Christmas custom
The Spokane Civic Theatre wants to a start a new (yet very old) tradition: the annual family visit to “A Christmas Carol.” For the first time in decades, the Civic is staging a true, old-fashioned version of the Dickens holiday favorite. Executive director Yvonne A.K. Johnson, who is directing this production, said it’s a tradition worth reviving.
“I’m from the Midwest,” said Johnson, who joined the Civic in January. “At the Guthrie Theatre (in Minneapolis) and the Milwaukee Rep, two of the most respected regional theaters in the country, they’ve been running ‘A Christmas Carol’ for over 30 years.
“It’s one of the most successful plays for both theaters. They wouldn’t even think of not doing it. Families plan out a whole day. They go Christmas shopping, have a nice dinner and go to the play.”
The Civic did a musical version, “Scrooge!” in 2001. Other than that, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim have been largely absent from the Civic’s stage for about a generation.
This version is not a musical. However, it does have music, and lots of it.
About half the show is underscored – meaning the action is accompanied by a musical score, as in a movie. Also, a quartet sings some traditional Christmas songs as part of certain scenes, and there are even a few numbers in which the entire cast joins in.
Yet the story itself is told in an old-fashioned, nonmusical way that stays faithful to Dickens’ original story.
There is even a narrator, who functions as kind of a Dickens surrogate.
This adaptation is the 2004 version by Barbara Field for the Guthrie Theatre. Johnson has connections with the Guthrie and was able to talk to Field about her latest adaptation.
Field told Johnson that she paid particular attention to relationships – for instance, the relationship between the younger Ebenezer and Belle.
“Often in the story, what you see is what he became,” said Johnson. “But where did that come from? How did he turn into the man he did?”
Dennis Craig plays Scrooge, a role he has played many times, including in the Civic’s 2001 “Scrooge!”
Other major roles are filled by Michael Nelson as the narrator; Tracy Schornick as Bob Cratchit; Bridget Freeman-Wamsley as Mrs. Cratchit; Keith Hahto as Tiny Tim; Melody Deatherage as Christmas Past; and Chris LeBlanc as Christmas Present.
All told, the cast has 40 people, including 20 kids. In some cases, whole families have been cast.
“We wanted to bring out a sense of community,” said Johnson. “That’s what ‘A Christmas Carol’ is all about.
“I thought it was important to do a production that involves families.”
Mike Saccomanno is the musical director.
Johnson said that “A Christmas Carol” is a big production in every sense – as big as or bigger than doing a musical.
“There will be fog; there will be trapdoors; there will be ghosts,” said Johnson. “There are almost 150 light cues.
“It’s a major undertaking, and that’s one reason a lot of theaters choose not to do it. You have a certain level of expectations, and those expectations are high.”
The set by longtime Civic scenic artist/designer Nik Adams will be elaborately Victorian.
Yet it will be noteworthy for another reason as well: It will be Adams’ final set before his retirement takes effect.
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