BACK FOR OUR
​14TH HOLIDAY SEASON!

This holiday season, Summoners Ensemble Theatre and the Merchant’s House Museum celebrate 14 years of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT’S HOUSE (29 East 4th Street, Manhattan). Surrounded by 19th century holiday decorations, flickering candles, and richly appointed period furnishings, audiences will be transported back 150 years in this captivating 70 minute performance created from Dickens’ own script. Performances run November 24, 2026 through January 3, 2027.
This year Vince Gatton will once again share the role of Mr. Dickens with John Kevin Jones at alternating performances. Please consult our performance schedule below. ​
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"A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens"
December 3 - January 1
At select performances only.​
Attend a special performance by Mr. Dickens (John Kevin Jones) of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and raise a cup of “Smoking Bishop” (mulled wine) or chilled cider to the season! The 19th century family room, kitchen, and garden (weather permitting) of the Merchant’s House Museum will be open to guests during the reception. If offered on your selected performance, look for the "Reception & Performance" ticketing option. Strictly limited to 20 guests, $35.
 
** December 18 thru 26 only -  We welcome back Bell Ringer Natalia Paruz to "A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens." As in past years she will perform holiday carols in the kitchen where everyone is invited to raise their glasses, and their voice, to the season.
​
It's December 1867 and Charles Dickens has arrived in New York City for a month of sold-out performances of his beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Be transfixed as Mr. Dickens, portrayed by actors John Kevin Jones and Vince Gatton, tells his timeless Christmas tale in the elegant intact Greek Revival parlor of the landmark 1832 Merchant’s House Museum. 
 
Not recommended for children under 12. 
The Merchant's House Museum is not handicapped accessible
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
 
* “A Holiday Reception with Mr. Dickens” available at $35
** Bell Ringer Natalia Paruz will delight with Carols of the season!
 
Tuesday, November 24 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
Wednesday, November 25 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
Thursday, November 26 - Thanksgiving 
Friday, November 27 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones
Saturday, November 28 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
Saturday, November 28 @ 8PM John Kevin Jones
Sunday, November 29 @ 6PM John Kevin Jones

Tuesday, December 1 @ 7:30PM Vince Gatton
Wednesday, December 2 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
*Thursday, December 3 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
*Friday, December 4 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
Saturday December 5 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
*Saturday, December 5 @ 8:30PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 7:30PM)
​Sunday, December 6 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
 
Tuesday, December 8 @ 7:30PM Vince Gatton
Wednesday, December 9 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
*Thursday, December 10 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
*Friday, December 11 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
Saturday, December 12 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
*Saturday, December 12 @ 8:30PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 7:30PM)
Sunday, December 13 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
 
Tuesday, December 15 @ 7:30PM Vince Gatton
Wednesday, December 16 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
Thursday, December 17 @ 7PM Vince Gatton
**Friday, December 18 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
Saturday, December 19 @ 6PM Vince Gatton
** Saturday, December 19 @ 8:30PM John Kevin Jones  (reception at 7:30PM)
Sunday, December 20 @ 6PM John Kevin Jones
 
**Tuesday, December 22 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
**Wednesday, December 23 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 6PM)
**Thursday, December 24 @ 4PM – Christmas Eve - John Kevin Jones (reception at 3PM)
**Thursday, December 24 @ 6:30PM – Christmas Eve - John Kevin Jones (reception at 5:30PM)
Friday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Saturday, December 26 @ 6PM John Kevin Jones
**Saturday, December 26 @ 8:30PM John Kevin Jones (reception at 7:30PM)
Sunday, December 27 @ 6PM John Kevin Jones 
 
Tuesday, December 29 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones
Wednesday, December 30 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones
Thursday, December 31 @ 6PM – New Year’s Eve John Kevin Jones
*Thursday, December 31 @ 8:30PM – New Year’s Eve - John Kevin Jones (reception at 7:30PM)
*Friday, January 1 @ 7PM – New Year’s Day - John Kevin Jones (reception at 6:00PM)
Saturday, January 2 @ 7PM John Kevin Jones
Sunday, January 3 @ 6PM John Kevin Jones


​This is a strictly limited engagement. 
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​
Press contact: Amy Kass​ 
​JOHN KEVIN JONES (Actor, Co-Adapter) Kevin is a member of Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, and the Dramatists Guild of America. In New York Kevin has been seen in Nothing But Trash, Theater for the New City; The Winter’s Tale and The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hipgnosis Theatre. Regional credits include The Pavilion (American Stage), Othello (Arkansas Rep), The Rivals, All My Sons (Kentucky Rep), Angels in America, Gross Indecency (Playhouse on the Square).
 
