Nicholas Nickleby in Holliston

Prana Productions, Holliston's nonprofit youth theatre group, is proud to present the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" - right here in Holliston!

Prana's talented and energetic cast of 30+ youth actors plays 80+ roles in this brilliantly written adaptation of Charles Dickens' book. The original play was 8 hours in length (and flew by when I saw it!), and writer David Edgar has adapted it in a shorter version for today's audiences (still three acts - not for young children).

Above: Crockett Henderson as Nicholas, Meg Lacey as Charles Cheeryble and Evan Londono-Ayr as Ned Cheeryble in rehearsal

It's a touching, funny, exhilarating saga of the virtuous young Nicholas (Crockett Henderson) and sister Kate (Haley McIsaac) as they meet and master the challenges of poverty and corruption. In the end, the play is a soaring affirmation of the essential goodness of all humanity. A full cast list is at and some rehearsal videos can be seen on the Prana Center and Prana Productions page on facebook!

Nicholas Nickleby opens this Friday, Feb 26. Showtime is 7 p.m. Additional shows are Sat., Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., Sun., Feb. 28 at 1:30 p.m. and next week - Fri., March 5 and Sat., March 6 at 7 and Sun., March 7 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under age 15 and are available at Coffee Haven, Grapevine and Keedo in Holliston or here at the Prana Center.

Stephanie Toronto, Ben Rutberg and Alessandro Arena-Derosa (standing) as narrators, Joseph Duda as Newman Noggs