Richmond Hill Players conclude their 2025 season with “A Sherlock Carol,” a holiday comedy by Mark Shanahan. The show will be presented Thursdays through Sundays, Nov. 13-23 at the Barn Theatre in Geneseo.

The play (directed by Joe DePauw, Geneseo) is described in a press release as “a festive literary mash-up with surprises around every corner.” Moriarity is dead and Sherlock Holmes is depressed. Without his number one adversary, what’s the point of it all?  But, when a grown-up Tiny Tim asks Holmes to investigate the mysterious death of his benefactor, Ebeneezer Scrooge, the game is afoot.

The spirit of Ebeneezer Scrooge (Glenn Kluge) haunts the great detective, Sherlock Holmes (Tom Akers) in “A Sherlock Carol” at Richmond Hill Players, Geneseo.

This charming reimagining of two of the most beloved literary characters is a “Dickens” of a yuletide detective story, says an RHP release. Six actors transform into multiple characters before the audience’s eyes in a playful, clever, and joyous holiday comedy that is “elementary” as a festive outing sure to delight audiences of all ages.

The cast features Tom Akers (Cambridge), Glenn Kluge, Jason Schaad and Jackie Skiles (Geneseo); Samuel Carrington (Galesburg), and Amanda Wilson (New Windsor).

In pursuit of a case, Holmes (Tom Akers) questions a street vendor – bric-a-brac salesman (Samuel Carrington) in “A Sherlock Carol.”

The staff includes stage manager Elizabeth Shaffer (Moline); stage crew Sally Hamer, costumer Suzanne Rakestraw, light & sound designer Jennifer Kingry, light & sound operator Dana Skiles, set builder Mike Skiles (all of Geneseo), and set builder Jim Skiles (Colona.)

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sundays are 3 p.m. matinees with the doors opening at 2 p.m.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Richmond Hill box office at 309-944-2244 or by visiting the website at rhplayers.com. Late seating is not permitted; no one will be admitted to the theater after the show has started. Admission to all performances is $12.

An audio description performance will be held Friday, Nov. 14.  Richmond Hill also offers Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs), which can be requested at the time that reservations are made.

Timothy Cratchit (played by Jason Schaad) urges Sherlock Holmes (Tom Akers) to investigate the suspicious death of the good man, Ebeneezer Scrooge, in “A Sherlock Carol.”

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.