A Natchez Christmas Carol at Natchez Little Theatre

Jacob Marley died seven years ago and left his home and his half of the business to his partner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Marley was a stingy old man, and Scrooge happily carries on the tradition. Scrooge is a hard, cold miser who spends his days counting his profits and wishing the world would leave him alone. He doesn’t believe in charity, and he is certain that those who do are just lazy bums looking for a handout. Scrooge’s entire life is his Natchez cotton brokerage and bank and he shuts out his nephew who is the only relative he has. Bob Cratchit, his loyal employee, is a free man of color who supports his growing family on Scrooge’s meager wages. Once prosperous Natchez planters and merchants are down on their luck after the War of Recent Unpleasantness and compete with carpet baggers and newly freed slaves for income. Scrooge has profited greatly by repossessing plantations and business alike; putting out war widows and orphans; and taking advantage of newly freed slaves. But Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that if he continues to live his life in such an unchristian way, he will spend all eternity trying to make up for it. Three more ghosts visit Scrooge and show him the errors of his ways. Because of what he sees and learns, Scrooge opens his heart to the people around him and learns charity and love and saves himself from the doom of which Marley warned him.