Hartford Stage's A CHRISTMAS CAROL Hosts Holiday Family Fun Night, 12/20

Family Fun Night is the perfect time for kids who want to see A Christmas Carol at Hartford Stage, but might be a little scared. Before the show, our spooky ghosts will greet and entertain for kids, so they can see the ghosts are not that scary after all. All kids 12 and under will get a free bag of popcorn before the show and light wands will be sold before the show so that kids can turn them on during the performance when the ghosts come out. After the show, get autographs from some of your favorite characters!

Family Fun Night begins at 6:45 p.m. on December 20 and is free with your ticket to A Christmas Carol.

Seen by over 287,000 people since its inception in 1998, Hartford Stage's A Christmas Carol has rapidly become the theatre's most popular production of all time and Connecticut's favorite yuletide entertainment.

This year, Bill Raymond, currently on screen in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, returns for his 13th season as Ebenezer Scrooge for all evening and weekend matinee performances, and Gustave Johnson will again lead the talented cast as Scrooge for the student matinee performances as Hartford Stage brings the magic of Dickens' heart-warming classic to life in this Connecticut holiday tradition. The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the heartless miser who discovers the true meaning of the holiday season after a Christmas Eve haunting, features all of Charles Dickens' beloved characters: Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Ghosts take flight and soar across the stage, carols are sung and snow falls capturing the spirit of a Victorian Christmas forever warming the hearts of adults and children alike.

The production runs until December 29. For specific schedule of performances or to buy tickets for A Christmas Carol,call the Hartford Stage box office at860-527-5151 or visit www.hartfordstage.org.

Hartford Stage, since its founding in 1963, has been known for innovative revivals of classics and the development of important new works, including 65 World or American premieres. Recent work includes Quiara Alegria Hudes' Water by the Spoonful, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Horton Foote's The Orphans' Home Cycle which had a celebrated run at the Signature Theatre in New York during the 2009-2010 season; a landmark production of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird; the premieres of Michael Kramer's Divine Rivalry; and Daniel Beaty's Resurrection (later retitled Through the Night, which had a successful run off-Broadway during the 2010-11 season). In 1998 the theatre launched an unprecedented ten-year retrospective of Tennessee Williams, which included the premiere of three plays. Other new work includes the premieres of Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo, Matthew Barber's Enchanted April (which transferred to Broadway), Matthew Lombardo's Tea at Five, and many others. The theatre has earned numerous distinguished honors, including a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Margo Jones Award, OBIE awards, New York Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards. In 2005 Hartford Stage was awarded The Hartford Courant's Tapestry Award recognizing its outstanding work in diversity, and in 2008 it was awarded the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder's Award recognizing its excellence in building community in Greater Hartford. Hartford Stage is currently under the leadership of Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts.