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Director's Q&A

A Christmas Carol

What's different in this year's production?

The biggest difference this year will be a new Scrooge. Jed Diamond is involved in some other activities, and no doubt he also wanted to spend more of December with his family. So my friend Jon Daly will be joining us as Scrooge. Jon is a wonderful actor, a long-time company member at Milwaukee Rep and a veteran of many regional theatres. He and I have worked together a handful of times, including the 2002 production of A Christmas Carol in Milwaukee. He was Scrooge that year. Knoxville audiences will find Jon’s version of Scrooge somewhat different from Jed’s, but also really quite wonderful: funny, fresh and ultimately moving.
 
Otherwise, there are various new cast members – including students, community actors and children – and there a few performers returning from two years ago. But many of the principals are the returning 3rd year MFA actors, so a lot of them will be familiar to your audience.

From a production point of view, the piece will be much the same. But we’ll add a few improvements and touches here and there. Also the theatre has a new sound system, so the music and sound effects are going to sound clearer and better than ever.

And finally, we’re going to have some cast members in costume in the lobby before the show singing carols. So that be an added touch of holiday spirit.

Why do you think patrons come back year after year to see this production?

Well, A Christmas Carol is an entertaining and deeply meaningful story. As I’ve said before, it might well be the most popular story in the English language. There have been countless adaptations created over the years for stage and screen – I believe Jim Carrey is playing Scrooge in a new version this year. So somehow, the story just keeps being relevant.

As for this particular production, I think it’s worth seeing again and again because it’s really quite good. The script feels authentic to the book and Dickensian England, the music is engaging and moving, the designs are theatrical and extremely well done, and the performances are strong. It all just feels like a world, and it’s so rich and detailed that there’s always more one could take in with another viewing. It’s also fun to see familiar roles interpreted by different actors, and to see such a rich community onstage – with children, community actors, undergraduates, graduates and professionals. The only thing we’re missing is live animals. Maybe next year?

Finally, I think people keep coming come back because families are always looking for things to do together over the holiday season. This is a show that entertains both young and old alike, so it really fits that need. I think the essence of it is that it brings out the holiday spirit in a delightful, unique way. It combines a ghost story, comedy, social criticism, idealism, and a celebration of the year’s most popular holiday. It celebrates family and it affirms our hope and belief in the power of redemption, and change. What could be more heartwarming?

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