Bah Humbug!

Adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, this one-man show grows and grows each year!


"He is truly amazing" and "…a holiday treat.”
--San Antonio Express News.
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(From the famous Arneson River Theater, San Antonio)
About the Show:

Now in its 10th year of touring Texas!   It's Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol with an amazing twist — one actor plays all the roles in this powerful tale of hope & compassion!  Award-winning stage actor J. Damian Gillen transforms before your eyes into all those beloved characters...from Scrooge to tiny Tim, in this magical and imaginative re-telling of the holiday classic! Complete with numerous costume changes, special effects and traditional Celtic Christmas tunes!  Great fun for the whole family!  This tour will break last years record of 30 shows in 30 days!

 
"Bah Humbug is sure to delight audiences the world over."  --Rave Reviews Magazine

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(From the Arneson River Theater, San Antonio) 
KUT INTERVIEW:
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(From the famous Arneson River Theatre in San Antonio - A record-breaking crowd!)
CHECK OUT THE NEWEST VIDEO HERE 
 
"Bah Humbug is an affirmation of charity, redemption and Christianity that the world needs right now!"  --Dr. Samara Cahill, University of Notre Dame
  

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CLIPS:

Listen to a radio Interview from KUT in Austin: Arts Eclectic

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(From Gruene, 2011)
 "Aside from the weather, it was a perfect day for us to go see a Christmas show so off we went.  The firepit ambiance was perfect Your animated performance and was great, and all of us enjoyed the humor and energy of the many character portrayals - amazing really!"

 

WATCH THESE YOUTUBE VIDEOS FROM THE GREAT DAY SA MORNING SHOW:

Hear our Bah Humbug Radio Ad: HERE!

More info: MEDIA PAGE  

 

Reviews & Articles from the San Antonio Express News:

 

Solo 'Christmas Carol' retains its heart

Deborah Martin
Express-News Staff Writer 

Forthe past few years, actor/director Damian Gillen has spent this timeof the year on the road, performing his one-man version of "A ChristmasCarol" all over the state.

For the fifth anniversary of the show — titled "Bah, Humbug!" — he set agoal of 30 shows in 30 days, which, if all goes well, he'll achieve at the Saturday finale at the Arneson River Theatre. (The rest of this week is being filled with performances at private parties and fundraisers.)

This year's performances included a few spins at Ruben's Bakery and Café, home base for The Company, the theater troupe for which Gillen serves as managing artistic director.

The café's intimate performance space served the show well and allowed Gillen to interact a bit with the audience.

Gillen manages to squeeze Charles Dickens' familiar story of Ebenezer Scrooge's overnight change from a mean-spirited miser into an openhearted soul into a brisk 60 minutes. His adaptation hits all of the big turns in the tale — Scrooge's reputation as a crank, the visitation by the three ghosts, the soul-crushing poverty of the Cratchits, the sweetness of Tiny Tim, and Scrooge's transformation just in time for Christmas.

Gillen moves effortlessly between all the parts, including the narrator.  He sometimes switches out accessories (a festive green hat for Scrooge's nephew Fred, chains for Marley's ghost, a floppy bonnet for Mrs. Cratchit) to help make the changes clearer. He also makes good use of lights and some sound effects.

For all the speediness of the storytelling, he never neglects the emotional heart of the story, making the show a holiday treat.

dlmartin@express-news.net  Posted: 12/17/2007 05:40 PM CST

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("When the riverboats ride through his performance, he sing 'I saw the ships a-sailing in on Christmas day in the mornin'")

 

Actors find Dickens' famed miser to be among the best of roles 

By Deborah Martin - San Antonio Express-News (12/25/2009)

At the end of last year's run of "A Christmas Carol: The Musical" at the San Pedro Playhouse, actor Byrd Bonner was surprised by how attached he had become to Ebenezer Scrooge after playing the transformed crank for a month.

"I sobbed through the entire performance that final show, which caught me totally by surprise," Bonner said. "Part of it was this wonderful opportunity and wonderful cast and this combination of wonderful things coming to an end."

And so, Bonner didn't really need to be sold when director Frank Latson offered him the chance to return to the role this year. (Technically, it's Bonner's third go-round as Scrooge. He first played it in a junior high production that was, he said, "probablythe very first show I ever played in.") He'll wrap up this run on Jan. 3.

