Review of Dallas Theatre Center's A Christmas Carol

I've recently begun writing reviews for John Garcia's The Column, at www.thecolumnonline.com. You can also read the reviews at pegasusnews.com.

 Here's my first review, for the DTC's production of the Dickens classic

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Dallas Theatre Center’s Kalita Humphreys Theatre

By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen

PRODUCTION STAFF

Director: Matthew Gray

Musical Director and Choreographer: Lindy Heath Cabe

Stage Manager: Melissa Daroff
Lighting Designer: Matthew Richards
Sound Designer: Ryan Mansfield
Scenic Designer: Bob Lavellee
Costume Designer: Wade Laboissonniere

Dialect Coach: Emily Gray

Production Manager: Jeff Gifford

Assistant Stage Manager: Chris “Waffles” Wathen

Casting: Lee Trull

Assistant Director: Preston Swincher

CAST

Ebenezer Scrooge: Chamblee Ferguson

The Ghost of Jacob Marley: Liz Mikel

The Ghost of Christmas Past/Ensemble: Cedric Neal

Belle/Ensemble: Abbey Siegworth

Fred/Young Scrooge: Lee Trull

Mrs. Fezziwig/Charwoman/Ensemble: Christina Vela

Bob Cratchit/Ensemble: Regan Adair

The Ghost of Christmas Present/Fezziwig/Charitable Gentleman/Ensemble: J. Brent Alford

Edward Cratchit/Ensemble: Christian St. John Chiles

Belinda Cratchit/Ensemble: Caitlin Hale Daniels

Tiny Tim/Boy Scrooge/Ensemble: Mark Fisher

Mrs. Cratchit/Ensemble: Emily Gray

Peter Cratchit/Ensemble: Jake Gray

Edward Cratchit/Ensemble: Aidan Langford

Tiny Tim/Boy Scrooge/Ensemble: Marlhy Murphy

Topper/Charitable Gentleman/Ensemble: Alex Organ

Tiny Tim/Boy Scrooge/Ensemble: Paloma Renteria

Fred’s Wife/Ensemble: Cara Statham Serber

Beggar Child/Ensemble: Halle Thompson

Peter Cratchit/Ensemble: Ben Villaseñor

Dick Wilkins/Lower Class Husband/Ensemble: David Gorena

Laundress/Ensemble: Tiffany Hobbs

Martha Cratchit/Fan/Ensemble: Rachel Weline

Reviewed by Associate Theatre Critic Kristopher A. Harrison for John Garcia's THE COLUMN

Reviewed Friday, Dec. 3^rd, 2010, 7:30pm

For some, it might be the first snowfall. For others, it might be the mad rush of Black Friday shopping. But for many Dallasites, the first sign that the Christmas season is upon us is Dallas Theatre Center’s annual production of A Christmas Carol. DTC has been producing the Charles Dickens classic for over 20 years, and this year is no exception.

Reviewing a play that is so familiar is often a challenge. The audience comes with a bevy of preconceived ideas such that someone is bound to leave disappointed. That being said, the DTC production, directed by Matthew Gray, does not disappoint.  It hits all the right emotional notes, and hits them with the precision of a well-oiled machine. The cast is a tightly knit group of high-energy performers, without a noticeable weak link. I was especially impressed by the handful of ensemble members from the storied acting program at SMU’s Meadows school. Their work was on par with the seasoned professionals. Also, I made sure to keep my eyes on Lee Trull, who plays Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. In a room full of good performances, Trull stood out as one I couldn’t stop watching. His sense of joy and his comedic work were exceptionally entertaining.

Another pleasant performance was that of Regan Adair as Bob Cratchit. The role of Cratchit has the tendency to be something of a limp dishrag, but Adair brought brilliant nuances to the role. He had a quiet bit of stage business involving hats at the beginning that had me hooked. And, his Christmas Day toast in Act II was worth the ticket price.

Chamblee Ferguson, who himself has played Cratchit in past productions, took the stage as Scrooge this year. His early, “pre-conversion” Scrooge was so unlikeable, even despicable, that I found myself not wanting him to be redeemed, but to just die and make the world a better place. But, underneath his very hard exterior, Ferguson found a Scrooge that was tender, repentant, and ultimately quite moving. There were more than a few damp eyes in the house as his Scrooge finally fully understood all that he had missed, and determined to make it right.

The appearance of each ghost in any production of A Christmas Carol is always met with some anticipation, as one wonders how each production team will interpret these supernatural visitors. It seems that Matthew Gray was so intent on not casting actors in roles they had played before that he got a little too creative when it came to the casting of the ghosts. All were good actors, but all were squeezed into roles they shouldn’t have been. Gray took the biggest risk in casting Liz Mikel as the Ghost of Jacob Marley. As it turns out, it wasn’t a risk worth taking. Her obvious skills shone through such that I couldn’t help thinking she needed to be in a larger role, and that her casting in this role didn’t add much to the show as a whole.

As to the other ghosts, Christmas Present was about as enthusiastic and joyful as the Starbucks’ barista who just found out he has to work on Christmas Eve, and the ghost of Christmas Future was so tiny and unintimidating next to the very tall Chamblee Ferguson that the future lacked some of the terror that it perhaps should have had. The Ghost of Christmas Past did bring a sense of nostalgic wonderment to the role, but throughout all of the night visions, it was Scrooge himself and the other ensemble members who carried the audience’s attention.

When asked what would be different in this year’s A Christmas Carol over previous years, director Matthew Gray said this, “I hope it will be darker and scarier.” I’d say he and his design team succeeded. They created an environment in which time was always slipping away, and Scrooge’s ghostly visions made you jump out of your seat. The setting was minimalist, with only a few pieces of furniture wheeled in and out to indicate the changing locations. But heavy use was made of mood lighting and of fog and thunder effects, such that the appearance of each ghost was met with loud, spooky thunder peals, thick fog, and strobe lighting. I especially appreciated the sound design, in which the unceasing chiming of clocks served as a constant reminder of just how precious our time in life is. But for all the spookiness, the design never left behind the sense of joy that the play should bring. Even in Victorian England, or even in a shaky U.S. economy, Christmas should be a time for celebration, for reflecting on our blessings, and for finding ways to bless others.

The Ghost of Christmas Past tells Scrooge, “It is good to go home—and never more at Christmas.” This season, I’d encourage you to go home to DTC’s annual production, and kick start your holiday off in the right spirit.