A Christmas Carol is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens. The musical is based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella of the same name. The show was presented annually at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden from December 1, 1994, to December 27, 2003.
Productions
Madison Square Garden, New York (1994–2003) A Christmas Carol premiered on December 1, 1994. It was performed annually in December at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in Madison Square Garden from December 1994 until December 2003.
The original 1994 production was directed by Mike Ockrent with choreography by Susan Stroman, sets by Tony Walton, costumes by William Ivey Long, lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, sound by Tony Meola, projections by Wendall K. Harrington, and musical direction by Paul Gemignani. Walter Charles played Ebenezer Scrooge.
Terrence Mann, Tony Randall, Hal Linden, Roddy McDowall (in his final role), F. Murray Abraham, Frank Langella, Tim Curry, Tony Roberts, Roger Daltrey and Jim Dale have all played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in subsequent productions of A Christmas Carol.
2004 television film In 2004, the production was adapted for television and produced by Hallmark Entertainment for NBC. It was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman and features Kelsey Grammer as Ebenezer Scrooge, Jason Alexander as Jacob Marley, Jane Krakowski as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jesse L. Martin as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Geraldine Chaplin as the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Be, and Jennifer Love Hewitt as Emily (named Belle in the book), Scrooge's former fiancée.
London concerts (2016–2020) The musical made its London premiere on Monday December 19, 2016 at the Lyceum Theatre as a concert production played by London Musical Theatre Orchestra and produced by James Yeoburn and Stuart Matthew Price for United Theatrical. It starred Robert Lindsay as Ebenezer Scrooge, Alex Gaumond as Bob Cratchit, Carrie Hope Fletcher and her sister-in-law Giovanna Fletcher as Emily and Mrs Cratchit, Madalena Alberto as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Hugh Maynard as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Norman Bowman as Jacob Marley, Peter Polycarpou as Mr Fezziwig, and John Addison as Fred Anderson.
The concert production was again at the Lyceum on December 11 and 18, 2017, with Lindsay returning to the role of Scrooge.
On 17 December 2018, the production returned to the Lyceum Theatre again with Griff Rhys Jones as Scrooge.
From 7 December 2020 a new production of the staged concert with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra opened at the Dominion Theatre during the COVID-19 pandemic where the theatre was socially distanced, starring Brian Conley as Scrooge, Matt Willis as Bob Cratchit, Jacqueline Jossa as Emily/Ghost of Christmas Future, Lucie Jones as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Sandra Marvin as Mrs Fezziwigg, Martyn Ellis as Mr Fezziwigg, Cedric Neal as Ghost of Christmas Present, Jeremy Secomb as Jacob Marley, Rebecca Lock as Mrs Cratchit and Sam Oladeinde as Fred Anderson/Young Scrooge. The run was due to close on 2 January 2021, however due to the Government's tier 3 restrictions in London, the run finished early on 15 December 2020.
Yearly MSG casts Character 1994 Original Cast 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Final Cast Ebenezer ScroogeWalter CharlesTerrence MannTony RandallHal LindenRoddy McDowallRoger DaltreyTony RobertsFrank LangellaTim CurryF. Murray AbrahamJim Dale Bob CratchitNick CorleyTodd GrossNick Corley Ghost of Christmas Past/LamplighterKen JenningsJoel BlumKen JenningsDidi ConnKen JenningsMartin MoranJustin Brill Ghost of Christmas Present/Sandwichboard ManMichael MandellBen VereenKen PageRoz RyanReginald VelJohnsonD'Ambrose BoydGerry McIntyre Ghost of ChristmasYet-To-BeTheara J. WardValentina KozlovaChristine DunhamCatherine Batcheller Ghost of Jacob MarleyJeff KellerPaul Kandel Tiny TimMatthew MezzacapaChris MarquetteZach LondonMatthew BallingerPierce CravensChristopher CordellPatrick J.P. DuffeyAnthony Blair HallChristian ValiandoDennis Michael HallPatrick StognerJimmy WalshPatrick StognerJimmy WalshShadoe BrandtAnthony ColangeloSky JarrettAnthony ColangeloGraham Phillips Fred AndersonRobert WestenbergSteve