A Christmas Carol

The holidays remind me of my family's traditions. From trimming the tree to the lump of coal I get each year from Santa, such traditions make up the glue that binds one generation to the next. A Christmas Carol is one such custom that brings families together and is enjoyed by young and old year after year.

I received a pair of tickets to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's A Christmas Carol on opening night and I offered one of the tickets to Terry; I figured it’d be a good evening for some sisterly bonding. We got glitzed up – something I rarely do, except for special occasions – and headed to the historic Pabst Theater downtown.

I hadn’t seen A Christmas Carol since I was five. While I don’t remember fully understanding all of the heartwarming messages of redemption at that age, I do remember being thoroughly entertained.

Since my childhood, I’d seen various renditions of the Charles Dickens’ tale, but I had forgotten how exceptional the Rep’s production was. As a matter of fact, the Milwaukee Rep pioneered the stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol in the mid 70s. Journal Sentinel critic Damien Jaques even expressed how now virtually every major city in the country has at least one production annually, but because no one is actually collecting royalties from the story these days, and since new versions of A Christmas Carol pop up every holiday season, I, like many other reviewers, couldn’t find any statistics on how many performances are going on this or any year. And trust me, I searched!

One thing that's certain, however, the Milwaukee Rep's onstage production of A Christmas Carol, which is in its 32nd year of production, is one of the best! After years of solidifying each role and tweaking their own, original version, this year's production exceeded all of my expectations.

The production was, in my opinion, equal in its technical expertise to any Broadway production, and it ran like a well-oiled machine. It’s no wonder why opening night sold every seat in the theater.

Terry and I shuffled into our seats with about 15 minutes to spare. I chuckled at the folks who gawked slacked jawed at the enormous chandelier– clearly it was their first time in the stunning theater. Meanwhile, couples were immersed in a copy of the show’s pamphlet as they tried to remember who they saw in each role last year, while others engaged in muffled chatter over Alterra coffee and glasses of wine.

            

Suddenly, all of the commotion ceased as the lights dimmed. Then, we were urged to refrain from talking, snapping photos, using cell phones and even opening cans and wrappers since such things disrupt the actors.

Under Judy Berdan’s direction for the fourth year, A Christmas Carol has all of the components – energy, costume, sound, lighting, scenery – to make the Pabst seem more like a small Radio City Music Hall, as Jaques described.

This adaptation was written by local freelance director and writer Edward Morgan and the Rep’s artistic director Joseph Hanreddy. Their variation used traditional Christmas music – God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, The Holly and the Ivy, Hark! The Herald Angles Sing – as a framing device, which I really liked because it was almost like a musical and the music was a good way to lighten the tone - I've seen several versions of A Christmas Carol that were quite dark and scary. So with half the audience being under the age of 10, keeping it lighthearted and jovial was a good approach.

In addition to the carols, the sets were unbelievable! They moved and transformed from Scrooge's office to Bob Cratchit's home at the drop of a hat. Snow even fell in several scenes! Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when I heard the gasps and awes of children expressing their utter excitement throughout the production.

Not only do the music and sets change annually, this year’s script was different from the show I saw when I was five and was probably different from the following years. This is because the Rep has used four different scripts and approaches to A Christmas Carol over its run in Milwaukee and modifies the show from year to year in a variety of ways. Additionally, the cast changes annually with both new and returning actors.

All stagings of A Christmas Carol would be nothing without a memorable Ebenezer Scrooge. After a seven-year hiatus, the Rep’s Resident Acting Company member James Pickering returned to his role as Scrooge this year. Four adaptations, four sets, seven directors, three musical scores and 31 Tiny Times later, he will give his 300th performance as Scrooge this season.

I can’t imagine anyone else playing the part of the skinflint. Is it possible that Dickens had Pickering in mind as he developed the character of Scrooge centuries ago? After watching his performance it really seemed as though he had – Pickering embodied Scrooge with great precision and gusto.

Mic Matarrese was another favorite of mine. He was well matched for the character of Jacob Marley and his ghost as he filled every sentence with vitality and theatrical zest – his ghostly bellows sent chills down my spine and made the hairs on my arm stand on end – even when he was almost set ablaze mid-dialogue by a wardrobe malfunction (you had to be there).

The production ended with a standing ovation and a sing-a-long to Joy to the World between the actors and the audience. Terry and I rose to our feet and shared in the fun. It was a great way to conclude the onstage Christmas fable and, as cheesy as it sounds, it left me feeling warm and fuzzy all over.

I was so impressed by the Rep’s wealth of experience and high production level that I’m excited to see even more of their shows. The talented cast, impressive sets, costumes and music combined with the familiar story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation created an unforgettable and magical experience.

The Rep’s A Christmas Carol certainly is a must-see this and every year!

Comments

[char]

I love the Christmas Carol, weither it's the Rep or muppets. It wouldn't be Christmas unless you watched a Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life, Bells of St. Mary, White Christmas, to mention a few. Have egg nog and sit in front of the fireplace and watch a movie. That's what I call a good night.

[Herbert]

Bravo Karen! This is an excellent post on the Christmas Carol. I'm going to see if I can pick up some tickets and take in the play before Christmas. It sounds like it is a top rate production. Thanks again for the wonderful write up.

[macher]

Karen,
Do you remember how long the show ran?

[Karen]

If I remember correctly, it lasted a little over two hours.

[amy h]

I am glad you enjoyed the show, I thought it was really good myself. But I would have loved to hear your thoughts and not the reviewer's.

[Karen]

Sometimes other writers are able to put thoughts into words in such a way that it expresses exactly what you're trying to say. This is why I quoted Damien Jaques, and because I thought it would add to my description of the performance. His review is fabulous! The facts and historical information all came from my press kit though.

I’m glad you liked the show too. Merry Christmas!

[Claude]

I liked your post. Bringing attention to the culture Milwaukee offers such as what is found at the Rep with the Christmas Carol is what it is all about. Milwaukee has a lot to offer and you do a good job of getting the word out. Keep it up, and Merry Christmas!