A Staged Reading, directed by Jack Hickey

In Partnership with The Park District of Oak Park

December 19th, 2025

Pleasant Home, Oak Park, IL

A DICKENS CAROL

written by Ned Crowley

Before Scrooge. Before Jacob Marley. Charles Dickens had his own ghosts to contend with.

A Dickens Carol is an all-new holiday tradition that re-imagines the story of Scrooge from Dickens’ point of view and real-life events.

It’s 1842 Victorian London, and Dickens’ popularity is on the wane. His marriage and finances are in trouble, and he has become embittered towards life itself. Yes, in a way, Dickens has become a bit of a Scrooge. A character he has yet to even create! But on a cold Christmas eve, his fortunes take a dramatic turn when a train crash sends Dickens into the icy Kent river. There, in a sinking carriage, Dickens is visited by three Spirits who lead him on a journey through his past, present, and future. A journey that transforms his life and inspires him to write his most celebrated work ever. “A Dickens Carol” is not only the carol behind the most famous carol of all time. It’s an all-new twist on a family ghost story that promises to melt the heart of any Scrooge out there.

THE CAST

Kevin Theis (Charles Dickens) Kevin happily returns to reprise the role of Charles Dickens, which he proudly premiered in 2017 at Oak Park Festival Theatre. Other roles with OPFT include Salieri in Amadeus, Edward in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Jeff nomination), Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, and the title role in Richard III. He has appeared at a number of theatres across Chicago, including the Goodman Theatre, Next, Theatre Wit, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and the Irish Theatre of Chicago, where he is an ensemble member. As a director, Kevin has staged nine shows with the Festival, as well as staging shows for the Timber Lake Playhouse, Irish Theatre, Michigan Shakespeare Festival and Lifeline Theatre, among others.

Belinda Bremner (Ensemble) Since 2008, she has acted, directed, and written for OPFT. Roles include The Chorus in Henry V, Amanda Wingate, Lady Bracknell, Tardy in Elizabeth Rex Gonzalo in The Tempest, and Montague in OPFT’s 2024 production of Romeo and Juliet. She directed Dancing at Lughnasa, Of Mice and Men (Jeff Nominated), Richard III, Faith Healer, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Jeff Nominated) and many benefit performances. OPFT writing credits include Mrs. Coney, Love Spats, all the Midwinter’s Tales, as well as all the radio plays. A co-founder of ShawChicago and a founding member of the Body Politic ensemble, she has also worked with such theatres as the Goodman, Court, Northlight, First Folio, and Irish Theatre Chicago.

Josh Carpenter (Ensemble) is a proud Oak Park resident, Northwestern graduate, and Actors’ Equity Association member since 2010. With OPFT he has appeared as Malvolio in Twelfth Night and Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. Other Chicago-area credits include The Winter’s Tale at Goodman Theatre (dir. Robert Falls) and readings with Shakespeare Project of Chicago and TimeLine Theatre Company. Regional acting credits include Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Arden Theatre Company, American Shakespeare Center, Delaware Theatre Company, Theater at Monmouth, Miami Theatre Center, Montgomery Theatre, The Growing Stage, Gretna Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre Studio, and eight seasons with Quintessence Theatre Group in Philadelphia, where he also directed his adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. He is a collaborator with Naked Angels Chicago Tuesdays@9, and he teaches at Pritzker College Prep in Chicago. joshcarpenter.net

Tony Dolbrowolski (Ensemble) An Oak Park resident since 1992, Tony’s relationship with OPFT began with the 1996 production of HAMLET in which he played both Polonius and The First Grave Digger. In 1997 he played Leonato in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. 2001 saw Tony as Baptista in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Tony was Lord Stanley in the 2012 production of RICHARD III. In addition to his Austin Gardens appearances, Tony has also performed in the annual OPFT and PREVAIL (and its previous incarnation) holiday benefits of MRS. CONEY and MIDWINTER’S TALES. He performed and enjoyed being part of OPFT “Radio Acting Company” offerings and the Play-and-a-Pint readings of THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, DEATHTRAP, SLEUTH. Tony is the Founding Artistic Director of UBIQUITOUS PLAYERS – a weekly online play-reading group (with more than a dozen “new play” writers) started in April 2020. Tony has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 1989.

Mark Lancaster (Ensemble) became an Artistic Associate at Oak Park Festival Theatre in 2017, where he has been seen in Macbeth, The Fair Maid of the West, and A Dickens Carol. Mark moved to Chicago in 2007 from Dallas, TX. He completed an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2012, and has since worked as an actor, burlesque emcee/performer, creature effects model, and is currently pursuing a path up the ranks of the Society of American Fight Directors.

