Link by link by horrifying link…though I think some prefer the duet from the Muppets. Either way, we’ve got the one— the only— Steve Flickinger as the one and only Jacob Marley for this year’s production of A Christmas Carol, and we’re here to hear him spill his Christmas-y guts all about the feel-good holiday.

We’re thrilled to sit with you Steve. Thanks for joining us! Now this is not your first theatrical soiree.

Steve Flickinger: It is not.

But is it your first time playing in A Christmas Carol?

Steve: It is.

Fantastic. Why did you want to come out and be a part of A Christmas Carol?

Steve: Well, it’s a show that I’ve always liked, I enjoy it. I prefer The Muppet Christmas Carol but that’s a different story. Having come off my last show (Deer In The Spotlight’s Evil Dead: The Musical), I thought, “I’d love to be in it, but it’s got to be a small role.” I just don’t have the time to learn something big. But I found a role that fit me!

So I hear! Tell us a little bit about who you are playing.

Steve: I am the Ghost of Jacob Marley. I’m going to really enjoy the makeup that I’m going to get to wear. I’ve seen the coat that he gets to wear with the chains on it and everything. I come in, do my thing, scare the bajeesus out of Scrooge, and tell him what his fate is. Hopefully he listens.

One can hope! Now you mentioned The Muppets…what is your favorite presentation of A Christmas Carol?

Steve: Probably The Muppets.

Same. Why do you love The Muppets Christmas Carol so much?

Steve: It’s awesome. It really is. I grew up watching The Muppets and Fraggle Rock and all that. They’re just awesome.

Do you have a favorite song in this version of A Christmas Carol?

Steve: Honestly? The one I sing. “Link by Link.” I think it’s really cool. It tells the story of what’s going on. I think it’s a great song. It’s got some drama in it, at the end it throws a little comedy in there, and it’s just fun.

What is your favorite Christmas song of all time?

Steve: Oh that’s simple. That’s David Bowie and Bing Crosby when they do their duet, the “Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth.” I love that duet and I think it’s just a beautiful song.

What is your favorite Christmas food?

Steve: Christmas food? Oh that’s without a doubt turkey.

Oh dear. Are you a Christmas Story turkey-fiend like the old man?

Steve: Oh yeah absolutely. The sandwiches later and all that. I love turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy. All the stuff that you get this time of year.

Do you have a Christmas tradition that you enjoy celebrating with your family?

Steve: Christmas Tradition… that’s decorating the house with my family. That’s a tradition that I’ve always liked. It’s just fun. We get together, we play Christmas music, we put up the tree. We look for a warm day in November to put up the lights outside. Oh and we have a Christmas town! That we set up on one of our tables. It’s got all the houses and the people and the horse-drawn carriage.

If you could be anyone in A Christmas Carol, regardless of rehearsal schedule conflicts, ability to memorize, vocal range, age, gender, etc. Who would you want to be?

Steve: I’d want to be Scrooge. Because I’m a curmudgeon.

What is the meaning of Christmas for you?

Steve: You know it’s changed over the years. Obviously as a kid, you get excited because you get presents. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize…now I’m not a religious person by any stretch of the imagination, but I think the meaning of Christmas has been lost. It’s not the gifts, it’s the family. Spending time with family and friends. It was much simpler, even in my time. I wish we could get back to that. The commercialism is killing Christmas. I miss simple Christmas.

I agree. Simpler times. Now why do you want people to come out to Tidewater Players in the middle of November and see A Christmas Carol?

Steve: We’re getting you ready for the Christmas season. I know it’s earlier than tradition but we’ve got a really talented cast. It’s a great show and you know? Why not? Why not kick the season off right with a good Christmas show?

Do you have a favorite ornament that goes on your tree?

Steve: Well my Ravens stuff. I have a couple of Ravens’ ornaments. I love golf. So I have one with Santa playing golf. But my mom had gotten into a tradition of giving us an ornament every year that had all of our names on it, all of the family names on it. So I like hanging those on there. We have some Disney Christmas ornaments that I love putting on. Now my mom always had on her tree…oh shoot, what’s it called? Not crystal…the white fragile stuff.

Porcelain?

Steve: Yeah! That’s it! Porcelain. She had a porcelain Christmas star snowflake ornament. My mom always had one, so we got one, and I like putting that on the tree.

I love that. Now what’s your favorite Christmas cookie?

Steve: Oh what are those things called? The peanut butter cookie with the Hershey kiss on top. Those things.

I think most people call those peanut butter blossoms.

Steve: Yeah! Those are my favorite because I love peanut butter and chocolate.

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

Steve: People hate me when I say this—

So help me, Steve, if you say Die Hard, we’re going to fight.

Steve: I do love teasing people about that. I do believe that Die Hard is a Christmas movie but it is not my favorite. I love Scrooged with Bill Murray. And It’s A Wonderful Life.

It’s A Wonderful Life is mine too. And as much as I hate that Die Hard gets lumped into the ‘Christmas movie’ category, technically…except for the fact that the main action takes place on Christmas Eve, It’s A Wonderful Life isn’t really all that much of a Christmas movie…

Steve: Never thought about it like that but I think you’re right. It’s still one of my favorites.

Mine too.

Steve: It’s tradition. I’ll watch that and Scrooged multiple times. I do like Christmas Vacation.

If you had to sum up your experience here at Tidewater Players with A Christmas Carol using just one word, which word do you use?

Steve: ooh. One word summing this up? I’m a man of many words so picking one is difficult. How do I say this in just one word? It’s not really one word…but New Faces. We’ve had a lot of new people that have come out to this and I’ve enjoyed that. We’re trying to get new blood with us, and we got it, and I hope that they stay with us. New-Faces. We’ll hyphenate.

A Christmas Carol plays November 15^th 2024 through November 24^th 2024 with Tidewater Players in residence at the Cultural Center at The Havre de Grace Opera House— 121 N. Union Street in historic downtown Havre de Grace, MD. For tickets call the box office at 667-225-8433 or purchase them online.

To read the holly-jolly interview with Director Sarah O’Hara, click here.

To read the holly-jolly interview with Elliot Lookingland, playing Tiny Tim, click here.