In November and December, the Alvina Krause Theatre in downtown Bloomsburg will be filled with the sounds of children when Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble’s holiday classic A Christmas Carol returns to the stage.

In addition to regularly scheduled weekend matinee performances, there will be twelve special school matinees for A Christmas Carol. Appropriate for all ages, these matinees will play on the following dates: Nov. 27, 28, 29, Dec. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20, all at 10:00 a.m. Attending BTE for a holiday matinee is a tradition for many schools. Matinees fill quickly; schools are encouraged to call now.

Last performed in 2003, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble is proud to include Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of redemption and renewal in its 30th anniversary season. From the first ghostly rattle of Jacob Marley’s chains, to the fun and frivolity of the Fezziwig’s party, to the ominous predictions of the Ghost of Christmas Future, students travel through time along with Ebenezer Scrooge as he is confronted by the boy he was, the man he has become and the fate that awaits him if he fails to change.

BTE’s school matinees include the full-length mainstage production of A Christmas Carol, as well as a unique behind-the-scenes peek at the show itself. After each matinee, students are invited to “Meet the Cast” as members of the cast make themselves available to answer questions about any aspect of the production. The cost of $7.50 a ticket reflects a substantial savings off the single ticket prices for regularly scheduled performances. Interested parents, teachers, and administrators should contact BTE’s School Programs Director, Paula Henry at (570) 458-4075 or email at phenry@bte.org.

The 2007-2008 season celebrates the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble’s 30th year of bringing exciting, professional theatre to Pennsylvania’s Northeast and beyond. To find out more about BTE, its educational programs and the current season, please visit the website at www.bte.org or call the administrative offices at (570) 784-5530.