Two versions of "A Christmas Carol," one of which marks the reopening of the Grove Dinner Theatre, begin this week.

• A DICKENS CHRISTMAS, featuring a traditional Christmas dinner, carolers, entertainment and a production of " A Christmas Carol," marks the reopening of the long-closed Grove Dinner Theatre, 20 S. Main, Pleasant Grove.

"A Christmas Carol," produced by Emerson-Smith College's Lockwood Repertory Company, stars Matt Hogan as Scrooge, Josh Francis as Bob Cratchit and Eric Blood as the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Performances are Monday-Saturday this week only. Dinner, catered by Brown Brothers Catering, is served at 6:30 p.m., followed by the production at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for children and senior citizens for both dinner and show combined. Admission for the show only is $8 for adults, $7 for students and $6 for children and senior citizens (372-1644 or www.emersonsmith.org). Group rates are also available.

Sam Schultz, entertainment director for Brown Brothers, hopes the venue can also be used for corporate meetings as well as theater.

The Grove Dinner Theatre, housed in the historic Alhambra Theater, built in the mid-1920s, was more recently known as the Little London Dinner Theatre (1999-2002) and the Grove Theatre (2003-2004).

• A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL, is playing Thursday through Dec. 29 at the Town Hall in Midway.

Produced by the Midway Foundation for the Arts, the Broadway musical will kick off with a fund-raising dinner on Thursday night, followed by regular performances during the remainder of the run.

Tickets for the opening-night dinner are $62.50 each, including door prizes, gifts, prime-rib dinner and the show. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Admission to remaining performances is $10 for adults and $6 for children. These performances will also include hot chocolate and wassail and visits with Scrooge. Two guests each night will also be selected to perform in costume in the show.

Regular performances are Friday and Saturday this week and Thursday-Saturday the following week, all at 7 p.m., with one matinee on Dec. 29 at 1:30 p.m. All reservations are available online at www.midwayarts.org.

• ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE: Due to heavy ticket sales, the Phoenix Black Box Theatre, located in the Academy of Performing Arts, 3188 S. 400 East, has added a matinee performance of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" this coming Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10-$12 (486-2728 or www.academyofpa.org).

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E-mail: ivan@desnews.com