Damian Gillen knows precisely how tough it can be to let go of Scrooge. Gillen's been playing character for seven years in "Bah Humbug!," his one-man adaptation of "Carol."

"I really would do this show all year round if I could," said Gillen said, artistic director of The Company Theatre. "It's hard to say goodbye."

Gillen just ended the 2009 edition of his annual attempt to do 30 shows in 30 days at the Arneson River Theater earlier this week — "It really gets me in the spirit for Christmas, doing this story and seeing how it affects other people," he said.

Over the past month, he did the show in theaters, schools, jails, restaurants and anywhere else that would have him.

This was the first year he ventured to New York for a pair of performances up there, one of which was given in a space so small that he was just a few feet away from the audience: "I could see the tears in their eyes," he said. "To see a woman in the front row crying during the dead Tiny Tim scene, it's tough, but it's also a blessing. It means a lot to me that the message is so effective."

Gillen still finds the story deeply moving, particularly the scenes in which Scrooge takes all that he has seen to heart and actually changes.

Playing that change, he said, "still feels the same as it did the first year. It chokes me up. It's really about redemption and reformation. It tugs at my heart."

Bonner believes the story, in which Scrooge is forced to confront his miserly ways and poor treatment of pretty much everyone in his life, has resonated particularly strongly during the economic downturn. During last year's run, he noted, "we were starting to hear the word ‘recession' more and more commonly in the news, in the newspapers and on TV on the radio. Also, Bernie Madoff was arrested while we were doing ‘A Christmas Carol' last year.

"The sort of life that Scrooge led up until the famous Christmas Eve transformation was very reflective of what we were learning had been going on in the financial system in our country and in the world. That was an interesting time to be doing ‘A Christmas Carol' for all of us; we talked about it as a cast. . . . Now,it's a different day, thank goodness. But we know the rest of the story; it was kind of hard to grasp the gravity last year."

For him, one of the big moments in each performance is when Scrooge re-engages with the community he had shunned for so long. On opening night, he said, he grabbed fellow actor SkudR Jones' hand during the closing number to underscore that message.

"It's meaningful to me to carry that sense of community on and to drive home (Scrooge's) realization of the importance of neighbors and community," Bonner said.

 
REVIEW: Bah Humbug!

Dec. 4th, 2010 - Gruene, TX – Gruene Market Days

Presented By: The Company Theatre – Featuring: J. Damian Gillen

   Even in December, as the leaves on the trees begin to curl and turn brown, Central Texas can still be a relatively warm place. Such was the case on a late fall afternoon in Gruene as temperatures climbed well into the 80’s and the sun beat relentlessly down. It could only have been magic, then… the magic of Christmas and the magic of actor J. Damian Gillen, which transformed a semi-circle of hay bales in the warm Texas sun into the cold, gray, wintry streets of Victorian-era London.

   “Bah Humbug!” Gillen’s adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol”, is currently enjoying its eighth season. The stage production is presented by the San Antonio based Company Theatre (at which Gillen is artistic director). “Bah Humbug!” grows more popular with each passing year. Since 2003 it has been performed at theaters, schools, town centers, prisons, churches, and private functions across Texas. Gillen’s performances have been enjoyed by thousands and have become a holiday tradition for many Texas families.  

As the show begins, Gillen enters the stage carrying a large book and opens it to tell the story. Soon, his voice and demeanor are that of Scrooge himself, then the dutiful Bob Cratchit, and so on. Every character in the story, every ghost, every narration, and even Tiny Tim,is portrayed brilliantly and lovingly by Gillen. With the assistance ofa small collection of props (hats, wigs, jackets, and the like), and a few well-placed special effects, Gillen makes seamless transitions from one character into the next.

Each portrayal, whether fun loving, sincere, callous or judgmental, captures the attention and refuses to let go. Gillen’s spot-on comedic timing isthe ideal companion for Dickens’ subtle sense of humor and he laughs, cries, sings, and wisecracks through dialog at a rapid pace. The audience is left breathless, at times, but contented to be so.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the performance is the obvious affection that Gillen has for his subject matter. His belief in forgiveness and the power of Scrooge’s redemption give the old familiar story an air of timeless relevance. As the tale comes to a close, and the audience once again emerges into the bright Texas midday sun, Tiny Tim’s words serve as a reminder of the story’s simple and powerful lesson. “God bless us, Every One!”

