Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Open Stage

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published in 1843. It is a holiday classic that has become a tradition for many families. A Christmas Carol has been adapted many times for stage and screen beginning in 1844 and continuing into the present. Whether your favorite is the Mickey Mouse version, the Muppets version, one of the musical versions, or a more traditional stage version, A Christmas Carol continues to capture the imaginations of audiences, reminding us all about the important things in life. This year, I had the honor of seeing the very final performance of the final production of A Christmas Carol starring Nicholas Hughes at Open Stage.

For 25 seasons, Nicholas Hughes and the team at Open Stage has brought A Christmas Carol to life, delighting over 40,000 audience members and welcoming numerous cast and crew members into the Open Stage family. It is always incredible to see the different ways in which this story can be told by the same theatre—year after year Open Stage brings a new, fresh, unique and captivating production to their audiences. This year features an adaptation by Rachel Landon and Stuart Landon directed by Stuart Landon.

The creative team includes Kim Dickerson (stage manager); Arfan Ansary, Dan Dicker, and Ozzie Sitch (assistant stage managers); Janos Boon (production manager); John Kern (technical director); Heather Janetta, Janos Boon, and Addison Griffin (scenic painters); Aiden Lewis and Rachel Landon (costumes); Tristan Stasiulis (lighting designer); John Kern and Wayne Landon (audio); Becky Arney (prop master); Zsuzsanna Smith (choreography); Kevin Cole (magic technician); and Diane Rothrock (wig coordinator). Aesthetically, this year’s production leans into the story’s roots as a Victorian ghost story. The lighting, sound, costumes, and set are expertly designed to evoke a range of emotions, moving from fear and despondency to hope and cheer. These elements of the production also highlight the juxtaposition between Scrooge’s attitude and that of characters like Fred and Bob.

The youth cast features Rosemary Campbell, Bryce Carter, Nicholas Caton, Beckett Copus, Ian D’Andrea, Luna Frese, Milana King, Scarlett Mink-Border, Annika Nguyen, Zoe Park, and Kaylah Portee. These young actors sing Christmas carols with gusto, leaving the audience wondering how on earth Scrooge could possibly be so unmoved by their sweet voices, their Christmas energy, and their air of hope. 

The rest of the cast includes Kevin Cole (Townsperson), Logan McDonnell (Peter Cratchit/Dick Wilkins), Katherine Rossi (Solicitor/Belle understudy), Lesley Newcome (Solicitor/Belle), Ava Howell (Martha Cratchit), Suzanne Thomas (Mrs. Fezziwig/Elizabeth), Chris Krahulec (Charwoman), Patty Cole (Mrs. Dilber/Emily Cratchit), Drew Patti (Solicitor/Undertaker/Young Scrooge), Patrick Hughes (Fred/Fezziwig), Michael Rodriguez (Cannon Quill/Past), Karen Ruch (Pearl Brookton/Present), Jeff Wasileski (Tillman Nightengale/Future), David Richwine (Bob Cratchit/Jacob Marley/Old Joe), and Nicholas Hughes (Ebenezer Scrooge). 

The cast is tremendously talented, with many actors taking on multiple roles. One of the best parts of this production is the pacing and the inclusion of humor. The actors demonstrate fantastic stamina as they maintain their energy even on this final performance. Drew Patti’s performance as the undertaker is delightfully creepy, immediately grabbing the audience’s attention at the start of the show. Patty Cole brings her comedic talents to the fore as Mrs. Dilber, while highlighting her versatility as she also takes on the more serious and emotional role of Emily Cratchit. Patrick Hughes does not disappoint as the holiday-loving Fred/Fezziwig. Hughes makes these larger-than-life characters utterly endearing, and his interactions with real-life father Nicholas Hughes (Scrooge) are filled with emotion and authenticity. Rodriguez, Ruch, and Wasileski are outstanding as the spirits. Each of these actors give an engaging performance, embodying their characters perfectly. Richwine’s Marley is as terrifying as his Old Joe is hilarious, but he particularly shines in his role of Bob Cratchit. Richwine’s facial expressions and interactions with the other characters make Bob Cratchit a wonderfully multi-dimensional character. Nicholas Hughes is everything the audience could want in Ebenezer Scrooge. After 25 years, his performance has become more and more nuanced, allowing the audience to see new things in Scrooge with every year that passes. 

The heart and soul that this cast and crew put into the 25th year of A Christmas Carol at Open Stage is a testament to the staying power of the show itself as well as to the magic that Open Stage creates with every production. As the cast took their final curtain call of A Christmas Carol the commitment, love, and joy that infused this final performance was palpable as the cast, creative team, and audience said farewell to this beloved show and its star performer Nicholas Hughes. While this particular tradition is coming to an end, there are many more spectacular productions to come at Open Stage. Audiences will not want to miss the remainder of the 39th season at Open Stage, including Peter and the Star Catcher by The Alsedek Theatre School Teen Studio, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Good at Heart Festival (featuring I’m Proud of You and The Diary of Anne Frank at Open Stage), The Hobbit by the OSHKids Performance Company, and The Colored Museum with Sankofa African American Theatre Company. Visit openstagehbg.com for more information!

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