBeth.
(Age range late teens-30s)

Mrs. Bettina Salisbury
The company diva who was pretending to be ill for the performance, assured that the show would be canceled. It has not been, and she appears mid-way through the show determined to play her roles.
(Age range 20’s-50’s)

Cast & Crew

Terry Aman

Sir Selsdon Piddock

Read biography

Terry Aman

Sir Selsdon Piddock

Terry J. Aman is making his Dakota Stage debut with this production, having also appeared in Capitol Shakespeare and TruNorth Theatre, with several Minot stage credits as well. Aman is a supply clerk at a regional acute care facility, and in his spare time podcasts about his media collection. He’s not usually this grumpy.

Renee Brady

Mrs. Cordelia Ffoliet-Ffolkes Fforetescue Woods

Read biography

Renee Brady

Mrs. Cordelia Ffoliet-Ffolkes Fforetescue Woods

Thank you all for coming and laughing until you cry. Thanks to my husband Brian and my son Nathan for their support. Thank you to my work family at Nelson Wealth Management for tolerating the thespian.
Thank you to the cast for having fun and being fun. This one’s a hoot. Enjoy!

Cammie Wright

Dame Rowena Middleton-Lewis

Read biography

Cammie Wright

Dame Rowena Middleton-Lewis

Cam Wright is thrilled to be making her debut with Dakota Stage, though she might be a little rusty—after all, the last time she graced the stage, it was with Shade Tree Players, and let's just say that was more than a few moons ago. A Bismarck native who’s ventured to sunny California and bustling Denver, Cam works as the Communications Manager for the Department of Water Resources, which means she can expertly craft a press release but may still trip over a stage prop. Feel free to laugh with OR at her during tonight’s performance!

Amanda Allen

Cynthia Imbry

Read biography

Amanda Allen

Cynthia Imbry

Amanda Allen is very excited to be back onstage for this season's telling of The Christmas Carol. She was last seen in last years version of the Dickens classic and she is ready to showcase this retelling to the audience. She would like to thank her friends and family for always supporting her theater endeavors and to the director Alicia, for giving her the opportunity to play a different kind of character. Please sit back and enjoy the show! Merry Christmas!

Dave Hagler

Mr. Elyot Crummels

Read biography

Dave Hagler

Mr. Elyot Crummels

This is Dave’s 19th Dakota Stage production over a span of over 30 years, having performed in Of Mice and Men, 12 Angry Men, and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, to name a few. Dave’s love for the theater is a family affair as he met his wife, Kory, while working on a DSL production during the 1989-90 season. His children (young adults), Lexi and Kyle, also caught the “acting bug” and, between them, have been in over 30 Shade Tree Player’s and school plays. Dave grew up in Hazen, graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1989, and is an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Bismarck. Dave would like to thank his wonderful family and the dedicated group of Dakota Stage champions for all their support and encouragement.

Maddux Bryhn

Teddy Shub

Read biography

Maddux Bryhn

Teddy Shub

Maddux Bryhn is a fifteen year old sophomore who enjoys writing, video games, and most of all, theatre! In his five years of theatre experience, he has performed in eleven shows for both school and Shade Tree, but this is his first production with Dakota Stage. He is very excited to learn from the experience and show off to his family.

Amanda Perry

Mrs. Bettina Salisbury

Read biography

Amanda Perry

Mrs. Bettina Salisbury

Amanda Perry has worked with Dakota Stage/Shade Tree Players as a director, educator, costumer, artist and actor for over 20 years, bringing diverse plays, musicals, classes and other unique theatrical experiences for all ages to the community! She is also honored to be the current Artistic Director of Dakota Stage. Amanda would like to thank her amazing husband and her 2 incredible kids for letting her be at the theatre just a little bit more than usual, so she could be an actor in this production! She would also like to thank Alica for giving life, love and energy to this hilarious and crazy show, the creative team and production crew for their support, and her fellow actors for making this so much fun!