                          by,  A. C. Eshleman  “Ace”

  
NOTES & VISIONS:
http://notesandvisionsblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/damian-gillen-bah-humbug-one-man.html
 
 
FROM FANS:

"Beyond my expectations.  this was a wonderful show & Mr Gillen is incredible, amazing actor.  I look forward to the next show."

His energy and humor put a great spin on an old story, and everyone walked away glad that they came for dinner that night.  Most of the folks didn't know about Damian and his Company Theatre, but they were really glad to find out that he's in the area so they can go see more of his performances. 
--Gwen Michal, Blanco United Methodist Church.
 
Dear Damian (a.k.a Mr. Scrooge),
Before closing the final ornament boxes on Christmas 2009, I want to thank you for a wonderful, although frigid, evening of "BAH HUMBUG!" at Bracken Village.  Although we are hearty souls from the Windy City, it was still a mighty frigid night to be on those benches enjoying your one-man (and 1/4-woman) show of my favorite story and the possibility for man's redemption.  Even though we were wearing our Illinois woolies, I stood tightly behind my husband in order to stay warm during your show.  You, however, were a man afire!  I'm certain you suck pure oxygen before & after your performances just to stay alive.  WOW! What a presentation!  We look forward to seeing your show in 2010, BUT could you just warm it up a bit for us, please.

Sincerely,
Your Fan
Joan Stockmal-Gordon

 

This show is available for your school, church, fundraising event, town Christmas celebrations, private party or dinner theatre.  THIS PRODUCTION IS NOW RESERVATIONS FOR BOOKING FOR 2012.

 

More reviews & letters from our audience... 

  • Bahumtastic! You keep Christmas in our hearts --Benji & Gina
  • Wonderful!  Thank you so much for an amazing show! -Jonnie
  • We are making this an annual family event.  Thanks for helping to bring in the Christmas Season.  --David Yanase
  • Jim Carey gets a B+...you get an A+++++++++  --Alyssa (age 6)
  • It was snowing inside...That was a good show!  --Aiden (Age 2-1/2)
  • I was incredibly thankful for the turnout and all of the students in attendance had nothing but positive things to say about the performance.  You truly bring the spirit of all of Dickens's characters to life, and it was quite an entertaining performance.  Best of luck in your tail end of 30 performances in 30 nights.
  • Merry Christmas and thank you for your hard work and dedication to making a wonder Christmas tradition come to life.
  • "I saw the new movie. Your live version is SO much better. Thought you should know... "
  • OMG what a play!  I LOLed from beginning to end.  It was coolest to be sitting in the front to have Scrooge (Tiny Tim, Marley, Ghosts, etc.) looking at me.--Travis
  • I loved The Christmas Carol! The actor did such a good job on playing all of the characters. Awesome play! 5 stars.  --Tyler
  • I think Damian improves with each performance.  Show is great!  Brings out the true meaning of Christmas and a tear to the eye.
  • Sensational...better than last year!
  • It will become a family tradition.
  • Charismatic!  A perfect start to the holiday season!
  • Another Great Performance Damian! We look forward to having you again next year! --Emma - Gruene Market Days
  • Magnificent!!! Tremendous ability to portray changing emotions!!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE PAST BAH HUMBUG PRODUCTIONS

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More Reviews & Testimonials:

  • We are making this an annual family event.  Thanks for helping to bring in the Christmas Season. --Yanase Family
  • "I love you more than Santa!"  --Alyssa, Age 4
  • "Amazing! I absolutely loved how much he got into the characters and the rapid changes. Keep up the great work! We drive 7 hours every year to see this and is is quite worth it!"  --Rob D. Hobbs New Mexico
  • "Christmas would not be Christmas without Bah Humbug!"
    --Bo F. San Antonio, TX
  • "I've done 3 productions of Scrooge in my life, playing everyone from Peter, Scrooge and Bob (Crachit) and this is by far the BEST production I have ever seen bar none! Thank you for opening the hearts and making us feel like children again!" --David O. San Antonio, TX
  • "That show was INCREDIBLE. It really got us in the Christmas spirit, We laughed and we cried." --Jackie H. Austin, TX 
  • "Just wonderful - Got everyone in the Christmas spirit!"
    --Gerry R. Marion, TX
  • "A one-man adventure!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
    --Michael M. Plano, TX 
  • "Awesome show! Great acting!"
    --Sarah V. Boerne, TX
  • "Dynamic, moving, masterful. A true professional & inspiration to all. THANKS."
    --Mr & Mrs Gary H. Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 
  • "I have never seen a one-person show so well acted!"
    --Betsy D Boerne, TX
  • "What a wonderful wonderful treat! A real treasure."
    --Richard Z. San Antonio, TX
  • "Loved it!"
    --Lisa H Ft. Worth, TX 
  • "It was wonderful, funny, eyeopener. The best my daughter and I have ever seen."
    --Laura C. Boerne, TX
  • "Really enjoyed your show"
    --Scott (age 10) San antonio, TX
  • "Absolutely delightful and inspiring."
    --Heather D. Schertz, TX

