Review: The Rep's Spectacular 40th A CHRISTMAS CAROL Opens Hearts for the Holidays

Opening night at the Pabst Theatre this December celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Milwaukee Rep's A Christmas Carol. The city's mayor Tom Barrett was on hand with an executive from Wells Fargo, the production's corporate sponsor. Each man echoed that theater, especially this longstanding tradition of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, creates family memories that last a lifetime and brings the community together.

With the grand Historic theater filled, the curtain rose on Victorian London and a chorus of actors singing familiar English carols, which marks Milwaukee's production unique from many others. Brimming with hometown actors and more than 20 child performers, this year's Rep Associate Artistic Director Brent Hazelton also directed the Rep's annual holiday gift, based on Aaron Posner's original interpretation.where Jonathan Smoots transforms from a hard hearted miser to generous benefactor.

IN the 2015 cast, Milwaukee Rep Associate Artist Deborah Staples revisits her role of the Ghost of Christmas Past together with Mrs. Dilber and the unmarried Lucy, who mingles with Mr. Topper at Fred's Christmas party. Staples lights up the stage while Jonathan Wainwright reprises Bob Cratchit and Staples' daughter Amalia Cecsarini has the honor of playing Tiny Tim.

Add into this esteemed cast the another delightful Rep Associate Artist Angela Iannone, Ray Jivoff, 2015 American Players Theatre actor Chiké Johnson and Chris Klopatek playing Fred. Debuting this year as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Bethany Thomas alights in song to wake Scrooge from his midnight sleep. The Rep's A Christmas Carol showcases incredible actors that produce one of the best Carols in the Midwest, if not the country.

Marjorie Bradley Kellogg's lavish two story sets and Martha Hally's costumes (over 150 changes per performance) combine with candlelight and snow to reclaim Scrooge because as Dickens' writes, "By one consent, [at Christmas], people open their shuttered hearts freely."

While every audience member might remember a special moment from A Christmas Carol production, several create a spectacular sensation. When the Ghost of Marley appears, smoke smothers Marley's rumbling chains, or there's that moment when the Ghost of Christmas Present and Scooge join into Fezziwig's festive party in the yes/no game played at nephew Fred's. The guest's joyous chorus of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" becomes a show stopper.

The English carol "The Holly and the Ivy," tune signifies Fan's heart and love throughout the production, which transforms Scrooge's heart thorough the voice of Georgina Pink (Young Fan) and then Beth Mulkerron (Catherine). A heart when changed, so Scrooge's "splendid, illustrious laugh" after his night of ghostly haunting moves the audience, especially when he asks forgiveness from Fred and Catherine to help him discovers his family again. This wonderful moment happens every year when families attend A Christmas Carol.

With a message in continual need of revisiting, a book published this year by Bob Welch titled "52 Little Lessons from A Christmas Carol," restored these timeless values to contemporary life. While Dickens' legacy lives on, Welch's compressed volume puts forth tiny gems to remember all year long: don't let people steal your joy, business isn't life, you make the chains that shackle you, the love of money costs you in the end and the past can be empowering. These modern proverbs along with additional text from the book represent only a smattering of the lessons included in this holiday treasure.

These premises layer timeless meaning and hope to the redemptive story of Ebenezer Scrooge, whose heart finally breaks wide open with joy, and he learns to keep the Spirit of Christmas, the holiday, all through the year. Scrooge accomplishes what Welch reminds all the audience to do: Live with the end in mind. Life offers second chances where it's never too late to change and anyone can do and dream of circumstances and events that will live on to create another legacy. Be the change you wish to see.

Open one's heart to The Rep's spectacular 40 year tradition of Dickens' A Christmas Carol with wishes for another 40 years of grand Milwaukee theater.

Milwaukee Rep presents Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Historic Pabst Theatre through December 24. At each performance, the actors' hats are passed to benefit Running Rebels, a youth charity that changes lives. For special events, performance schedule and to purchase tickets, please call: 414.224.9490 or www.MilwaukeeRep.com

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