Written by Chris Sorensen & Chris Armbrister with Original Music by James Mablin
A CRIPPLE CREEK CHRISTMAS CAROL was first produced by Arthur’s Realm Productions in 2002 at The Butte Opera House in Cripple Creek, CO.

Christmas production for both kids and professionals. Students will get to work alongside real working professional actors to learn what it takes to put on a full-scale production. Students will get the chance to be mentored and guided by these professionals throughout the process.

🎭 Audition Dates

• October 14 – Enrolled Students & Parents | 5:30 – 8:30 PM
• October 15 & 16 – Non-Equity & Parents | 5:30 – 9 PM
• October 17 – Callbacks | 5:30 – 8:30 PM

ATTENTION ALL NON-EQUITY AUDITIONERS:

• Please click on the button above to view complete audition info, including character breakdown and submission guidelines.

ATTENTION ENROLLED STUDENTS & ENROLLED PARENTS:

• Please make sure you check your email for audition guidelines, as your process is slightly different.

Rehearsals: October – November 20, 22025
Days: Monday – Friday (Based on availability.)
Time: 5 – 9 PM

Performances:
November 21, December 5 @ 8 PM
November 22, December 6 @ 2 PM & 7 PM
November 23, December 7 @ 2 PM
December 4 @ 7 PM

Step into the magic of Christmas Past, Present, and Future! A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol is not just another retelling of Dickens’ beloved classic – it’s a dazzling holiday experience like no other! Written by Chris Sorensen & Chris Armbrister, with beautiful original score and music by James Mablin, this adaptation breathes new life into A Christmas Carol with a historical twist that’s uniquely Cripple Creek. Set in the heart of Cripple Creek, Colorado, a real-life gold-mining town with a rich history, we meet Bob Womack, the town’s founder, as he “borrows” inspiration from Dickens to rescue a Scrooge-like mine owner, Gooch, from his greed and loneliness. Enjoy original songs, historical characters, real locales, heartfelt comedy, and a timeless message of love and generosity.

This isn’t just a play – it’s a journey. Immerse yourself in the magic of Cripple Creek, where history and holiday spirit collide to create an unforgettable celebration of Christmas. Don’t miss your chance to experience a holiday classic with a Colorado twist.

Tuition: $600 | RaueNOW Family Member: $450*
Includes show t-shirt and 2 complimentary tickets per enrollment.

No Tuition for Adult Actors.

Scholarships & Financial Aid Available.

Chris Armbrister (Director) – is excited to make his Raue Center debut with a show that is near & dear to him, A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol. Chris hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA & his career have taken him from coast to coast & across the Atlantic as director, actor, writer, fight choreographer & producer. Chris is the Artistic Director of Stagedoor Manor in NY…past recipient of Broadway Theatre Museum’s Award for Excellence in Arts Education & the subject of movies, books & countless magazine articles. At Stagedoor he has collaborated with the international licensing company MTI on the development of High School editions for some of Broadway’s greatest shows like…including this past summer directing the pilot production for Come From Away. Additionally, Chris is also Artistic Director & producer for Thin Air Theatre Company, where he won the Denver region BroadwayWorld awards for Best Direction, Best Musical & Best Theatre Company. Favorite Directing credits include Come From Away, Les Miserables, Spring Awakening & Spamalot. Chris holds an MFA from the Univ. of Alabama & is a member of East TN State University’s Alumni Hall of Fame for “Contributions to the Development of Theatre in America”. Chris considers his #1 blessing to be his amazing wife Glenda…like The Good Witch! www.ChrisArmbrister.com

Chris Sorensen (Playwright & Author) Chris Sorensen is the bestselling author of The Nightmare Room, The Hungry Ones, The Messy Man, Suckerville, and Bee Tornado. He’s penned over fifteen plays for Thin Air Theatre Company and the Butte Theater of Colorado, including A Haunting at the Old Homestead, The Vampire of Cripple Creek, and Dr. Jekyll’s Medicine Show. He lives with his wife and pups in Colorado, where he splits his time between writing spooky stories and narrating audiobooks. Chris has narrated over 300 titles for Audible, Tantor Audio, Hachette, Podium, Bee Audio, Recorded Books, and numerous other publishers. He studied under William Esper at the Rutgers Professional Actor Training Program and has taught and directed at Cornell University, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Atlantic Theatre Company School, and Interlochen Center for the Arts. An original company member of The Present Company Theatre (Edinburgh Fringe First Award), Chris is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Horror Writers Association.

James Mablin (Music Director) is a music director, composer, orchestrator, and arranger originally from London, England. He has musically directed or played keyboards on over ninety shows, from large national tours in the UK to shows from London to New York City to Alaska. As an educator, James ran the musical theatre program at a college in London, was a professor & musical theatre specialist at The Yale School of Drama and was the head of the music department at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center, named one of the top summer theatre programs in the world. James is the musical supervisor for Thin Air Theatre Company and has also written the vocal arrangements & musically directed opening and closing numbers for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In January of 2024, James is currently the Resident Music Director for Raue Center for the Arts.