Reviews & Testimonials 2003-2005

"BAH HUMBUG! is sure to delight audiences the world over."

--Rave Reviews Magazine

"He is absolutely amazing."

--San Antonio Express News.

"Bah Humbug is an affirmation of charity and redemption and Christianity that the world needs right now!"
--Dr. Samara Cahill, University of Notre Dame

 

  • "It was great to see the excitement and suspense in the eyes of the Children as they followed every movement. Bah Humbug! was a great production that was thoroughly enjoyed for all our Families."--Misty Poe , Principal, St Mary School, Austin TX
  • It was better than...a video game. It was really funny when he dressed up like a woman!
    --David, age 7
  • He did everything himself! --Mason, age 10
  • ...It was exciting! --Grayson, age 8
  • Dad... that was better than a movie  --Said Shea, age 12"
  • The show was great. I mean it really inspires children and even adults to be giving and just be nice to people; And Damian did an awesome job playing all of those parts and remembering all the lines. If you get to the show, at the end, give him a great round of applause and stick around to meet Scrooge at the end." (Signed) "A very happy admirer!-- Paige," (age 9)  P.S. It was great quality time for us as well. You've definitely found your calling! Linda (Paige's' mom)
  • Fun Show. Damian IS Scrooge, I saw it last year ...GO --Gary Cannon 
  • ...an amazing performance...--Natalie Figuerido Austin, TX
  • Powerful stuff...--Mike from Garden Ridge, TX 
  • You were like Ian Mckellen up there!--Jon Austin, TX

Sound Bites from a few years ago:

Intro

Marley

THE TENTH ANNUAL TEXAS TOUR
(CLICK ON LINKS FOR MORE INFO) 

Dec. 17th - Appearance on Great Day SA morning TV show.


Dec.18th
WHERE: Dinner Theater @ Little Italy - San Antonio

Doors open at 6:30pm, Show: 7:30pm

CALL:800-838-3006


Dec. 19th - A TEX-mas Carol
 WHERE: Dinner Theater @ Little Italy - San Antonio

Dec. 20th - Dinner Theater Fundraiser

Dec. 21-22 Dougherty Arts Center
AUSTIN, TX

Dec. 23 - TBA

 

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Where we've been:

November 23 & 24
WHERE: BORNE Dickens-on-Main St.(CLICK ON LINK)

Nov. 25th @ 2pm
WHERE:  Gruene Market Days

Nov. 29 & 30th @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Dinner Theater @ Little Italy 

DECEMBER:
Dec. 1st - St Thomas Fundraiser
WHERE: Ft Worth, TX

Dec. 2-4
Private Parties

Dec. 5 & 6 @ 6:30pm
MCGB

Dec. 7th @ 9am
WHERE: Hobby Middle School - SA

Dec. 7th @ 8pm
WHERE: Dinner Theater Llano, TX  

Dec. 8th @ 11am
Pioneer Farm - Austin, TX

Dec. 8th @ 5pm-  Wedding reception - San Antonio

Dec. 9th  - FSH Private Party 
The Drinklings Book Club

Dec. 12th - 2 Prison Ministry shows

Bexar Co. Jail, San Antonio 

 

2011:

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 WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN 2010: 

