An Appalachian Christmas Carol: Vance Birthplace State Historic Site and the American Myth Center partner once again to present an evening of historical drama. Under new direction by Mikayla Wilson, who created Leah & the Rabbit for the Vance Birthplace’s Juneteenth celebration, the sixth iteration of this show promises the same holiday tradition with a few new twists.
An Appalachian Christmas Carol – During this in-person program, the American Myth Center presents one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Through the storytelling of puppetry, shadow theatre, and moving panoramas the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future lead Zebulon in an exploration of the life of Venus, a woman enslaved by the Vances. For approximately 25 minutes, visitors go on an illuminating journey through some of the history of the Vance Birthplace and the people who lived here. Afterward, visitors are encouraged to return to the Visitor Center to talk with staff and visit the classroom where they can view the panel discussions from community members from previous years and hear present day discussion around how historic sites interpret slavery.
Tour tickets are $7.00 and can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-appalachian-c
Tour Dates & Times: Thursday, December 8th & Saturday, December 10th. Weather date, Sunday, December 11th. Tours will run every 30 minutes starting at 6:00 pm with the last tour at 8:30 pm.
Reservations are strongly encouraged. Due to the nature of the program after the play starts, late visitors will not be permitted. We recommend arriving to the Visitor Center ten minutes in advance. Tickets are a tax-deductible donation through the Mountain History and Culture Group and are non-refundable.
Pre-Visit Materials – Upon registering, guests will receive a virtual “program” giving background on the story of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the history behind the characters portrayed in the play and background on the art form known as “crankies.”
Artists: Mikayla Wilson (director, puppeteer), Sherly Moore (puppeteer), Mack Moseley (actor, puppeteer), Cody Lovell (puppeteer)
The American Myth Center is a non-profit organization in Asheville whose mission is to curate stories that spark necessary conversation within our community. For more information visit www.americanmythcenter.org.