For the first time the Gateway will hold Saturday matinees to appease demand
Gateway Playhouse of Somers Point will ring in the holiday season with two weekends of the Christmas classic “Scrooge the Musical,” Dec. 5-7 and 12-14. Due to extraordinary demand, for the first time ever, the Gateway will add Saturday matinee performances to the run. Based on Charles Dickens’ beloved “A Christmas Carol,” “Scrooge the Musical” brings the timeless holiday tale to life with warmth, humor and unforgettable music by Leslie Bricusse. The story follows miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on his magical Christmas Eve journey, complete with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, as he discovers the true spirit of the season. Lively songs, dazzling production numbers and heartfelt moments fill this festive holiday classic.
The musical is directed by Chip Garrison, who directed Gateway’s past two holiday shows, “White Christmas” (2024) and “A New London Christmas Carol” (2023). Garrison is a huge fan of the 1970 movie version of “Scrooge” that brilliantly starred Albert Finney as the miserly curmudgeon. Though the movie version can be seen as rather dark, Garrison assures that his stage version still has all of the great songs, such as “I Like Life,” “I Hate People,” “Thank You Very Much” and “Christmas Morning,” but is not nearly as gloomy.
“Chip is our ‘Director of Holiday Magic,” said Katie Calvi, the Gateway’s board president. “The joy he has for the Christmas season shines through in every holiday production he does for the Gateway. We couldn’t ask for a better director for our Christmas shows.”
The talented cast includes Nathan Moore, who performed in the Gateway’s productions “Into the Woods,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “A New London Christmas,” playing the title role of Ebenezer Scrooge and Scott Friedman, who was also in “Into the Woods,” as well as “South Pacific,” as his overworked and underpaid employee Bob Cratchit.
Due to audience demand, the Gateway is adding Saturday matinees to a run for the first time, making the total performances for “Scrooge” eight, instead of the usual six. Past holiday productions have sold out early so the decision was made to expand the run to allow as many audience members as possible to enjoy this holiday musical show.
“I love Christmas and I love Christmas shows,” said Garrison, who recently retired from teaching after 35 years. “Christmas is a great time to see a show to relax and uplift your soul. And what better way than to watch the story of Scrooge unfold?”
Shows are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 5-6 and 12-13, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 6-7 and 13-14. Tickets for “Scrooge the Musical” are $35 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under at GatewayByTheBay.org and at the Karen S. Sutherland Box Office. Gateway Playhouse is located at 738 Bay Ave., Somers Point. For info, go to GatewayByTheBay.org.
