Richard Wilkins, who played Scrooge for 29 years at the Hale Centre Theatre in Utah, and a dedicated member of not only the theatre community in the state, but also a valiant member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has passed away. The details are reported in the Salt Lake Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/55356433-223/wilkins-family-law-legal.html.csp?page=2
I was friends with Richard Wilkins, as well as most of the members of his family. His daughter Claire and I were especially good friends (we went to Senior Dinner Dance together and she was a great, supportive friend to me). I met his family because Richard and his wife Melany cast me in a play at the Hale Center Theater when I was in Jr. High and I can look back at that moment as a great source continual blessings since then.
I will write a more personal tribute later, but I just wanted to take a moment now to recognize this tremendous figure in the Utah Theatre Community. Richard was a beautiful human being who I loved. My heart and prayers go with his family, who I also love.
A Motley Vision 
I saw Richard play Scrooge a few times. He was excellent. Richard wrote a nice article on *A Christmas Carol* that was published in the BYU Law alumni mag: http://www.jrcls.org/publications/clark_memo/issues/cmF02.pdf
I was also one of Richard’s students at the law school. I deeply admire how he stood up for what he believed, and did so with all of his considerable gifts, no matter the cost. He will be sorely missed.
I have the same essay in an edition of “A Christmas Carol” that Richard published that I bought at the Hale Centre Theatre. It acted as a foreward for the book. I had both Richard and his wife Melany sign it. With all of this happening it has become an even more precious item to me. I took it out yesterday and began reading again.