Vivia Font (Margaret Cratchit), Kenneth De Abrew (Bob Cratchit), Caryna Desai Shah(Tiny Tim) and Joel McKinnon Miller (Ebenezer Scrooge) in McCarter Theatre Center's A Christmas Carol. Photo by T. Charles Erickson

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On December 22, 2024, McCarter Theatre Center will welcome twelve special guests to its beloved holiday offering A Christmas Carol — adorable puppies from the Middlesex County Seeing Eye puppy raising club. These future guide dogs, bred by The Seeing Eye, the oldest guide dog school in the world, will practice theater etiquette and experience being in a crowded public space as part of their essential training.

“As we share our festive tradition A Christmas Carol, McCarter is reminded that just like the joy and light Scrooge comes to discover, pets embody love, companionship, and the spirit of giving,” says McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. “The extraordinary dogs from NJ’s own Puppy PALS, bred by The Seeing Eye, not only inspire us to embrace the magic of the holidays, but also show how canine companions so beautifully light the way for their partners.”

The Middlesex County Seeing Eye puppy raising club is a dedicated group of volunteers in New Jersey who raise puppies — golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, German shepherds and Lab/golden retriever crosses — with the goal of preparing them to become working Seeing Eye dogs. The puppies receive critical exposure to a variety of social settings, from attending New Jersey Devils hockey games and Broadway productions such as The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge, to now experiencing the sights, sounds, and excitement of A Christmas Carol at McCarter Theatre. These experiences help the puppies develop the skills and confidence they will need to navigate public spaces alongside their future handlers.

The Seeing Eye, based in Morristown, New Jersey, is currently recruiting volunteers to help raise its puppies in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Maryland. You can learn more at seeingeye.org/puppy-raising.

This heartwarming visit, scheduled for the 1:00pm performance on December 22, highlights not only the magic of McCarter’s treasured holiday tradition but also the extraordinary bond between these future guide dogs and the individuals they will one day serve.

Featuring Joel McKinnon Miller (TV’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine) as the iconic Ebenezer Scrooge, this live stage rendition of Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of redemption is adapted and directed by Lauren Keating. Performances run through December 29, 2024.

For tickets and more information about A Christmas Carol, visit www.mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787. 

McCarter is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the company is an independent nonprofit, serving as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs for all ages. A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence dates back to the theatre’s first performances in 1930. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Kaufmann & Hart’s You Can’t Take It with You, and William Inge’s Bus Stop all had their premieres on the McCarter stage, paving the way for a long history of collaborations with playwrights to launch remarkable works that have gone on to tens of thousands of performances, reaching millions of audience members around the world. The company is equally revered for presenting global artists on its stages, including Alvin Ailey, Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock, among many others. Of the 100,000 community members who directly participate in the company’s work every year, more than 5,000 are students taking part in McCarter’s robust educational offerings in Princeton, Trenton, and schools throughout the region. McCarter leads with values of “justice and joy, and beauty in belonging,” creating stories and experiences that enliven minds, expand imaginations, and engage communities.

Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye provides specially bred and trained dogs to guide people with blindness and low vision. Seeing Eye dog handlers experience greatly enhanced mobility and independence, allowing them to retain their active lifestyles. The Seeing Eye is a 501(c)3 non-profit supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, bequests, and other planned gifts. The Seeing Eye does not receive government or insurance funding.  The Seeing Eye is a trademarked name and can only be used to describe the dogs bred and trained at the school’s facilities in Morristown, New Jersey.