Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. These are the familiar opening words to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and these words also open a play called Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, presented by Big Dawg Productions. When I discovered two (mostly) comic Wilmington actors were playing the lead roles, I thought the show would be a comedy. But Steve Vernon, playing Scrooge, and Randy Davis, playing Marley, explained that the show is (mostly) a drama. It's clear that both these actors are absolutely in love with this show. Listen above.
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Steve Vernon says the show is something of a mix between Christmas and Halloween. Much of it is set in Hell (where we find Marley), and it's a tale of Scrooge's redemption through Marley's forgiveness. Joining Vernon and Davis onstage is Vanessa Welch playing The Bogle (a malicious hell-sprite) and Fracaswell "Cas" Hyman as The Recordkeeper.
Big Dawg Productions presents "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol." Thursdays-Saturdays @ 8:00pm and Sundays @3:00pm at Cape Fear Playhouse on Castle Street through December 18th.