Displaying items by tag: Henry Wishcamper

What can be said about a show that's been running every Christmas in Chicago for forty-one years? Other than it must be pretty good if it continues to play to sold out audiences year after year. There have been theatre versions of 'A Christmas Carol' nearly as long as the novella has been published. Goodman Artistic Director Robert Falls introduced his signature production in 1978. While nearly everything has remained the same, over the years some minor changes have been made to reflect current times.

The little changes year to year are what make this a fun Chicago holiday tradition. Director Henry Wishcamper made a more significant change this year by changing Scrooge's nephew Fred in Scrooge's neice, Frida. A welcomed change with Ali Burch cast in the new role. The revised character has a certain empathy that's been unknowingly missing from Dicken's version. Ali Burch makes Frida an emotional anchor of this telling, and that almost gives Fall's production a new story arc.

What has always been impressive about 'A Christmas Carol' are the special effects. It's a ghost story after all. There's plenty of high gloss staging to suspend even the more ardent disbelievers. Some genuinely frightening images and moments conjured in the first act.

It's easy for an institution like 'A Christmas Carol' to become worn out. What keeps Goodman's take on Dickens fresh is casting. Larry Yando will likely play Scrooge until they tell him to stop, and why shouldn't he? He's a delight. With that exception, Goodman mostly recasts each year. New actors in the roles allow for discovery on both the creative side and the audience side. You'll never see the same production twice.

There are so many holiday theatre options in Chicago, and many are legacies. Some companies make a significant portion of their yearly operating costs from their Christmas shows. The competition can be stiff, but for the family-friendly standby, Goodman is always a solid bet. 'A Christmas Carol' adaptions can feel like a dime a dozen, but Goodman sets itself aside by managing to give a faithful but also refreshing take on the classic tale.

Through December 29th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3800

Having seen (and adored) Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol 17 years ago, I was thrilled to experience this holiday classic once again this year. Though having undergone many changes over the years, Goodman’s gorgeous production of Charles Dickens’ timeless Christmas tale has kept the most important bit: the message of kindness and redemption. Now in its 41st year, under Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper’s direction for the sixth year, it’s still a reassuringly uplifting Christmas story.

As the story goes, one Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge, a banker, is visited by four ghosts: The Ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley (Kareem Bandealy) who died on Christmas Eve seven years ago, The Ghost of Christmas Past (played by Molly Brennan), The Ghost of Christmas Present (by Jasmine Bracey), and The Ghost of Christmas Future (Brean Arzell), in succession. Larry Yando returns for his 11th season as Scrooge, and he’s wonderfully expressive in his portrayal of a stingy bitter old man undergoing character transformations as the Ghost of Christmas Past unrolls Scrooge’s life events, helping him recall himself as a frightened young boy at a boarding school all the way through his failed marriage. Yando’s Scrooge is vaguely aware of how terribly unkind he’s being to everyone around him but seems to see no reasons to change. But that’s because playful Molly Brennan’s Ghost of Christmas Past, dressed in pink and black and wearing pigtails, floating above the stage like a circus acrobat, is a mostly friendly ghost. It is not until Scrooge is presented with grim visions of his future by the cloaked Ghost of the Future that he begs for a second chance.

Children actors are especially wonderful in this production; their singing and dancing, along with live band under the Music Director Malcolm Ruhl, add plenty of charm to the play. The impressive stage design with everything from luxurious bed draped in soft fabrics, props silently appearing from under the stage, and frequent effortless movement of scenes which somehow doesn’t require a pause or light dimming - it’s like a well-oiled Swiss clock. That mastery combined with wonderful acting and beautiful singing make up for a high-quality entertainment. But as I’m watching the show, I can’t help but think of how I could try to be better, nicer and a more generous person. It is indeed the moral of the story that resonates with us all and brings audiences back every year: a reminder that it’s never too late to be better. Not just on Christmas, of course, but that’s a good start.

For more information on showtimes and tickets, visit www.goodmantheatre.org.