Local authors, lecturers, and paranormal television personalities Jeff Belanger and Dustin Pari present A Creepy Christmas Carol multi-media program, bringing back the ghosts and monsters that make this festive season a little spookier.
November 22, 2016 – Cumberland, Rhode Island – Have you been naughty or nice this year? There was a time when kids on the naughty list didn’t have to worry about coal or sticks in their stockings Christmas morning, they had to fear a monster called Krampus coming for them! Or Der Belsnickel. Or any number of various Yuletide ghosts and monsters from different cultures around the world. A Creepy Christmas Carol is a unique stage show that brings together the oration talents of Jeff Belanger and Dustin Pari, who will present a multi-media program Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 7:30PM at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The performance will take the audience through the history of this festive holiday and explore the ghosts, monsters, and legends of the season that have all but been lost to time.
“There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago,” said the Christmas carol Andy Williams made famous in 1963. But whatever happened to those ghost stories? Why did we stop telling them at Christmas time?
“Winter has long been a season associated with fear,” said Jeff Belanger. “Our ancestors thought those howling winds outside were the cries of ghosts. They would place evergreen branches over their doors and windows thinking the prickly pine needles would keep out evil spirits.”
“Christmas is my favorite holiday,” said Dustin Pari. “And A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is my favorite ghost story of all time. When you fit that story in the context of the history, the legends, and even the monsters of the season, the message of redemption becomes even more powerful. We’re looking forward to telling the whole story of Christmas at the Blackstone River Theatre.”
A Creepy Christmas Carol is a two-act program that will cover the history of the holiday from its earliest roots in ancient Rome, to modern-day ghost stories related to the holiday. The legends of creatures like Krampus, Der Belsnickel, the Tomten, and the Gryla will be discussed, as will the history of Saint Nicholas. The Blackstone River Theatre is located at 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, Rhode Island. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.ghostvillage.com/xmas.
About Jeff Belanger
Jeff Belanger (www.jeffbelanger.com) is one of the most visible and prolific paranormal researchers today, and he’s the Emmy-nominated host and producer of the New England Legends series which debuted on PBS in October of 2013. He’s the author of over a dozen books on the paranormal (published in six languages) including the best sellers: The World’s Most Haunted Places, Weird Massachusetts, Our Haunted Lives, and Who’s Haunting the White House? (for children). He’s the founder of Ghostvillage.com, he’s written for newspapers like The Boston Globe and USA Today, and is the series writer and researcher for Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. He’s been a guest on hundreds of radio and television programs including: The History Channel, The Travel Channel, Biography Channel, PBS, NECN, Living TV (UK), Sunrise 7 (Australia), The Maury Show, The CBS News Early Show, CBS Sunday Morning, FOX, NBC, ABC, and CBS affiliates, National Public Radio, The BBC, Darkness Radio, Australian Radio Network, and Coast to Coast AM.
About Dustin Pari
Dustin Pari (www.DustinPari.com and www.ParanormalRockstar.com) is one of the most entertaining, and by far one of the busiest, personalities in the paranormal field today. Known primarily for his appearances as a cast member on Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, and Destination Truth, Dustin is also a well-respected author and speaker. He travels the globe delivering paranormal and motivational lectures, offering insight into the unknown, and inspiration as well. His recent book And The Devil Shivered offers a behind-the-scenes look at a man who is living his life out on the road, helping those he encounters along the way.