Bruce Cromer as Ebenezer Scrooge in Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Photo by Sandy Underwood.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company kicks off 2015 by staging Samuel Beckett’s absurdist play, WAITING FOR GODOT.
In GODOT, two loveable, hapless vagrants, Gogo and Didi, grapple with the mysteries of the universe, trading barbs and banter as they await the arrival of the eternally truant Godot.
Director Brian Isaac Phillips has cast Bruce Cromer and Nicholas Rose as the vagrants in this vaudevillian production. Both actors are easily recognizable to Cincinnati audiences.
MISC_Nick Rose Scrooge
Nick Rose backstage as Scrooge.
Last week, Cromer completed his tenth season as Ebeneezer Scrooge in Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Bruce took on Scrooge when Joneal Joplin stepped away from the role, making Cromer the Playhouse’s fourth actor to play Scrooge.
This year was Rose’s fifth production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, on stage as Mr. Cupp and several other ensemble characters. He also had the responsibility of understudying the role of Scrooge.
As it happens from time to time in live theater, Bruce Cromer injured his ankle during a mid-December matinee. Fellow cast member Doug Rees (Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas Present) posted this on Facebook.
Our “Scrooge” injured his ankle giving his always 110%, brilliant and fully committed performance at the matinée of A CHRISTMAS CAROL today; the hope is to have him back by Tuesday. In his place tonight stepped the formidable and remarkably poised Nick Rose. He could be forgiven if he managed to simply get through it; but he did oh so much more than that! Kudos to him, and to Christopher Richardson, Ollie Corchado and Alex Georges Purcell, who all stepped admirably into their understudy tracks as well!
Nicholas Rose and Bruce Cromer.
By stepping into a performance as Scrooge, Nick Rose goes down in Playhouse history as the fifth actor to play Scrooge.
Local theater-goes have a great opportunity to see these two fine actors together in WAITING FOR GODOT. For me, it’s a “must-see” this theater season. I do expect this production to sell really well, so don’t wait to long to get tickets.
Press release | Production page |
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 