Podtalk: Richard Knight Jr. on Chicago Live Staging of ‘Scrooge & Marley,’ Dec. 12, 2022

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CHICAGO – Ten years ago, an Independent film was released in Chicago, co-written and co-directed by Richard Knight Jr., an entertainment fixture in the Windy City. “Scrooge & Marley” offered a bit more than the previous versions of the familiar “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, it was the first to filter the story through same sex coupling and LGBTQ+ themes. A new staged version of the film, complete with the featured songs, will be presented at Chicago’s Center on Halsted on December 12th, 2022, at 7pm. It’s a FREE event, register for tickets by clicking SCROOGE & MARLEY.

The 10th Anniversary DVD edition of “Scrooge & Marley” has also been released by Dark Star Pictures, with special features and cast interviews, as well as a new digital download available. Click here for THE TRAILER.

Scrooge & Marley
Photo credit: Dark Star Pictures

Ben Scrooge (David Pevsner) – he doesn’t like his given name Ebenezer – is a club owner in Chicago who keeps his staff under his ruthless thumb, including his assistant Bob Cratchit (David Shae). On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his old partner Jacob Marley (Tim Kazurinsky), who warns him of the other spirits of Past (Ronnie Kroell), Present (Megan Cavanaugh) and Future. As he encounters his life, Scrooge again sees his mentor Fezziwig (Bruce Vilanch), the mixed adoptee family of Bob Cratchit and his husband, as well as the love of his life Bill (Christopher Allen). Can these visions provide redemption for a lost soul?

Richard Knight Jr. is a long-time film critic and entertainment writer. From 2004 to 2016 he was the film critic for the WINDY CITY TIMES and he founded and was president of the Queer Film Society from 2009-2020. Beginning in 2013 and continuing through 2022, Knight has programmed features eight times for REELING: THE CHICAGO LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, the world’s second oldest LGBTQ+ film festival. He is also a musician, performer and screenwriter, working on his award winning scripts “Given Your True Nature,” “Haunted Homicide,” “Raven’s Nest” and “Blame it on Toby,” part of a horror anthology he created.

In a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Richard Knight Jr. talks about “Scrooge & Marley” …

In a Zoom clip from the interview, Richard gives his best pitch for the world premiere of the stage musical version of the film and its 10th Anniversary DVD edition …

FLASHBACK! The 2012 Red Carpet interviews for “Scrooge & Marley” by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, CLICK HERE.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor, Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]