Rachel J Jones (she/her) is a Chicago-based actor and teaching artist. At Oak Park Festival Theatre, she played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (2024), as well as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023). She has also been featured in two of OPFT’s Spring Readings, GOOD by Rebecca Wahls in 2025 and The Droll by Meg Miroshnik in 2024. Other selected regional credits include: Pip (Great Expectations, Door Shakespeare), Olivia (Twelfth Night, Door Shakespeare), Desdemona (Othello, Utah Shakespeare Festival), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks), Adrianna (The Comedy of Errors [adapt.], Montana Shakespeare in the Parks) and Hermia/Peter Quince (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks). Rachel is represented by Lily’s Talent in Chicago. More Rachel: www.racheljjones.actor

Lucas Prizant (Ensemble) is a Chicago Actor and Educator with a BFA in Acting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has worked with Oak Park Festival Theater as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and participated in OPFT’s spring staged reading series in plays Good and A Droll. Other Credits: Hal in Henry IV Part One (Utah Shakespeare Festival). Posthumous and Cloten in Cymbeline, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and himself in Jane Austin: Abridged (Theater at Monmouth). Orlando in As You Like It, Dromio(S) in Comedy of Errors, and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks) Fred in A Christmas Carol (Richmond Shakespeare Company), M in Lungs, K.J. in The Aliens (Liberty Exhibition Hall), and Warren in This is our Youth (Unit 14 Theatre Company). He has also worked in TV and Film in Paper Girls (Amazon Prime), Chicago Fire (NBC), and in the short-film Save/Face (Full Spectrum Features & Haven Theatre). www.lucasprizant.com

Savanna Rae (Ensemble) became an Artistic Associate in 2018 where she was last seen in Macbeth, Richard III and Inherit the Wind. Most recently, Savanna played Bianca Minola in Shrewish at Artemisia Theatre. Other Chicago credits include Julius Caesar (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Dating and Dragons (The Factory Theatre). Savanna’s solo show, Daughters of Ire, was nominated for Best New Work of 2015 (Broadway World Chicago) and continues to tour through The Other Theatre Company, of which she is a member. Savanna is represented by the incredible ladies of Shirley Hamilton Talent.

Julia Rowley (Ensemble) Chicago theater credits include: Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Translations (Writer’s Theatre), Macbeth (Invictus Theatre Company), Hamlet (Red Theater), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (The Gift Theatre), Airness (Citadel), Blue Stockings (Promethean Theatre, Jeff Nomination: Best Ensemble). Film/TV credits: Chicago Med (NBC), South Side (HBO), neXt (Fox), The Killer (Netflix). She is a graduate of The Black Box Acting Academy, Second City and CIC improv, and Art of Acting Studio Los Angeles.

Barbara Zahora (Ensemble) joined OPFT as an Artistic Associate in 2017 and served as the company’s Artistic Director from 2018-2022. She is a Chicago-based actor, director, and educator, and has spent the last 15 years teaching at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA), where she is an associate professor of acting and program director for BFA Acting.

Favorite roles at Oak Park Festival Theatre include Paulina in The Winter’s Tale, Penny Sycamore in You Can’t Take it With You, and Maggie Mundy in Dancing at Lughnasa. Other acting credits include All My Sons and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (American Players Theatre); Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 (Colorado Shakespeare Festival); Hamlet, Heartbreak House, and A Little Night Music (Writers’ Theatre); Marionette Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare Theater and New Victory Theatre, NYC); The Moliere Comedies, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Richard II, The School for Scandal, and All’s Well That Ends Well (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Lady Windermere’s Fan (Northlight Theatre); A Christmas Carol, Wit (Goodman Theatre); and numerous appearances with the Shakespeare Project of Chicago and ShawChicago (now Misalliance Repertory Theatre). TV and film credits include Chicago Fire, Operator, and The Legend of Amba.

Barbara is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, and an associate member of SDC. She thanks her husband, George, for being a loving partner both in life and in making art.

THE DIRECTOR

Jack Hickey (Director) has been a proud member of Actor’s Equity for over 40 years. Over the past 20 years Jack has been a member of the Oak Park Festival Theatre where he served as Artistic Director for 15 of those years. He has acted in or directed over 25 productions with the company, most notably Falstaff in Henry IV, Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind, and Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac. Jack was nominated for an Equity Jeff Award playing Michael in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.

Jack is also former company member of ShawChicago, performing in over 20 productions with them. Favorite roles there include The Devil in Don Juan in Hell, and Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara. TV credits include Chicago Med and Unsolved Mysteries. He was in two commercials with Michael Jordan and appeared briefly (uncredited) in Continental Divide with John Belushi.

THE PLAYWRIGHT

Ned Crowley has been part of the Chicago theater scene since the mid 80’s as a founding member of the comedy group White Noise where he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in such infamous productions as The Book of Blanche, Stumpy’s Gang and Ad-nauseum. He later went on to direct others on stage including Amy Poehler and Matt Walsh in The Upright Citizens Brigade and, more recently, writing and directing several feature films including the award-winning dark-comedy Middle Man starring his friend and star of TV’s Parks and Recreation, Jim O’Heir. Middle Man took top honors at the Seattle International Film Fest and the Edmonton International Film Fest before going onto a national theatrical release and streaming. 2025 also saw the theatrical release of KILLING FAITH, a dark western he wrote and directed starring Oscar-nominated Guy Pearce and Bill Pullman. Stephen King called FAITH “a real shocker” and it can currently be found streaming on Amazon and iTunes with a December DVD release. And to round out the year Ned just wrapped production on another film, DOWN, a high-concept thriller shot in Bulgaria. Ned is also an accomplished children’s book writer and illustrator. He has 3 daughters and currently lives in Oak Park with his wife Karen. A Dickens Carol is the most joyful thing he has ever written.