NOV. 26th - SOLD OUT - The Big Apple Room at Little Italy
DEC. 1st - PRIVATE PARTY - San Antonio, TX
DEC. 3rd - PRIVATE PARTY - San Antonio, TX
DEC. 4th @ 2pm & 4pm - Gruene Market Days New Braunfels, TX
DEC. 5th - Magik Theater 
San Antonio, TX
DEC. 6th - PRIVATE PARTY - San Antonio, TX 
DEC 7,8,9 - NORTHPORT, NEW YORK!
DEC 10th at 7PM - AUSTIN, TX 
DEC. 11th at 7pm - Summerfield Neighborhood Association 
DEC. 12th @ 2PM  - Magik Theater San Antonio, TX
DEC 14th @7:30PM - Orderup Restaurant San Antonio, TX
DEC. 15TH - A TEX-MAS CAROL!  San Antonio, TX
DEC. 16th - Jackson Middle School, San Antonio
DEC. 17th - Hill Middle School, Austin, TX
DEC. 17th - Houston, TX - Private Party
DEC. 18th - Arneson Riverwalk Theatre  
DEC. 19th at 2pm
Magik Theater 
San Antonio, TX

Dec. 20th @ 7PM 
Dougherty Arts Center 
Austin, TX

Dec. 23rd Ft Worth, TX
Alba's Italian Restaurant

Dec. 24th at 2PM - Christmas Eve finale! 
Magik Theater in San Antonio, TX

2009

WHERE: BLANCO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - Blanco, TX
WHEN: Dec. 1st.  Dinner  @ 6PM, Show at 7PM.

WHERE: BRACKEN VILLAGE - GARDEN RIDGE,TX
WHEN: DEC. 4th-5th @ 7:30pm

WHERE:  GRUENE MARKET DAYS - GRUENE, TX
WHEN: DEC. 5th @3PM

WHERE: TRINITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - RICHARDSON, TX
WHEN: DEC 7th at 7pm

WHERE:  PIONEER FARMS - AUSTIN, TX
WHEN: Dec. 12th at 7PM

WHERE: MAGIK THEATRE - (420 S. Alamo) San Antonio,TX
WHEN: DEC. 13th @2PM

WHERE: ORDERUP - (Stone Ridge) San Antonio,TX
WHEN: DEC. 13th @8PM

WHERE: ORDERUP - (Colonnade) San Antonio,TX
DEC. 14th @8PM
SOLD OUT! (72 people in a 50 seat venue!!!)

WHERE: ORDERUP - (Lincoln Heights) San Antonio,TX
WHEN: DEC. 15th @ 8PM

GRAND FINALE:  ARNESON RIVER THEATER (on the famous Riverwalk!)
WHEN: December 19th 2009 at 7PM

WHERE:  Feeding the homeless at I-35 & Durango, San Antonio, TX
WHEN: Sunday December 20th - 2pm

WHERE: DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER -
1110 BARTON SPRINGS RD AUSTIN, TX
WHEN: DECEMBER 21ST AT 7PM
WHERE: 7250 Elkins School Rd 76179
WHEN: Dec. 23rd at 7pm 

2008 

Llano, TX

“I have seen this production on three different occasions and it is an incredible evening of entertainment" said Llano Chamber Executive Director Tony Griffith.

WHEN: Nov. 28-29

WHERE: Little Italy San Antonio, TX

TIMES: Dinner-7pm , Show-8PM

WHEN: Dec. 5th @ 7:30PM

WHERE: Trinity United Methodist Church Fundraiser San Antonio

WHEN: Dec. 6th @ 3pm

WHERE: Gruene Market Days (2pm) New Braunfels, TX

WHEN: Dec. 6th @ 7pmWHERE: Pioneer Farm Candlelight Christmas Austin, TX

WHEN: Dec. 7th @ 2pm

Stafford Opera House

Columbus, TX

St George Maronite Church

San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Dec. 12-13

WHERE: Dickens Celebration at the Bracken Village

San Antonio

WHEN: Dec. 13th @10am

WHERE: Orderup Restaurant

San Antonio, TX

Dec. 16th WALSH MIDDLE SCHOOL AUSTIN, TX

Dec. 16th PRIVATE PARTY - Austin, TX

Dec: 17th - PRIVATE PARTY - New Braunfels, TX

Dec. 18 - 

Dec.19 - Hill Country Middle School

Dec. 20 - Arneson River Theatre - San Antonio, TX

Dec. 21 - Fort Worth Community Arts Center & Private Party

Dec. 22 - Prison Ministry in San Antonio and closing performance at the Dougherty Arts Center - Austin, TX 

Bah Humbug!

Outside Links