Ashby Florence, the comedian and creator whose character cosplays have drawn more than 2.8 million followers online, has joined the cast of A Kidman Carol at New World Stages, playing Therese and other roles. The holiday run will be her New York stage debut.
Previews begin Monday, November 16, and the official opening is set for Monday, November 30. The strictly limited engagement of 54 performances, produced by Benson Drive Productions (George Strus, CEO), ends Wednesday, December 30.
Florence built her audience on deliberately low-budget, absurdist impressions, among them a widely shared TikTok trend set to Hamilton. She trained as a classical actor before turning to comedy and online video, and has since hosted red-carpet coverage, presented at industry events and appeared on Smosh. Until last year she was working full time as a graphic designer.
She joins Marla Mindelle as Nicole Kidman and Josh Sharp as Cate Blanchett in Kevin Zak's comedy, directed by Skylar Fox. The two leads were named when the Off-Broadway engagement was announced last week, and the producers say more casting will follow.
Zak's script gives Dickens an Oscar-season makeover. On the night before the Academy Awards, Blanchett finds herself cast as Hollywood's Scrooge and is visited by three spirits, each of them a Kidman, who walk her from her outback past through a Tinseltown on the verge of collapse to a future in which her soul, and the movies themselves, hang in the balance.
The design team is now complete: dots (scenic design), Wilberth Gonzalez (costume design), Stacey Derosier (lighting design), Germán Martinez (sound design), Caite Hevner (projection and video design), Krystal Balleza and Will Vicari of The Wig Associates (wig and makeup), and Jesse Robb (choreography). Casting is by Jason Thinger, CSA, and Envoy Theatricals is the general manager.
Tickets are on sale now through Telecharge, by phone at 212-239-6200 and at the New World Stages box office, 340 West 50th Street. The production's own site is akidmancarol.com.
