If you've lived through more than one Christmas season you have probably, at some point, seen some version of Charles Dickens timeless "A Christmas Carol."
There have been many, many, many versions of this famous piece: live-action movies, plays, musicals, animated movies, even a one-man shows where Sir Patrick Stewart portrayed all the citizens of the story set during a Victorian Christmas holiday.
Some have even taken the story and focused on other character, for example, "Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge" by Christopher Durang.)
And there is a reason "A Christmas Carol" has become such a "tradition" during the holidays. The popularity of the show comes from the simple yet fanciful story and the colorful characters which Dickens created.
The story was originally written by Dickens as a sort of "scolding message" about greed, avarice, and his fellow man forgetting what the spirit of the holidays were truly about and “ as such “ this charming story and the important message it has still holds strong today.
Hopefully, the lesson you leave "A Christmas Carol" with is "embrace the Christmas spirit, be kind and generous at the holidays and all year long, and God bless us ¦ everyone."
If you know the story of "A Christmas Carol" the production at Civic will not offer many surprises.
All the familiar elements are in place: a miserly old money lender, his long-suffering employee, his devoted wife, their infirmed young son, a jovial nephew who refuses to accept his uncle's cries of "Bah, Humbug!"
The spirits of past, present, and future are also there in all their mystical splendor to show Scrooge the error of his ways and how only a change of heart may sponge away the terrifying images that the "future" holds.
The story moves along quickly as some elements from the original story have been trimmed away in this adaptation by William Sanders and Sharon Lee Glassman. The prologue moves swiftly through the day before Christmas, and we are soon greeted by the ghosts and their mysterious powers.
Some versions go into greater detail on Mr. Scrooge and that fateful day before he sees the ghost of his former partner; but, this version replaces these scenes with ensemble numbers filled with dancing and music which moves the story along more quickly.
Although you may be familiar with the tale you will be impressed by the many technical "tricks" this production employs. The voices of the ghosts resonate through the theater, eerie lights and smoke effects are used to their full effect, and specters rise from the stage to warn Ebenezer of his wrong doings in the hopes of changing him and helping the poor, suffering souls who must associate with him.
As this is the twenty-fifth year that Civic has produced "A Christmas Carol" for their holiday show the theater has taken on the ambitious task of bringing back former "Scrooges" as a tribute to the show's twenty-five year legacy.
Three different actors portray the miser Ebenezer Scrooge: Barry Glassman, Stan Zukowski, and Jim Long.
Mr. Long portrayed Scrooge on the evening of our performance, and he along with his cast (the "Holly" cast as indicated in the playbill and on the website) greatly enjoyed conveying the classic tale to their audience.
Their exuberance and festive moods allowed the audience to enjoy the ride as they took us into the life of Mr. Scrooge and followed him on his journey from "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, covetous old sinner" to the man who finally sees the error of his ways and changes for the benefit of his nephew, his employee, and anyone else he may come in contact with.
What makes the show work is the exuberance of the actors as well as the technical aspects that make it move quickly and give it a visual sense that is abstract as well as traditional.
The giant set resembles a bridge with two stairwells leading up to a platform. The stairs move and rotate to give dimension to the show, and the characters use every inch of the stage “ ascending and descending the stairs, appearing from behind sliding doors, rising up from below or emerging from the audience.
The effect had heads turning to see what was going to happen next.
The production has a massive cast of actors, singers, dancers, and several child actors; but, there was never a moment when the mass of bodies felt like chaos. The skillful production easily shifts from a Christmas party at "old Mr. Fezziwig's" back to Scrooge's bed chambers so the acts move along at a good pace for small children who may get easily bored.
The lighting and smoke effects brilliantly enhance all the work the actors do. A starry sky and soft, mystical music convey the memories from the past while bright, colorful lights reveal the present. The future is set to hellish reds and dark shadows which properly scare old Ebenezer until he is on his knees before a gravestone in a cold cemetery and ¦
Well, there's a chance you haven't seen "A Christmas Carol"; so, I won't spoil the ending.
If you can, arrive early (the doors open about a half hour before the show begins) to be entertained by a beautiful medley of Christmas carols played on Civic's theatrical organ. The audience on the night of our performance was a mix of old and young, families with small children to couples on a "date night" which only confirms that "A Christmas Carol" is indeed a show for anyone and a classic that will be around for a long time.
If you go take the time to read the director's notes by William Sanders in the program, a touching tribute to the show, cast and crew who are no longer with us, as well as Mr. Sanders' own personal reflections on the holiday and the what the "future" holds for Civic Theater “ without the need of a shroud draped ghoul to show us.
In addition to performances already scheduled, a "special" performance on Saturday, December 20th will feature seven actors who have played the role of "Ebenezer Scrooge" in past Civic productions sharing the role for this one show.
During this busy and stressful time of the year it's important to remember the lessons that "A Christmas Carol" tries to instill in us ¦ that we should be caring towards one another, that we shouldn't be greedy and that family and friends are more important than money and presents. It's an important lesson to be taught and Charles Dickens tale still does as wonderful a job of teaching it as it did when it was published in 1843.
"A Christmas Carol" continues through December 20th at Civic Theater of Allentown. For show times and tickets call 610-432-8943 or visit www.civictheatre.com.