For release on November 29, 2022
Press Release Contact: [email protected]
(888) 394-3282 ext. 2
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Get your tickets now for the first Flashback Theater Co. production at The Virginia. Miracle on 34th Street, Adapted by Mountain Community Theater from the novel by Valentine Davies and based upon the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture. The production is brought to you by Title Sponsor SPEDA, and will run December 8th through December 17th, 2022 for six total performances and will feature both familiar and new faces to the stage.
The production features Flashback familiars Keifer Adkins, Tyler Fish, Chris Harris, Greg Moore, Martha Pratt, Scott Sexton, and Alexia Van Noy on the stage. New actors to the Flashback MainStage are Isaac Denney, Dr. David Eads, Jillian Griffin, Shelby Holmes, Elizabeth Todd, Noah Tomlinson, Laura Torres, and Dr. Joseph Weigel.
The production team has familiar names as well. The show is directed by Jade Ellis, assistant directed by Jenny Denney, and stage managed by Renate Dopp. While Ellis and Dopp have often worked on production teams together at Flashback, Denney joins Flashback as a director for the first time.
Jade Ellis directs her fourth mainstage show after the success of The Mousetrap, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead!, and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Prior to directing, Ellis appeared on FbTC and SCC stages for many years.
Jenny Denney is the director of choir and theater at Southwestern High School. She has also been the director of Lake Cumberland Creative and Performing Arts camp for several years. She made her Flashback stage debut in May this year, playing Clopas in Mary: Her Story.
Renate Dopp is currently the resident stage manager for FbTC and has numerous FbTC stage management credits, including: The American Parade, The Mousetrap, Every Christmas Story Ever Told….And Then Some (2016 and 2021), All Together Now!, The Lady’s Not For Burning, The Dollmaker, audio drama Camp Anomaly, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
Miracle on 34th Street tells the story of Kris Kringle, (played by Chris Harris) a kind old man who has recently been released from a hospital for “believing he is Santa Claus”. Kringle is hired at Macy’s by Doris Walker (played by Martha Pratt), a disheveled personnel manager. As Kringle’s first day begins, he is given a list of “backorder” toys to push by Shellhammer (played by Alexia Van Noy), Mrs. Walker’s frantic assistant. Kringle seems to be very good at this job. Almost too good, as he speaks Dutch to a foster child, (played by Isaac Denney), and offers toys from other stores to the parents of the children coming to see Santa. A hard case comes along in Doris’s own daughter, Susan (played by Elizabeth Todd), who sees the differences between reality and fantasy at her young age.
Chris Harris is a reporter for the Somerset Commonwealth Journal who has appeared in a number of local productions for both Flashback Theater Co. and Somerset Community College since 2013. His FbTC credits include “Importance of Being Earnest,” “Around the World in 80 Days,” and “Pirates of Penzance.” He’s also had several short plays produced for either stage or online viewing by FbTC, including the 2016 Kentucky New Play Series winner “Waiting for Bardot.” Chris is also really, really into Christmas.
Martha Pratt has been with Flashback since 2018 and has enjoyed performing in shows such as Pirates of Penzance, The Dollmaker, Mary: Her Story, and Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some).
Alexia Van Noy recently worked with Somerset Community College in the role of Annelle in Steel Magnolias. FbTC credits include: The American Parade (Effie) and Mary: Her Story (Young Mary Understudy) Alexia started her theater journey as a high school freshman in musicals such as Beauty and The Beast, and Once Upon a Mattress.
Isaac Denney is a student at Science Hill Independent School. He enjoys working on film projects with his papa Steve Cleberg.
Izzy Todd is a fifteen year old student at Somerset High School. Izzy was the lead in a local short film Summer and has performed in three other Christmas plays with a small theater group, Behold. Izzy hopes to make a career out of acting one day and plans to pursue cinematography.
Once Doris gets wind of Kringle sending parents to other stores, she fires him. In walks the big man himself, Mr. Macy (played by Joe Weigel), who tells Doris that hiring Kringle was the best idea for public relations. Now Doris must get Kringle back on her staff, and quick! But before he’s fully reinstated, Doris has Sawyer (played by Tyler Fish) check in on Kringle’s background. Is he really who he says he is? Or is everyone believing in the lies of a “crazy old man?”
This is Joe Weigel‘s reintroduction to the stage he left behind 45 years ago, when just before beginning medical school in the summer of 1977, he played Paul Bratter in the summertime dinner theatre production of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon, at the old Holiday Inn. He looks forward to this opportunity and is grateful for the same.
Tyler Fish has Previous stage and film roles at FbTC: The American Parade (Phillp), and SCC include Spirits (Gabriel), 2012 Readers Theatre (Prince Charming), The Choices We Make (Joshua Thompson), and The Go-Betweens(Policeman/Gypsy).
