Taproot Theatre presents Sherlock Holmes

and the Case of the Christmas Carol

World premiere by local playwright opens November 27

SEATTLE – October 15, 2009 – Holiday traditions are getting a twist with the world premiere of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol at Taproot Theatre Company. Written by local playwright John Longenbaugh and directed by Scott Nolte, this is a mystery that will delight the entire family. These then are the facts: The year, 1894. The date, Christmas Eve. The location, 221B Baker Street. After being presumed dead for three years, a hardened Sherlock Holmes resurfaces, turning his back on the people who need him most. Three unexpected callers arrive on Christmas Eve uncovering clues from the detective's past, present and future. Can they save Holmes and his world from a dire end? They must "do it all in one night" to accomplish the task. Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol opens on November 27 and runs through December 30, with low-price previews on November 20 & 21, plus a pay-what-you-can performance on November 25.

In The Final Problem, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote what he believed would be the final story in his series about his legendary detective. In this story, Sherlock Holmes faces his nemesis Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, and tumbles into the roaring rapids below. Outraged at the hero’s death and at the series’ end, fans demanded that the writer bring Holmes back and continue writing. So, the Holmes stories can be filed in two categories: before the incident at Reichenbach Falls, and the years following the fall, starting in 1894, when Holmes reappeared in The Adventure of the Empty House. But what happened between 1891 and 1894, the “missing years,” which are one of the great unsolved mysteries of the time? Where did Holmes go? What really happened to him? And what could that mean for the future? Uncover the startling answers in this world premiere production.

Playwright John Longenbaugh has been involved in the Seattle theatre scene for years. Formerly writing about Seattle theatre in a column in Seattle Weekly, Longenbaugh is now the media relations manager at 5^th Avenue Theatre.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol features Terry Moore as Sherlock Holmes, David Nail as Watson and Alex Robertson as Moriarty, plus David Dorrian, Aaron Lamb, Jesse Notehelfer, Pam Nolte and Eric Riedmann. The production team includes scenic and sound designer Mark Lund, costume designer Sarah Burch Gordon and lighting designer Jody Briggs. Sarah Dale Rice serves as stage manager and Judy Naegeli as dramaturg.