Tony winner Jefferson Mays plays 50 characters in the production of "A Christmas Carol" which will be streamed to homes this holiday season. Mays first starred in a version at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Tony winner Jefferson Mays plays 50 characters in "A Christmas Carol Live."
What's Christmas without a Scrooge?
That's the dilemma a number of theater companies around the world wondered when COVID-19 halted plans to produce large-scale productions at their theaters. Realizing the financial benefit of a "Carol," they reimagined their productions and have turned to streaming them.
Some theaters have brought the story into contemporary times, others have positioned it as a radio play. What's on the books? Here's a partial list, ready to get you in the holiday mood:
FULL CAST PRODUCTIONS
“A Christmas Carol”
Old Vic Theatre, London
Streaming: Dec. 12-24
Details: Part of the “In Camera” series, the presentation is a full-scale production performed without an audience. “Walking Dead’s” Andrew Lincoln stars as Scrooge.
“A Christmas Carol”
Theater in the Park, Raleigh, N.C.
Streaming: Throughout December
Details: Written by Ira David Woods III, this edition has been a Raleigh staple since 1974. Viewers will get to see the 2019 edition, which was a fully produced show.
“A Columbus Christmas Carol”
Contemporary American Theater Company, Columbus, Ohio
Streaming: Dec. 16-27
Details: A contemporary version featuring bank owner Ebony Scrooge.
SCALED-BACK PRODUCTIONS
"A Christmas Carol Live”
Special effects help Jefferson Mays perform "A Christmas Carol" live.
Broadway/streaming
Streaming: Through Jan. 3
Tickets: https://www.achristmascarollive.com
Details: Tony winner Jefferson Mays performs 50 characters in this one-man show. Presented Nov. 28, it was preserved for playback at home through Jan. 3.
“Dickens Holiday Classic”
Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis
Streaming: Dec. 19-31
Tickets: guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets
Details: Four actors perform Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” on the Guthrie stage.
The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis has long been known for its "A Christmas Carol" adaptations. This year, the theater will present a scaled-back version. Here, Ansa Akyea as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Nathaniel Fuller as Ebenezer Scrooge star in a past main stage production.
“A Christmas Carol”
Kansas City Rep, Kansas City
Streaming: Through December
Tickets: https://kcrep.org/a-christmas-carol
Details: Four Kansas City Rep actors read chapters from the book, offering a “fireside” version of the classic.
“Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol”
Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Streaming: Dec. 10-24
Details: A one-person adaptation features Lee E. Ernst as a host of characters.
"A Christmas Carol"
Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery
Streaming: Through Dec. 27
Greta Lambert stars in "A Christmas Carol," which will be streamed through Dec. 27 by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
Tickets: https://asf.net/a-christmas-carol/
Details: Greta Lambert adapted and stars in this one-person take on Scrooge, Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
ONLINE ENHANCED PRODUCTIONS
“A Christmas Carol”
Trinity Rep, Providence, R.I.
Streaming: Dec. 17-Jan. 10
Tickets: The online version is free. Go to: https://www.trinityrep.com/show/a-christmas-carol-2020/
Details: The one-hour show includes storytelling elements only available through an online presentation. It stars Joe Wilson Jr. as Scrooge.
“A Christmas Carol”
Alley Theatre, Houston, Texas
Streaming: Dec. 4-27
Details: A digital adaptation, this presentation features actors performing from home.
“A Christmas Carol”
American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, Virginia
Streaming: In various forms throughout December
Details: Because they can’t present the show to an in-person audience, producers have arranged a host of options, including streaming and at drive-in and area cinemas.
PUPPET PRODUCTIONS
“Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol”
Manual Cinema, Chicago, Illinois
Streaming: Dec. 3-20
Details: Hundreds of paper puppets perform a contemporary version of the Dickens story. Each show is performed live at the Chicago studio.
‘RADIO’ PRODUCTIONS
“A Christmas Carol: The Radio Play”
Ford’s Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Streaming: Dec. 14 and thereafter
Tickets: It’s free, but available on the website as a radio play: https://www.fords.org/performances/current-and-upcoming/a-christmas-carol-the-radio-play/
Details: A radio play, the hour-long production features Craig Wallace as Scrooge.
“A Christmas Carol”
Goodman Theatre, Chicago
Streaming: Through December
Tickets: https://carol.goodmantheatre.org
Details: The show will be done as a radio play and will include sound effects to bring the spirit of the story into homes.
“A Christmas Carol”
Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Streaming: Through Dec. 31
Details: Done as a radio play, the 85-minute production is accompanied by a box of goodies listeners can order to enhance the experience.
“A Christmas Carol: On Air”
American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, California
Streaming: Dec. 5-31
Details: Called an “auditory treat,” the radio play is an adaptation of the stage production done at the theater. Early-bird ticketholders can also get an activity book to accompany the broadcast.
“A Christmas Carol”
Valparaiso Theatrical Company, Valparaiso, Indiana
Streaming: 7 p.m. Dec. 14-17
Details: Valparaiso Theatrical Company will turn the classic into a radio play set in the 1940s at a New York radio station.
"A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading"
Metro Theater Company, St. Louis
Streaming: Dec. 10 and 13
Tickets: metroplays.org/christmascarol
Details: Sterling K. Brown, Ellie Kemper, Judith Ivy, Ken Page and other St. Louis celebrities participate in Metro Theater Company's hour-long adaptation.
