A Dickens of a Tale Cast

Jack Dearborn is grateful to be participating in a Bankside Repertory show. He has been in a few plays before and occassionally they have been with Bankside. To help get into character for his roles in this show he spent a lot of time in a coffin to get a sense of what it might be like to be dead. The tight quarters made him feel very small and cramped which also helped him develop the physicality of Tiny Tim. Jack hopes you enjoy the show and is very grateful for those supporting live theatre.

Barbara Foster is a Principia College graduate, who studied Theatre and Creative Writing. Barbara performed in several shows while at Principia including, The Merchant of Venice, Titanic: The Musical, Guys and Dolls, and Best of Everything. She ran the sound for Godspell and she was the assistant stage manager for Treasure Island. Barbara wrote a one-person show called Walking In Their Shoes, and performed it at Principia College in 2018 and then again at the Orlando Fringe Festival in 2019. Barbara has a blog on her website fosteringcreation.com. She has written an article for the Christian Science Sentinel and is currently working on a book called Always Freeing Beauty, which will be self-published early next year. Barbara has recently moved to the St. Louis area and is grateful to be part of this Bankside production!

Sarah Goins is so excited and happy to be working with Bankside Repertory Theatre again! Her first show with Bankside was “Silent Night, Holy Noely!” in 2016 and she’s very thankful to be back working with this wonderful company. Sarah has been dancing, singing, and acting since her childhood and holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre & Dance Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Some of her past performances include Anton in Showbusiness, Intimate Apparel, Ubu Roi, Bye, Bye Birdie and Hairspray. While trained in various styles of dance, Sarah currently teaches ballet, tap, and jazz. Sarah would like to thank her family for always supporting her passions, Geoff for thinking of her for this show, and the Big Man Upstairs for his constant blessings. Enjoy the show!!

Caleb King has worked backstage and on stage for many years in Missouri, Connecticut and Hawaii, and received his M.A. in Theatre from Fontbonne University. He appeared as the Stage Manager in Our Town and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing as a staff member at Principia College in Illinois. Caleb also wrote and performed the music for their production of Shakespeare’s Pericles in 2011. His original play, Prometheus' Dream, was chosen by First Run Theatre to be produced here in St Louis in January 2017. For Bankside, he has directed Love Letters, Who Am I This Time?, Eurydice, and It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.

Chrissy Calkins Steele is a founding member of Bankside Repertory Theatre. She directs and teaches acting, movement, and voice (as a Designated Linklater Teacher) at Principia College. She has an MA from The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College. Productions with Bankside include Call Me Waldo, Love Letters, Who am I This Time and Other Conundrums of Love, and Falling. Other recent acting work includes Anton Chekhov Bookclub with Moving Dock Theatre Company in Chicago and Silent Sky with Insight Theatre Company in St. Louis. She is excited to be live on stage for this Christmas show!

“Mrs. Fezziwig has become known over the years as one of London’s more creative caterers and wedding planners. She doesn’t usually do funerals, but in this case she has made an exception. She has known the dear departed for many years, since he was an apprentice in her husband’s firm, Fezziwig & Co. Her dearest condolences go out to all of those dear friends who are gathered here this evening. Also, try the scones; they came out very well this time.”

Matthew Cocks first learnt to play Jingle Bells on the piano growing up in England during the mid-1980s and has been playing it each year since then. He broadened his repertoire during nineties and noughties beyond Christmas tunes to include jazz, blues, soul, pop and rock anthems. He has played keyboard in various bands in the UK and after moving to the United States three years ago he recently joined local French jazz band Bluesette.