BlanchardGreg ZerklePaul JackelJohn SlomanJames JudyRobert WestenbergJohn SlomanJames Judy Blind Hag/Scrooge's MotherAndrea Frierson ToneyNicole Arrington (Hag)Barbara Marineau (Mother)Joan BarberDebra CardonaJoan Barber Mrs. MopsDarcy PulliamKaren MurphyCorinne MelanconMarilyn PasekoffKaren Murphy Scrooge at 18Michael Christopher MooreTom StuartMichael MooreTom StuartJoe CassidyDenton TarverDaniel Cochran EmilyEmily SkinnerKate DawsonKristin HuxholdKate DawsonKristin Huxhold Mr. FezziwigGerry VichiMichael ConeRay FriedeckDaniel MarcusMichael J. FarinaRoland Rusinek Mrs. FezziwigMary StoutJoy HermalynDebra CardonaKelly Ellenwood Young Marley/Undertaker/Punch and Judy ManChristopher SieberKen BarnettAshton Byrum Mr. SmytheJoseph KolinskiJames JudyChris VasquezErick PinnickJoseph KolinskiChris Vasquez Grace SmytheLindsay JobeCara HornerJoanna HowardCara HornerJennifer BlainOlivia OgumaTavia Rivee JeffersonNetousha HarrisTavia Rivee JeffersonBrittany Alexander CampbellMarissa GouldAmelia HarrisCatherine Marie DowneyAllison FischerCatherine Marie DowneyCarly SeylerVachelle Gil Mrs. CratchitJoy HermalynRobin BaxterRachel BlackWhitney Webster Old Joe/Mr. HawkinsKenneth McMullenDon MayoKenneth McMullen Sally AndersonNatalie ToroStephanie BastWhitney WebsterLa Tanya Hall JonathonJason FuchsEvan J. NewmanJason FuchsAdam BarruchChristopher MarquetteAdam BarruchKennedy KanagawaMarshall PailetMatt BowlesGerard CanonicoScott Owen CumberbatchGerard CanonicoPaul TieslerJimmy WalshJustin RiordanAndrew ZuttyJimmy Walsh Scrooge at 8/IgnoranceDavid Gallagher (plays Cratchit Child instead of Ignorance)Matthew BallingerZachary PetkanasEvan SilverbergZachary PetkanasAnthony Blair HallJoseph Louis Santos IIIDennis Michael HallStephen ScarpullaJimmy WalshJohnny CennicolaJustin RiordanNicholas JonasAnthony ColangeloEvan DavesJonathan DemarKevin CarilloKevin CarilloZachary Goldstein Scrooge at 12Ramzi KhalafChristopher Mark PetrizzoPaul Franklin DanoChristopher Mark PetrizzoMatthew HoffmanEvan SilverbergPaul Franklin DanoGabriel MillmanJesse McCartneyAndrew Keenan-BolgerKennedy KanagawaJohnny CenicolaPatrick DunnJohnny CenicolaMichael A. MagsJared GoldsteinMichael A. Mags Fan (originally Fan at 10)Jacy De FilippoOlivia OgumaEliza Atkins ClarkNathalie PauldingEliza Atkins ClarkElizabeth LundbergElizabeth LundbergJenell SlackDana ChechileCarissa FarinaChloe ZeitounianLexine BondocTristin MaysLily Havala WenLindsey PickeringJewel RestaneoLily Havala WenJewel RestaneoMadeleine MartinAlexandra SullivanKristin Klabunde Judge/Poulterer/Charity ManMichael H. Ingram (Judge)Walter Willison (Poulterer/Charity Man)Michael H. IngramRoland RusinekWayne W. PretlowDuane Martin Foster Scrooge's Father/Undertaker/Charity ManMichael X. Martin(Father/Undertaker)Martin Van Treuren(Charity Man)Michael X. Martin(Father/Undertaker)Wayne Pretlow(Charity Man)Michael X. Martin(Father/Undertaker)Seth Malkin(Charity Man)Wayne Schroder(Father/Undertaker)Wayne Pretlow(Charity Man)Wayne Schroder Charity ManRobert OusleyKeith Byron KirkErik SteinDavid Aron DamaneDon MayoErik SteinDavid LowensteinErik Stein Fan at 6/Cratchit ChildMary Elizabeth AlbanoOlivia OgumaDiana Mary RiceGemini QuintosDiana Mary RiceGemini QuintosZoe Petkanascombined with Fan at 10 Cratchit ChildBetsy Chang (Martha Cratchit) & Sean Thomas MorrisseyAnthony Roth CostanzoBobby SteggertGirl does not appear, Boy added to Scrooge at 12 track Jack Smythe/IgnoranceAndy JobeJack Smythe does not appear, Ignorance added to Scrooge at 8 track Match GirlArlene Pierretdoes not appear Punch and Judy WomanDonna Lee Marshalldoes not appear GravediggerBill Noltedoes not appear Street Urchin/Child/SwingChristopher Mark PetrizzoJustin Bartholemew KamenMatthew F. ByrneP.J. Smithdoes not appear
Long Runs: Gail Pennington appeared all 10 years in the EnsemblePaul Kandel appeared as the Ghost of Jacob Marley for 9 consecutive years, the longest any cast member appeared in one speaking role
Synopsis The opening numbers are "The Years Are Passing By" and "Jolly, Rich, and Fat". In later productions the two numbers are combined as "Jolly Good Time." Scrooge first encounters the three ghosts of Christmas in their real-world guises as a lamplighter (Past), a charity show barker (Present), and a blind beggar woman (Future) ("Nothing to Do With Me"). Scrooge's long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit, and Bob's son Tiny Tim, purchase a Christmas chicken ("You Mean More to Me").