VINCE GATTON (Actor) Vince is delighted to be returning to the Merchant’s House Museum in another ghost story, having previously performed The Turn of the Screw in the hallowed double parlors for Two Turns Theatre Company. He received a Drama Desk nomination for David Johnston's Candy and Dorothy; other notable multi-character acting credits include SPILL at EST; I Am My Own Wife and Fully Committed at Barrington Stage Company; and I Am My Own Wife again at Coachella Valley Rep (Desert Star Award Nomination) and for Two Turns, staged in an antique shop in Brooklyn. More at vincegatton.com 
 
RHONDA DODD (Director, Co-Adapter): An award winning actor, technician and director, Rhonda arrived in New York with over 150 shows under her belt. Once here she made her Off-Broadway acting debut with Terese Hayden and Jacqueline Brookes’ Workshop in Tennessee Williams’ Period of Adjustment, finished her Ph.D., and spent 10 years working at Circle in the Square Theatre School. Dr. Dodd is the Artistic Director of Summoners Ensemble Theatre, a member of Actors Equity, and a participant in The Playground Experiment – a forum for theatre artists to explore, test, and showcase new work while finding inspiration and support from the community it creates.
 
NATALIA PARUZ (Reception Bell Ringer - December 18-26 only!): Natalia Paruz was one of the pioneers of the technique of 6-in-hand (ringing three bells in each hand), was featured on ABC World News, and can be heard ringing at different church services. She also created a dramatic style of ringing tabled bells for telling ghost stories. She participates in historical reenactment as a bell ringer at historic houses and cemeteries, such as at Historic Richmond Town, Greenwood cemetery, Maple Grove cemetery, the St George theater, and now is very happy to be part of the Summoners Ensemble at Merchant’s House. In 2017 she initiated a new way of teaching bell ringing, called 'Social Bell Ringing', without the need for sheet music, in a way that can be enjoyed by all as a form of socializing. Her students included the legally blind, people on the spectrum, and elderly folks with disabilities. Her students ranged from age 7 to 98.

CHARLES DICKENS (1812 – 1870): Considered the greatest English novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters. When destitution landed his family in debtor's prison, young Charles was forced to give up school and work in a blacking warehouse. This era of his life heavily influenced his writing, which later made him a much sought-after orator. After giving a speech to a group of working-class poor, Dickens found himself contemplating the plight of exploited child workers. Taking only six weeks to complete, in 1843, A Christmas Carol stripped away the mask from some of England’s most acute social evils. By speaking up for the poor and oppressed, Dickens directly confronted the apathy and callousness of his countrymen. But more than just a timely political screed, Dickens’ spirit-filled holiday story has become a timeless treatise about love, compassion, and the transformation of the human heart. He impelled his contemporaries then -- and now us today -- to care about everyone and to reach out and help if we see someone in need. 
 
MERCHANT’S HOUSE MUSEUM The Merchant’s House Museum is New York City’s only family home preserved intact—inside and out—from the 19th century.  Built in 1832, the House offers visitors an intimate and authentic glimpse of life in 19th century New York City and the struggle against slavery. It is the only intact site of the Underground Railroad open to the public in Manhattan. It has been under threat from proposed development next door for 14 years and is fighting for its survival!
 
The Merchant's House is a National Historic Landmark, a New York State landmark, and in New York City, one of only 124 buildings with both exterior and interior landmark status. www.merchantshouse.org

Follow www.merchantshouse.org on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @MerchantsHouse
 
SUMMONERS ENSEMBLE THEATRE Founded by a group of actors who studied together at Circle in the Square Theatre School’s Professional Acting Training program, Summoners Ensemble joined the ranks of New York nonprofit theatre companies in 1993. Created as a collaborative to allow the members to share in all of the functions needed in running a theatre company, Summoners remains a collective effort as we jointly produce theatrical events with other nonprofits or as we find ourselves acting and directing, writing and producing.