*** The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.***

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

Holly Anderson’s Director’s Notes:

Directing A Christmas Carol is practically a right of passage for any self-respecting director. Lucky for me, I have no self-respect, so here I am, not directing the classic Dickensian ghost story, but rather its sequel A Christmas Carol: Part Two, written by our own Bob Bedore.

All jokes aside (and put into the show), this parody of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is brimming with humor but also a lot of heart. It teaches the message that true giving includes giving of ourselves, not just giving of our wallets. Or as Bob (not Crachitt) put it, “We must give of our presence, not just our presents.” We are so happy you’ve shared your presence with us tonight. May you laugh as hard as we have, and leave your homes a little bit merrier.

CAST BIOS

George Anderson as Scrooge

George is excited to be in a production where his wife is directing.  He enjoys working with her, and this will be his second show with the OBT! You may have seen him as Mr. Krabs in SpongeBob the Musical earlier this year.  He hopes you enjoy this untraditional show of Christmas Carol Part II!

Ryan Anderson as Dickens/Elfis/Young Scrooge

Ryan is so excited to be doing his second play for OBT! He had so much fun playing the Witch King in Lore of the Rings, he decided to give it another go. He’d like to thank his awesome family and friends for supporting him!

Bob Bedore as Bob Cratchit

Bob is blessed to perform a show very close to his heart. He wrote the original version over 30 years ago and loves this new update. Bob is an original founder of OBT and Quick Wits (where he still performs). A current West Jordan City Council Member, Bob’s little free time is spent with family, pets, and board games.

Charisse Berry as Marley/Nurse/Orphan/Mary

Some people dream of riches and fame. Charisse dreamt of acting with the OBT! As an “Idaho Spud” she participated in various shows in high school, college, and community. Then life happened, and now, after 22 years, Charisse is coming back to the stage, and feels privileged to fulfill her dream with the OBT. She works at Beehive Elementary, is a certified IPT (Integrated Processing Technique) facilitator and loves cheese. Thanks to her amazing family and to Holly, our magnificent director!

Ane Genessy as Belle

Ane’s two favorite things are performing and making people laugh. She loves the OBT and has been seen in Dracula vs Henry Botter, SpongeBob, Utahoma!, and Robin Hood. When not on stage, Ane enjoys binging fantasy books, watching football, and hiding from kids while sipping on Dr Pepper. Above all, Ane loves spending time with her awesome family who are her biggest fans. Thank you for coming out! Enjoy the show!

Chelsea Grant as Belle

Chelsea is so excited to be back on the OBT stage! Some of her favorite shows here have been Pirates of Penzance, Indianapolis Jones, Dracula vs. the Hunchback, and Jurassic Park City. Chelsea thanks Van, Meg, and Ryan for being her favorite people in the whole world!

William Hunt as Dickens/Elfis/Young Scrooge

William may not have children, but he has a father from whom he inherited a healthy helping of  dad jokes. He enjoys comedy and improv, and you may have seen him in such OBT shows as The Littlest Mermaid, Cutie and the Beast, Forever Dead, or Dracula vs Henry Botter. William stays busy as a warehouse manager, a licensed massage therapist, an uncle to many nieces and nephews, and a friend to all. He thanks his wife, Mirian, family, and friends for their love and support. 

Eric Jensen as Scrooge

Eric has extensive experience as a writer, actor, and director and is very excited to reprise his role as Scrooge in this wonderful parody. His passion is all things comedy, and he takes any opportunity to make people laugh. He thanks his wife, Sandy, their son, Austinn, and the board of trustees of the Off Broadway Theatre for all of their love and support. He hopes this show puts a smile on your face and that you enjoy the talent of the cast. Let’s make comedy happen!

Indy Lawrence as Mrs Ward/Future/Box Boy

Indy is so excited to be doing another show with OBT! After determining to live the theatre-kid dreams they never got to as an actual kid, being a shark in Spongebob was a dream come true. Playing Future is also a dream, but more the sort where you wake up and wonder where your brain pulled all that from. Indy is so grateful to their fellow cast and crew members for being such wonderful humans. #staydead

Chuck MacDermott as Marley/Nurse/Orphan/Mary

Meet Chuck, a self-proclaimed master of awkward silences and accidental slapstick. With a face that can go from “serious drama” to “oops, I tripped” in seconds, he’s convinced his real talent lies in unintentional comedy. When not dazzling audiences, Chuck enjoys long walks to the fridge and practicing his “dramatic gasp” in the mirror. He firmly believes that every role is just a chance to showcase his legendary collection of mismatched socks.

Aimee McPhie as Past/Bell Ringer/Sol 1/Turkey Boy

Aimee is thrilled to close the 2024 season with OBT as Spirit of Christmas Past. Her last role here was as a gypsy in Dracula vs. the Hunchback in 2023. She is happy to be back! Aimee is currently an accounting associate, but making her way back into the mental health field with dreams to become a registered dramatherapist. In her spare time, Aimee enjoys spending time with friends and family, karaoke, hanging out at home with her cats, and working on wood burning.

Boston Smith as Tiny Tim/Dick  

Since birth it seems, Boston has always been a performer. You might have recently seen him in Lore of the Rings as Grimly, or SpongeBob in SpongeBob the Musical with the Off Broadway Theatre. He’s very excited to be back at the OBT, rounding out his fourth consecutive year with the company. He would like to dedicate this show to his family and friends for their incredible love and support. And viewers like you. Thank you.

