A CHRISTMAS CAROL TIMES TWO WITH MICHAEL ALLEN HARRISON!

Media Contacts:
Al LePage, Actor/Producer, Great Stories Alive! / 503-335-3876 / Al.LePage@SpireTech.com
Michael Allen Harrision, Pianist/Producer, MAH Productions / 503-255-0747 (office) / 503-412-9339 (cell) / MAH@TelePort.com

"Victorian thespian" meets modern-day musician for
"Christmas Carol Times Two!" benefit performance
"Englishman Thomas Hutchinson!"

"A Christmas Carol Times Two!", a dramatic reading performance of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" combined with traditional 19th century English Christmas carols will happen on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 2PM in the Royal Durst Theater at the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics, 3101 Main Street, Vancouver, Washington. Actor Al LePage, who has portrayed various characters of Pacific Northwest history in years past at Fort Vancouver and other historic sites, will become "Englishman Thomas Hutchinson, Traveling Thespian" complete with English accent, clothing of the period and other accoutrements for the reading. Northwest pianist and composer Michael Allen Harrison will weave piano music between various scenes to set the tone for what's to come and entertain. This is a benefit performance sponsored by the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Parent Teacher Student Association (VSAA PTSA) with all proceeds to equally benefit both the VSAA PTSA and The Snowman Foundation. Admission is $10 per person and the performance is best appreciated both by adults and children 7 years of age and older. Call 1-800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com to reserve tickets, and if available, may be purchased at the door. Doors open at 1:30PM and seating is general admission.

"It's a double feature," begins LePage," since you not only get to experience a dramatic reading of "A Christmas Carol," but also enjoy traditional English Christmas Carol music, too! That's what makes it a Christmas Carol times two, you see. But wait, since it's Christmas 1857, and it's the year the "City of Vancouver" was incorporated in Washington Territory, there's a lot of local and other history to bring alive, too! I guess that really makes the whole thing a kind of triple feature, doesn't it?"

LePage entertains appreciative audiences with his one-man "solo" of Dickens' Christmas Carol as Victorian-era "Englishman Thomas Hutchinson." His abbreviated performance is not only based upon Dickens own historic public reading version, but are also done just like Dickens did simply by using his voice, facial expressions, gestures and movement to create all 18 characters -- accents and all -- plus sound effects, too! From Scrooge to Tiny Tim, from Marley's Ghost to Mrs. Cratchit, there's howls and growls, bangs and bongs, a dance with a song, lively laughter and heartfelt tears. Since he's playful, likes to experiment and believes in seizing the moment, even he doesn't always know what's going to happen next. And, before each reading, he's definitely got what could aptly be called “his stories” to tell both in “the year” and the place he's performing to connect, interpret, and share history with the audience. He loves to play to -- and with -- audience members to bring history alive, which will quickly become evident when you first encounter him. He's sure to bring you lively laughter, and hopefully some tears, during his dramatic reading of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol.'"

NW composer and pianist Michael Allen Harrison's musical talents began at age 6 when his parents decided to enroll him in piano lessons to help him come out of his shell. In college he was recognized for his ability to play and compose music, began writing music for theater programs, and branched out as a company pianist for the Pacific Ballet Theater, Ballet Oregon, and Oregon Ballet Theater. He's performed nationally and internationally, and for people such as President Clinton and the Dalai Lama! “Cutting edge, classical contemporary” best describes his style, and he's been in the music scene for over two decades. Michael has released over 40 CD's, launched MAH Records in 1984, and is nationally recognized for writing film scores for motion pictures, short films and documentaries. Michael also began the Snowman Foundation in 2000 to help support school programs where music has been eliminated, providing things such as instruments and scholarships for kids who can't afford it. A classical musician at heart, one of his favorite pastimes is performing with the Oregon Symphony, and he plans to launch his own musical, Prometheus. Sometimes solemn, sometimes wild, but always Michael, he'll be dancing his nimble and quick fingers across the keyboard for a musical feast of English Christmas Carols to fill the holiday spirit.

LePage got his start bringing history to life through improvised portrayals of real people from the past and has been seen by thousands during the eight years he appeared at events with the National Park Service, historic sites, museums, and other venues in the Pacific Northwest.
He's appeared on the PBS TV History Detectives series as everything from a bartender to Robert E. Lee! He's also written and produced his own one-man historical dramas, and recorded his “short” performance version of Dickens' classic holiday story as a one man radio show, an Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio production that premiers this very Christmas Eve at 8PM. LePage has even given “historical performances” on location in Boston where, and once when (same calendar date), Dickens did in 1867! "Performance with passion and purpose" is the mission of his Great Stories Alive! theater company shows. “Englishman Thomas Hutchinson” was first created to share history as an “average guy” but who somehow always seemed to turn up when and where historic events happened! He now lives on as a Victorian-era “Traveling Thespian” giving performances of Dickens' Christmas Carol to benefit charity, having done so since 2006. LePage loves to improvise and believes all the world's a stage, and every audience member a potential player, so watch out!

The Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Partent Teacher Student Association (VSAA PTSA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students, teachers and families of the Vancouver Schools of Arts & Academics Its focus is on fundraising and creating opportunities for students, and encouraging families, to be involved with the school and the organization itself. Activities and projects include: a magazine sale, dinner theatre, faculty and student grants, purchase of classroom inspiration items, Reflections (a state PTA sponsored art program that gives students an opportunity to explore and learn about various art forms), membership meetings with guest speakers (open to all), staff appreciation, senior class activities to support a substance-free celebration with all class members, the publication of a school directory, communications in the VSAA Newsletter, maintenance of the VSAA Web site and legislative updates. Visit VsaaPtsa.org to learn more, get involved or how to help.

The Snowman Foundation envisioned by Michael Allen Harrison, is a non-profit organization founded in 1999 to promote the musical arts in the Pacific Northwest. It's mission of "Giving the gift of music to children" is achieved through grants to organizations, schools and individuals, to fund a multitude of needs ranging from things as basic as musical instruments to artists-in-resident grants. The Foundation's primary source of funding comes from the proceeds of fundraising events such as the annual "Ten Grands" concert, recordings, theater productions, and small concerts. More than $1 million has been raised to support music programs in schools and youth organizations in the Portland area, donating 18 grand pianos and restoring band instruments for schools are part of the foundation's success stories. Visit SnowmanFoundation.org to learn about grants or how to help.