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11/20/2019 11:00 PMSanta Claus may be coming to town, the mall, and parties, but for Connecticut theaters, it's Tiny Tim who attracts the audiences.
Versions of the Charles Dickens novella will turn up on multiple stages and in multiple forms.
The granddaddy of them all in Connecticut is the Hartford Stage annual presentation of A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas. Now in its 22nd year, it continues to sell out.
The reason is clear: This is not your typical Christmas Carol. The original production was brought to Hartford by Michael Wilson when he became artistic director in 1998. He had adapted and staged the show at the Alley Theatre in Fort Worth. His gift of this production to Connecticut may be one of the finest gifts the state received. (By the way, the production is in its 24th year at the Alley and 16th year at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.)
This is a production that delights both children and adults. It's the traditional story, but this production highlights ghosts—not just Marley and the three ghosts who visit Scrooge, but the other ghosts who circle around the production. This may momentarily frighten some young children, but they soon become fascinated with the flying effects.
People return to this production every year, including audience members who make it part of their Christmas traditions and many of the performers (including local actors, many of whom are professors at university theater departments).
Michael Preston took over the role of Scrooge in 2017 from Bill Raymond, who had played Scrooge for almost the entire history of the show. Preston has now made the part his own.
Hartford Stage's production runs from Nov. 29 through Dec. 28.
A new holiday tradition is being formed at Goodspeed Musicals; in 2017 it premiered a new musical at the Terris Theatre in Chester, A Connecticut Christmas Carol. Last year, the revised show returned and this will make its third appearance with further revisions.
It's less traditional. The period of the show has been changed to the 1930s and obviously the location has, as well. Lots of local references are included; some will only be recognizable to either long-time residents or those familiar with Connecticut and Hartford history—references to department stores G. Fox and Sage Allen among them.
In this musical, the ghosts who haunt Scrooge are presented as three famous people well known for their Connecticut connections—Mark Twain, PT Barnum, and Benedict Arnold. The concept of the show is that the actor William Gillette (best known in Connecticut for Gillette's Castle on the Connecticut River) is asked to stage a production of A Christmas Carol to help save Goodspeed.
The book is by LJ Feche, with music and lyrics by longtime Goodspeed musical director Michael O'Flaherty.
It runs from Dec. 4 to 28.
Both Hartford Stage and Goodspeed are aware that people on the autism scale may be unable to attend theater productions without special accommodations. Each company offers a sensory-friendly performance geared to meeting the needs of these children and adults. Certain effects are moderated, auditorium lights remain on, and special material is available ahead of time to help prepare for the performance. Goodspeed's sensory-friendly performance is on Sunday, Dec. 29 while Hartford Stage is doing its on Friday, Dec. 27.
Another musical version is new this year: The New Haven Symphony is presenting A Christmas Carol in Concert. Inspired by radio plays of the story, this will feature Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner as Scrooge and Tony Award-winning James Naughton as the narrator and the three ghosts. The original music was composed by members of the symphony. It's on Friday, Dec. 13 (Southern Connecticut State University), Saturday, Dec. 14 (First Congregational Church, Madison), and Sunday, Dec. 15 (Sacred Heart University).
A fourth take on the famous story and Tiny Tim is part of Christmas on the Rocks, which has become a staple holiday presentation by TheaterWorks in Hartford.
It's billed as a twisted tale that was conceived and directed by Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero in 2013. He convinced a number of contemporary playwrights whose works had been performed at the theater to write short pieces (10 minutes or so) that show the children famous from various Christmas stories and movies as adults.
Each comic piece has a grown-up child character coming into a bar "on the edge of the universe" on Christmas Eve and regaling the bartender with the story of his or her adult life. Tiny Tim is, of course, one of them. But others include Clara from The Nutcracker, Charlie Brown from A Charlie Brown Christmas, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, and more.
It's a bit cynical and very funny but not meant for younger children.
You can escape Scrooge and Tiny Tim.
Goodspeed is offering on its main stage in East Haddam An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas for just three days and five performances. It features Evan Tyrone Martin as the famous singer. It not only includes Cole's holiday hits "The Christmas Song" and "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth," but many of his non-holiday hits, as well.
Another more comic look at Christmas is The Santaland Diaries, which will be at West Hartford's Playhouse on Park from Dec. 4 to 22. This is based on David Sedaris's novella about an out-of-work actor who becomes an elf in Macy's Santaland.
For younger children, the Shubert is presenting Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer based on the classic TV show cartoon on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29 and 30. Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical is at the Bushnell from Friday to Sunday, Dec. 13 to 15. On Saturday, one of the performances will be "relaxed," meaning it will be geared for people with various sensitivities (check with the Bushnell for more information).
Of course, the holiday season wouldn't be complete with multiple productions of The Nutcracker throughout the state. But the Bushnell is once again presenting a very different production: The Hip-Hop Nutcracker on Friday, Dec. 27. It features a DJ, an electric violin, and a lot of break-dancing. It has all the Tchaikovsky music and a dozen dancers.
In addition to the theater, you can find multiple concerts—from the New Haven Symphony's Pops, to both the Connecticut and Greater Hartford Gay Men's Choruses, to a show that celebrates the Everly Brothers.
So, this holiday season you are sure to find an enjoyable evening's entertainment.
NYC Holiday Theater
By Karen Isaacs
You've done the Radio City Musical Christmas Show (with the Rockettes) and perhaps the New York City Ballet's famous Nutcracker.
If you would like something different in New York City, this year is offering several options.
The first is on Broadway. Campbell Scott (perhaps best known for his role on House of Cards) is playing Scrooge in London's Old Vic version of A Christmas Carol. The show opens Nov. 7 and runs through Jan. 5. This is a fully staged production directed by the director of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
A more intimate production of the play is at the Merchant's House Museum in what is called NoHo (on the east side of Manhattan). The museum is on the registry of historic houses and dates from 1832. This production has John Kevin Jones as Mr. Dickens telling his classic story in a version based on the one Dickens used when he performed the story during a visit to the U.S. You'll be surrounded by 19th century holiday decorations, period furniture, and flickering candles. At certain performances, mulled wine is served. Space is very limited. It runs Nov. 29 to Dec. 5.
Also on Broadway is the return of Slava's Snowshow from Nov. 11 to Dec. 5. This is a spectacular theatrical event which The New York Times described as "a surrealist children's show packed with dreamlike scenes, clowns, and, yes, snow."
Not to be outdone, the Theater at Madison Square Garden is presenting Cirque du Soleil's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas from Dec. 12 to 29.