Jacqueline Galliano (Choreographer) – is excited to be returning to Raue Center School For Arts after just having choreographed Disney’s FROZEN JR. AND MTI’s Broadway Jr. Revue: Pure Imagination!! Recent Credits: Much Ado About Nothing (McPherson Theatre/T. Quinn), Lex’s Revenge (Gorilla Films/K. Weston) & Promises (Gorilla Films/M. Iannone). She is a 2023 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University in Theatre Arts and Dance. Galliano teaches dance classes at Evolution Dance Experience in Elmhurst. She is a member of Views Dance Company and will be traveling to LA to compete in World of Dance! Thank you to my familia and friends for all your support!

Abby L. Austin (Stage Manager) – is thrilled to return to Raue Center School For The Arts! She is new to the Chicago area, having recently moved from Nashville! Recent Stage Management credits include Spamalot (Thin Air Theatre Company) and Finding Nemo, The Gingerbread Kid, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Strong Inside (Nashville Children’s Theatre). She has spent the last six summers as a Production Stage Manager at Stagedoor Manor where she Stage Manages the “Our Time” Cabaret and co-supervises the stage management department. In her free time, you can find Abby cooking something yummy or making sure her iRobot, SuzieBot, stays out of trouble. Much love to her parents, Reiley, Siubhan, Nino, and Benny.

Reiley Duffy (Assistant Stage Manager & Props Master) – is excited to be returning to the Raue for her second show. This is Reiley’s second year in Chicago and she has worked at various theaters including A Christmas Carol at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, A Bright Room Called Day at Greenhouse Theater, Avenue Q at Raue Center School for the Arts. Reiley has also worked with Norwegian Cruise Line on SIX, Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, and Choir of Man. During her summers, Reiley is the Props Team Lead at Stagedoor Manor Training Arts Center, and has worked on shows such as SUFFS, Mean Girls, Radium Girls, and Little Shop of Horrors. In her free time, Reiley is an avid reader always looking for her next biography or historical fiction book. She also loves taking pictures of her cat Nino and her roommate’s cat Benny. Much love to her parents, Abby, and Siubhan.

Kristen Brinati (Costume Designer) – is thrilled to be back as the Costume Designer for A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol and so excited to be spending the holiday season with The RCSA and Raue Community! Kristen is a Costume Designer local to Chicagoland and loves expressing her art through clothing. She is also the Head of the Wardrobe Department at Music Theater Works where she has worked for 19 consecutive shows

Lisa Giebler (Set Designer & Technical Director) – has worked in the Chicagoland area for over 15 years as a carpenter, painter, and mixed-material artist. She has worked in mostly educational theatre but is happy to join the Raue team as the Technical Director for WSRep and RCSA.

Rob Scharlow (Director of Education) is an award-winning director and has spent 35+ years working in the performing arts which has taken him across the country working as a director, actor, teacher and more. For the past 17 years, he worked for the internationally acclaimed performing arts training center, Stagedoor Manor in New York… a recipient of Broadway Theatre Museums Award for Excellence in Arts Education. During his time at Stagedoor, his journey began as a director/teacher, eventually transitioning into the role of Director of Education for 11 years and then most recently serving as Associate Artistic Director. Rob also oversaw the Dramafest program which helps to develop new and exciting 10-minute plays by young writers. A program that worked in conjunction with Stephen Sondheim’s Young Playwrights.

Education in the arts has always played such a large part in his career and he couldn’t be more delighted to be helping develop and ignite the education program as he comes back to the Raue Center, where (what seems like a lifetime ago) he spent time working as a marketing intern, appeared in several productions including the role of Sweeney Todd in William Street Rep’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (BroadwayWorld.com Best Actor Nominee), Hands on a Hardbody and Barefoot in the Park. He also directed their production of Search for Signs of Intelligent Life and spent some time with SAGE Studios teaching an advanced acting class.

With 150+ directing credits under his belt, some of his most memorable productions include; Ride the Cyclone: High School Edition where he had the opportunity to direct and help workshop the first production designed specifically for high school-aged performers. Evil Dead: The Musical in which he helped in the creation of the High School Edition working closely with Dramatic Publishing and the creators of the show. Other favorite directing credits include Evita, High Fidelity, BARE, Spring Awakening, Carrie: The Musical, In the Heights, BKLYN the Musical, The Toxic Avenger, Big Fish, Rock of Ages, You Can’t Take It With You, and more. On the flip side of things, some favorite acting credits include; Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (BroadwayWorld Best Actor Nominee), Billy Flynn in Chicago, Lockstock in Urinetown, Phantom in Phantom, Jon in Tick, tick…BOOM!, El Gallo in The Fantasticks and others.