The ensemble of characters also includes Keifer Adkins, David Eads, Jillian Griffin, Shelby Holmes, Greg Moore, Scott Sexton, Noah Tomlinson, and Laura Torres in various roles throughout the show.
Keifer Adkins currently serves as Flashback’s Community Development Coordinator and is a recent graduate of the 2022 Leadership KY Elevate program. He received two Bachelor’s degrees in history and theater at Western Kentucky University. His acting credits span many years, noted credits include Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead!, The Elephant Man, True West, and Wait Until Dark (Harry Roat).
David Eads ongoing acting credits include, David, Dad and Papa. In his spare time, he practices Optometry at the local VA health clinic, and plays secretary of Flashback’s board of directors.
Jillian Griffin is a student at Southwestern High School and excels in her studies with a focus on music. She has been in many musical programs and small theatrical productions at her former school.This is Jillian’s debut at Flashback Theater Co.
Shelby Holmes is a junior at Southwestern High School. She participates in choir, theater and is interested in musical theater, singing, guitar, piano, drawing and art. She played Phillip in The American Parade (Junior Cast) at FbTC and Ned in Radio Suspense Theatre at SWHS.
Greg Moore is a veteran of Somerset theater, Greg has performed with SCC Theatre in The Hound of Baskersvilles (Dr. Watson), School for Scandal (Sir Peter Teazle), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom). FbTC Credits include: Pirates of Penzance (Major General Stanley). When not on stage, Greg is the weekday morning host of a local radio show.
Scott Sexton has directed 24 plays & musicals for middle & high school students. He serves as Director of Bands at Northern MS & Pulaski County HS. Previous FbTC credits include Mary: Her Story, The Mousetrap, All Together Now!, The Dollmaker, & Season Announcement Cabarets.
Noah Tomlinson is a freshman at SWHS making his debut at FbTC and he couldn’t be more excited. He is excited to perform in a professional setting and hopes you enjoy the performance.
Laura Torres is excited to return to the stage with Flashback Theatre this season after a long hiatus. She acted in community and school productions in her youth and college years. She resides in Somerset with her husband and son.
The design team of Miracle on 34th Street brings Director Jade Ellis’ vision to fruition. Debut design work by Tiffany Warren for costumes and set designs by Professional Ensemble member Thomas Alvey are the final elements in the theatrical production.
Tiffany Warren is a Theatre BA graduate from NKU and alumni of SCC. At SCC, she was in Steel Magnolias, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Radio Suspense Theater: The Final Episode. Working with Flashback Theater, she has been in shows such as The American Parade, The Dollmaker, and The Lady’s Not For Burning.
Thomas Alvey currently serves as Flashback’s Marketing Coordinator. FbTC Directing credits: The American Parade, Junior Cast and FbTC acting credits: Mary: Her Story (Joseph & Ensemble) The Mousetrap (Det. Sgt. Trotter), Every Christmas Story Ever Told…. And Then Some (Thomas), Hazard County (Blake), and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Hamlet). BA Theatre Arts, MFA Writing for the Screen and Stage. @thethomasalvey
Tickets for Miracle on 34th Street are on sale now. Adult single tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door, Student single tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Seating is assigned at the time of ticket purchase.
Dates and Times
Thursday, December 8th at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 11th at 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 16th at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 17th at 7:30 p.m.
Ticket Prices
Adults – $18 Advance, $20 Door
Students – $12 Advance, $15 Door
Tickets may be purchased online (www.flashbacktheater.co/events), in person at 400 East Mt. Vernon St, Somerset, KY 42501, Tuesday through Friday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., or be reserved in advance by calling the box office at (888) 394-FbTC ext. 1. Advance ticket sales end online 2 hours prior to showtime. We accept all major credit cards. Exchanges may be made at no cost up to 24 hours prior to the ticketed performance by calling the box office. Season tickets are available to purchase for $65 until December 1, 2022 and includes all the MainStage shows in the upcoming season: Miracle on 34th Street, The Book of Will, and Sweeney Todd.
A very special thank you to our 2022-23 Spotlight Sponsors: Applied Behavioral Advancements, City of Somerset, M&W Printing, and Footlight Sponsors: David Daring Rentals, Kinetic by Windstream, United Cumberland Bank, T. Ronald Kidd Trust, Fireborn Energy, and HealthMarkets for their continued support of FbTC’s production of theater that speaks to the soul. This production is brought to you in partnership with Title Sponsor: SPEDA Artist Sponsors: Somerset-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce, Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, Citizens Bank, and First & Farmer’s National Bank.