Kathryn Steve

London Citizen

Read biography

Kathryn Steve

London Citizen

Being interested in music, dance, and acting from a very young age, Kathryn was involved in local theater and dance in Dickinson, North Dakota throughout her childhood. This spilled into occasionally getting herself involved in her friends' art and communication projects at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) with her first stage performance being Vagina Monologues. She is very excited to return to a passion that has been a part of her life with her first performance as a DSL cast member.
She would like to thank her parents and brother for always supporting her dreams and sitting through many many many dance performances and productions.

Tom Chase

London Citizen

Read biography

Tom Chase

London Citizen

Tom has been involved with Dakota Stage in 2000 when he had his first role in Miracle on 34th Street. Since, Tom has had roles in Dracula, Death of a Salesman, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, to name just a few. The last few years he was Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol- last year Tom directed a different version of A Christmas Carol. He is excited that Alicia has cast him in this hilarious take on this iconic story. You might have also seen him in various behind-the-scenes positions. Most of the photography for the theater is done by Tom.

Alicia McNeil

Director

Read biography

Alicia McNeil

Director

Alicia McNeil has been involved with Dakota Stage and Shade Tree players in one aspect or another for many years. She has choreographed, helped costume, directed, baked and been a jack of all trades around the theater. Most recently Alicia was seen in A Christmas Carol and Sweeney Todd at Dakota Stage. She works for Bismarck Public Schools in "real life". Alicia would like to thank her husband and amazing children for their support in this wild endeavor. Additionally, she would like to thank the cast and crew for (maybe) trusting her on this wild ride! Tis the season to be merry, ENJOY THE SHOW!

Mary Fischer

Stage Manager

Read biography

Mary Fischer

Stage Manager

Mary Fischer - This will be Mary’s 1st production back after a long hiatus, but she would like to thank Amanda Perry for helping her remember her passions! Mary originally joined theater her Senior Year of high school as a way to meet new people after a move from Chicago to Bismarck. What she found were not only some lifelong friendships, but a newfound love for a craft she thought was only a spectator sport. She decided to pursue theater in college at BSC, where she found her true happy place was behind the scenes, taking the most pleasure in learning every aspect of the inner workings of a production. Life’s path took her elsewhere, however, and she turned to the healthcare field for work, where she met her husband and had 3 amazing children. Mary is beyond excited to return to the theater in her debut with Dakota Stage. She would like to thank Alicia McNeil for her patience, and for making this such a fun and rewarding experience. She would also like to thank her husband David, who did not hesitate to ask what he could do to help make this old dream a new reality.

Allison Throlson

Assistant Stage Manager

Read biography

Allison Throlson

Assistant Stage Manager

Allison is currently a junior at Shiloh Christian School. She has been in numerous shows with Shade Tree Players and at school. Her most recent shows with Shade Tree Players include Bonechiller, Puffs, and Just Another High School Play. This is her first mainstage show at Dakota Stage and is honored to have this opportunity. She would like to thank her family, friends, and past directors for their support and guidance.

Kylah Anderson

Assistant Stage Manager

Read biography

Kylah Anderson

Assistant Stage Manager

Kylah is a sophomore at Legacy High School. Between tech and acting, she has been a part of over 25 productions. Her most recent shows are Annie at Legacy, Young Bards with Capitol Shakespeare, and The Lightning Thief the Musical with Shadetree Players! Outside of theater, Kylah enjoys running, playing bass in band and orchestra, singing in 5 choirs, and reading. She’d like to thank the cast and crew of this show for their energy and welcoming personalities!

Embry Fischer

Assistant to the Stage Manager

MaeBelle Oxendahl

Production Crew

Production Team

Director
Alicia McNeil

Stage Manager
Mary Fischer

Costume Designer
Amanda Perry

Scenic Designer
Brian Nelson

Master Carpenter
Jason Bryhn

Lighting Designer
Chris Roemmich

Sound Designer
Chris Roemmich

Assistant Stage Manager
Allison Throlson

Assistant Stage Manager
Kylah Anderson

Assistant Costumer
Greta Sandal

Photographer
Tom Chase

Sound & Light Operator
Paige Jung

Production Crew
MaeBelle Oxendahl