The Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol - A Holiday Tradion Continues

 

The wind blew cold across my back as I turned the corner with a promise of the Chicago winter soon to come.  Heads turned as the wind followed me through the door into the lobby of the Goodman Theatre. The occasion was opening night for the Goodman Theatre’s 44^th presentation of A Christmas Carol. 

As I walked down the aisle to my seat, it struck me that it had been nearly 40 years since I had seen Goodman’s production of The Christmas Carol.  I had worked on Goodman’s A Christmas Carol during its second through fourth seasons.  I worked behind the scenes helping to create the magic under the direction of the iconic Tony Mockus. 

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, a novella by Charles Dickens, was first published in 1843.  Prompted by financial pressures, Dickens is said to have written the story is less than six weeks.  Published on December 19, 1843, the first edition was sold out by Christmas Eve.  By the end of 1844, thirteen editions of the novella had been published.  To date, it has never been out of print.   The novella was adapted for the stage almost immediately.  By the end of February 1844, no less than eight rival productions of A Christmas Carol were playing in London.  A Christmas Carol has been adapted many times for film, stage, opera, ballet, and other media including a mime production starring Marcel Marceau.

 

Angel Williams joined the St Kateri Center group to see his first A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theatre
Photo Credit: St Kateri Center of Chicago

Over the past four decades, Goodman’s presentation of A Christmas Carol has continued to adapt. During the early years, we had Chicago theater legends, William Morris (Scrooge), Del Close (Christmas Past), and Dennis Kennedy (Mr. Feziwig).  The current production has diverse casting, more music, and a flying Christmas Past. The early presentations featured state-of-the-art (1980s) creative stage magic to support the cast and the story. The Goodman Theatre has long been known for incorporating new technologies and ideas into its productions.  Following this long-standing tradition, the more recent presentations have incorporated improved lighting, sound, rigging and visual effects.  I must admit the current production’s on-stage snow effects appear so much better than our bag of snow in the flies and shaken by a stage hand offstage.

Goodman’s Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer, has described A Christmas Carol as the entry point to theater for legions of young people, as well as become an annual tradition for thousands of families.  The same appears true for the directors, designers, cast members and their technical support team. A quick look through the show program illustrates how members of the production return to Chicago year after year to be part of the annual holiday tradition.

St Kateri group enjoying their first A Christmas Carol experience at The Goodman Theatre
Photo Credit: St Kateri Center of Chicago 

This was driven home as I waited for the elevator at the parking garage after the performance.  I met a young family who had also seen the show.  I asked them if they enjoyed the performance.  Excitedly, the brother and sister competed to share their favorite parts of the show. Their excitement was palpable.  The mother explained this was the first time they had ever seen live a theater performance.  Living in the suburbs, they had never done anything like this before but she thought maybe this would become a new family tradition.  Safe to say the reputation of Goodman’s presentation of A Christmas Carol as a Chicago holiday tradition appears safe for next few generations.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, ONE AND ALL!