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BEHTLEHEM, PA: The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts (Charter Arts) will host Olivier Award-winning British producer and actor, Guy Masterson, for his brilliant solo performance of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Saturday, December 7th at 7 pm in the school’s theatre, located at 321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem.
Guy Masterson is a London based actor, director, producer, and writer. His globally-successful solo-genre productions led to him winning an Olivier Award for his production of Morecambe in 2010. He is also the most successful and award-winning independent theatre producer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he has presented over 125 shows in 26 consecutive seasons.
Masterson’s lineage in the entertainment industry is remarkable; he is the great-nephew of Richard Burton and second cousin of Italian superstar Marcello Mastroianni. He began his own acting journey in 1985 when he enrolled at UCLA’s School of Drama and started acting professionally in Hollywood. After a conventional start in plays, film, and television, he returned to the UK in 1989 to study Classical Performance at LAMDA. Masterson began directing in 1991 with Peter Shaffer’s The Public Ear & The Private Eye. His mono-drama about his great-uncle, Playing Burton, hit the Edinburgh festival in 1994 and his success continued for the next three decades with a long list of successful directing, acting and producing credits.
Masterson’s 2017 solo production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has also received rave reviews both on tour and at the Edinburgh Festival. Masterson’s brilliant use of Dickens’ exact words from the famous 1843 novella is intriguing, potent and entertaining. Adapted and directed by his friend and colleague, Nick Hennegan, and backed by a superb original score by Robb Williams, Masterson brings the entire story to life in an enchanting, multi-character performance that will linger long in the memory.
“Purity, poignancy, and panache! Just when you thought you’d seen enough Christmas Carols to guide you to your grave along comes one of the best yet; seemingly effortless, but hugely effective.”—BBC Radio
“A Christmas Carol for our time.”—Public Review
The school is excited to host this production as well as to have Masterson conduct a master-class for theatre students the day before the show. “We are honored that Mr. Masterson will bring his incredible talent and expertise to our stage and into our classroom,” says Charter Arts’ Executive Director, Diane LaBelle. “Having this mid-19th-century classic coming to the Christmas City in this unique way will enhance the historical ambiance of Bethlehem while promoting a cultural and educational experience for all.”
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.CharterArts.org.
Information & Image Provided By:
Ann Gillette
Manager of Public Relations and Media
Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015
www.CharterArts.org