The visit of the ghost of Jacob Marley ("Link By Link"), features a half-dozen singing, dancing spirits presented with various levels of makeup and special effects. One of these ghosts in this version is known to be an old colleague of Scrooge and Marley's, Mr. Haynes, who was said to be "mean to the bone", resulting in his charred skeleton. Other puns include a spirit with a safe embedded in his chest, who "never had a heart".
The Ghost of Christmas Past reinforces the character's signature theme of illuminating Scrooge's worldview ("The Lights of Long Ago"). One notable departure from Dickens' novella in this portion of the film is its depiction of Ebenezer Scrooge's father, identified as John William Scrooge, being sentenced to debtors' prison while his horrified family looks on; this scene was inspired by an actual occurrence from Dickens' own childhood.
The Ghost of Christmas Present ("Abundance and Charity" and "Christmas Together"), makes his point that Christmas is a time for celebration, generosity, and fellowship. The former takes place at a fantastical version of the charity show he was seen promoting on Christmas Eve, and the latter whisks Scrooge on a tour of London that includes the homes of his nephew Fred, his clerk Bob Cratchit, and Mr. Smythe, a recently widowed client of Scrooge's lending house.
The entire Christmas Future ("Dancing On Your Grave", "You Mean More to Me (Reprise)", and "Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Today"), culminates in Scrooge's awakening in his bedroom on Christmas morning.
"What a Day, What a Sky" bookends "Nothing to Do With Me", dramatizing Scrooge's new outlook as he races through the streets of London making amends. The show concludes with a reprise of "Christmas Together" featuring the entire cast.
Scenes and musical numbers 1994 version
Time: London, 1880 "Overture" — Orchestra Scene 1: A Graveyard Near St. Paul's Cathedral, Christmas Eve "The Years Are Passing By" — Grave Digger Scene 2: The Royal Exchange "Jolly, Rich and Fat" — Three Charity Men, Smythe Family, Businessmen, Wives and Children "Nothing To Do With Me" — Scrooge and Cratchit Scene 3: The Street "Street Song (Nothing To Do With Me)" — People of London, Scrooge, Fred, Jonathon, Sandwich Board Man, Lamplighter, Blind Hag and Jack Smythe Scene 4: Scrooge's House "Link By Link" — Marley's Ghost, Scrooge and Ghosts Scene 5: Scrooge's Bed Chamber "The Lights of Long Ago" – Ghost of Christmas Past Scene 6: The Law Courts "God Bless Us, Everyone" – Scrooge's Mother, Fan at 6 and Scrooge at 8 Scene 7: The Factory "A Place Called Home" – Scrooge at 12, Fan at 10 and Scrooge
Scene 8: Fezziwig's Banking House "Mr. Fezziwig's Annual Christmas Ball" — Fezziwig, Mrs. Fezziwig and Guests "A Place Called Home (Reprise)" — Emily, Scrooge at 18 and Scrooge Scene 9: Montage "The Lights of Long Ago (Part II)" — Scrooge at 18, Young Marley, Emily and People from Scrooge's Past Scene 10: A Starry Night "Abundance and Charity" – Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge and The Christmas Gifts Scene 11: All Over London "Christmas Together" – Tiny Tim, The Cratchit's Fred, Sally, Scrooge and People of London Scene 12: The Graveyard