Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathé Join Ellie Kemper and Over Two Dozen Readers For Metro Theater Company's A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Award-winning actors/producers Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, Frozen 2) and Ryan Michelle Bathé (Sylvie's Love, All Rise) join Emmy nominee Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Office) and more than 25 outstanding St. Louisans as readers for Metro Theater Company's upcoming virtual holiday event, A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading.

The beloved holiday story of redemption, transformation, and goodwill comes to life in this all-St. Louis reading with a lineup that spans celebrities, artists, and athletes to first responders, media personalities, and local leaders in literature. Readers for A Christmas Carol include the following:

National Artists from St. Louis

• Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us, Black Panther, Frozen 2
• Ellie Kemper, Emmy-nominated actress, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Office
• Ryan Michelle Bathé, All Rise, Sylvie's Love, and The First Wives Club
• Judith Ivey, two-time Tony Award-winning actress
• Ken Page, Drama Desk Award winner, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Cats
• Christine Brewer, Grammy Award-winning soprano
• Justin Willman, star and creator of Netflix original series Magic for Humans

Athletes & Sports

• Paul Goldschmidt, first baseman, St. Louis Cardinals
• John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, St. Louis Cardinals
• Jamie Rahn, American Ninja Warrior

Media

• Charlie Brennan, KMOX morning host, Donnybrook contributor, and author
• Ruth Ezell, senior producer, Nine Network of Public Media
• Tim Gore, director of educational initiatives, HEC-Media
• Aisha Sultan, home and family editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• Julie Tristan, midday host, Y98

Local Leaders in Children's Literature

• Julius B. Anthony, president, St. Louis Black Authors of Children's Literature
• Miranda Rodriguez Rosbach, children's literature blogger, My Book Bloom
• Deborah Jackson Taffa, writer and storyteller

First Responders

• Dr. Jennifer Horst, pediatric emergency physician, St. Louis Children's Hospital
• Jessica Jackson, St. Louis City firefighter
• Dr. Erin Kane, COVID emergency room physician, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
• Dr. Mark Levine, medical director for the St. Louis Fire Department
• Lamarr Mosley, essential worker

Beloved Metro Theater Company Performers

• Soupy Alan David, The Boy Who Loved Monsters and the Girl Who Loved Peas
• Alicia Revé Like, Ghost and It's a Wonderful Life
• Carl Overly, Jr., Ghost and It's a Wonderful Life
• Jacqueline Thompson, Early Days and Ghost
• Roxane McWilliams, It's a Wonderful Life and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
• Carol North, former Metro Theater Company artistic director

Metro Theater Company Artistic Director Julia Flood abridged Charles Dickens' novel, with each reader's excerpt on camera stitched together, to create a final 60-minute program. A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading streams Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 13 at 2:30 p.m.

Metro Theater Company, St. Louis's premiere theater for youth and families, presents this special virtual event for families to help keep the community connected during a holiday season that has been transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The reading also serves as a fundraiser for Metro Theater Company. All funds raised through donations to this event support MTC's programs during COVID-19.

Tickets are free. Donations are appreciated. Registration is required to receive the link for streaming. A commemorative DVD is available through January 1, 2021 with a donation of $50 or greater.

For more information or to register to view, please visit http://metroplays.org/christmascarol.