An Evening with Charles Dickens Film and Live Performance at Unity Hall

While on an American tour in 1868, famous English author Charles Dickens made an unscheduled stop in Utica, New York. Dickens was traveling from Rochester to Albany for speaking engagements, when his train was stopped by March flooding along the Mohawk River. Fortunate to get a room in Bagg’s Hotel, he spent the night in Utica, to the excitement of local residents. Dennis Dewey’s Oneida County History Center documentary film tells the story of that visit in “Mr. Charles Dickens Comes to Utica.”

This combination event will feature the film, accompanied by live excerpts from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” performed by actor Tim Coombs.

Unity Hall is thrilled to present another of Dennis Dewey’s films after a well received May 2026 screening of his “2051: The Return Project.” Formerly a professional storyteller, Dewey has performed at venues across the United States and on four other continents. He has lived in Utica for nearly 40 years, and has a deep backstory as a former high school English teacher, international tour guide, and Presbyterian minister. After retiring in 2016, he turned to a long-time hobby of filmmaking and offered his volunteer services to the Oneida County History Center. He says, “History is about telling stories, and stories engage. It’s how we understand the past and share our experiences.” All his filmmaking work is not-for-profit under the umbrella of his one-man production company, Apostasis Films, and seeks to benefit local nonprofit organizations.

Tim Coombs is a storyteller from Scotia, NY, who has performed and led workshops all over the world. The telling of “A Christmas Carol” is one of his most popular holiday performances and truly communicates the spirit of the season.

Unity Hall Foundation

The Unity Hall Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the historic 1896 Hall as a vibrant center for the arts. This event is presented in collaboration with Apostasis Films, the Oneida County History Center, and the Barneveld Free Library, and is made possible with funding from multiple sources including the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant initiative of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, administered by CNY Arts.

The performance begins at 4 PM on Sunday, November 15, at Unity Hall, 101 Vanderkemp Ave, Barneveld.  Details and tickets for this event are available at https://www.unityhall.com/dickens

Unity Hall members can purchase tickets for $10. Tickets are $15 for non-members and $5 for students. Holiday refreshments will be available for donation.

For information on upcoming concerts and other events, visit www.unityhall.com/events or follow us on Facebook at HistoricUnityHall.