Clarence Strohn as Tiny Tim/Dick

Clarence has delighted theatre fans for over 35 years as a villain, hero, or insane sidekick. He is excited to entertain you alongside a great cast and crew! Clarence has a whole tribe of people—some close, some far away—who love, support, and depend on him. He couldn’t be here without their love and support.

Joe Tuttle as Mrs Ward/Future/Box Boy

This is Joseph’s second show with the OBT.  Joseph has spent the last 12 years honing his stagecraft in another form: that of a singer. He’s participated in and won karaoke contests throughout the Salt Lake area. Most nights you’ll find him at The Midway (as seen on Bar Rescue) doing what he loves most. 

CREW BIOS

Holly Anderson – Director

Holly is thrilled to be directing her second show for the Off Broadway Theatre as she loves finding humor in every aspect of life. Previous directing experience includes SpongeBob the Musical and Into the Woods, and she has performed for such theaters as the Hales, Lyrical Opera Theater, and Mack’s Inn Playhouse. Her favorite role will always be Domina from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, where she met her husband George.

Lee Wailes – Stage Manager:

The original Christmas Carol, to Lee, is a story of the innate kindness of humanity. Scrooge shows that in every human’s core, there is an ember of goodness that simply needs to be flamed. It is a beautiful message, and one that rings true most at Christmas. This play isn’t that; but it is hilarious, and he is excited for you to see it and laugh as much as he has.

Cameron Christensen – Sound & Light Tech

Cameron is excited to be returning to the Off Broadway Theatre’s tech booth for Christmas Carol Part II. He recently teched Dracula vs. Henry Botter. He has been working with OBT for nearly three years. When not working behind the scenes, he can either be found on the stage as a performer or working within the information technology industry.

Robbie Dalley – Sound and Light Consultant:

A Primetime Emmy Award winner (yes, it is true!), Robbie has spent the past 20 years working all things tech for various groups, including the Sugar Factory Playhouse. He helped to start the OBT’s inhouse tech program and has continued to help push the boundaries of what is possible for our theater. Always behind the scenes, he is a dad to a great, soon-to-be-10-year-old son (Robbie), two cats (Penelope & Charlie), and a Corgi (Flora). He divides his non-theater time between work and family.

November 1 – November 30

January 31 – February 22

JApril 4 – April 26

May 16 – June 7

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Bing Fang, trustee and chair
Clarence Strohn, trustee and vice chair
Sandy ThuyAnn Jensen, trustee and secretary
Brett Andersen, trustee
Christopher Cheeney, trustee 
Jeff Driggs, trustee
Ben Eddington, trustee
Monte Garcia, trustee
Jim Morgan, trustee 
Kelly Wideman, trustee

OFFICERS

Eric R. Jensen, Co-Founder / Artistic & Technical Director
Sandy ThuyAnn Jensen, Co-Founder / Executive Director
Bing Fang, Chief Financial Officer
Kevin Hicks, Treasurer
Kelly Wideman, Marketing Director

CONSULTANTS

Aaron Bellis, consultant
Nic Brown, consultant
Austinn Jensen, consultant
Daniel Gillette, consultat

ERIC R. AND SANDY HUBBLE JENSEN’S BIOS

Eric and Sandy are co-founders of the Off Broadway Theatre and Laughing Stock improv comedy troupe. They have worked closely for some 30 years, dedicating much of their time to building and growing the Off Broadway Theatre. They have been married for 30 years and have one son, Austinn, who has grown up acting in numerous OBT and other productions.

Eric, the artistic and technical director for the OBT, grew up in Murray, Utah. He received his bachelor’s degree in theater arts at the University of Utah and his master’s degree in secondary education at the University of Phoenix. As executive producer and lead playwright, director, set designer, costumer, actor, and improviser, he guides many aspiring talents at the OBT. He teaches improv classes while mentoring up-and-coming playwrights, directors, stage managers, and set designers. His acting, writing, and directing experience has also been featured at Desert Star, Centre Point Legacy, Hale (both Orem and West Valley), and Egyptian theaters. He has taught and performed high school workshops and elementary school assemblies, as well as for some after school programs. Eric also teaches K – 6 as a fine arts specialist  in the Davis School District, inspiring children to love theatre, music, dance, and all things art. Under Eric’s leadership, OBT won the Best Community Theatre award from the Utah Theatre Association in 2000, recognizing the quality of the theatre and Eric’s work with high schools and the community.

Sandy serves as the executive director of the theatre, as well as executive producer, box office manager, and social media specialist, with more than 30 years of experience in small business management. She has an extensive acting background, including the OBT, Hale Centre Theatre WVC, The Grand Theatre, Sundance Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company, Pages Lane, and Stage Right Theater. Sandy continues to work tirelessly to grow volunteer opportunities at the OBT. She was born in Vietnam and has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with endorsements in ESL, STEM, and Gifted. She teaches 1st grade in the Davis School District. She has earned two Presidential Awards for Volunteering and has been recognized in Who’s Who of America.   

The Off Broadway Theatre has been said to have a feel of “family,” and that’s because it is. Eric and Sandy’s mission has always been to provide a place where people can come together and make laughter ring true and provide a safe place to hone skills and develop friendships. Through the art of live performances, the theatre has reached many new friends, and its charitable outreach program has provided wonderful opportunities to serve our community. 

Eric and Sandy also co-founded Laughing Stock Improv and have performed together on the OBT stage as well as at corporate and  school events. They are proud to have such a long-running improv show with some amazingly talented improvisers who have been with the company for a long time.

Thank you for your many years of support and patronage at the Salt Lake downtown location, and for following us here to Draper. Please continue to donate to help us forge another 25+ years of spreading laughter in Utah! Go to www.theOBT.org to donate today.