The stage of the Racine Theater Guild is ablaze right now with the magic of A Christmas Carol: The Musical. I know of several different musical versions of this timeless classic (and I’m sure there are more than that) but this is the one I like the most. A lot of people might argue that the original work is a supreme masterpiece that should be left alone – and that turning it into a musical can only distract from or dilute its greatness. And I think in the wrong hands, that is exactly what would happen. Fortunately, this particular show boasts the music of Alan Menken (responsible for the scores of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Enchanted – just to name a few) and lyrics of Lynn Ahrens (with such shows as Ragtime, Seussical, A Man of No Importance and Once on This Island to her credit.) And between them, they have fashioned a work that does full justice to the Dickens original – and that I find powerfully moving and inspiring.
This is actually the RTG’s second go-round with this show, and we have about 2/3’s of last year’s cast back – including most of the actors in the major roles – so the process of mounting the show has been much simpler than the first time around, when everybody involved was learning this show and creating the stage magic and choreography for the first time. This time around, the show felt less like an intimidating gauntlet and more like a familiar friend and a joyous jaunt. And on the other hand, it was great to have the invigorating energy of the newcomers in the cast for whom all of this was a new adventure. And the result has been an entirely wonderful experience- among the happiest I’ve had in my 16 years of directing musicals at the guild.
As I am typing these words, the opening night performance is just finishing up – and during tonight’s performance I have been moved to tears at least five different times. Two of those moments came in the tender exchanges between our Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim (Peter Jones and Leah Starks) … especially the moment when Tiny Tim bravely tells his dad that he is determined to walk upstairs to bed by next Christmas (rather than having to be carried) but the other three times actually came during exuberant group numbers that one does not typically think of as tear-jerk affairs. In the case of “Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Christmas Ball,” I think part of what got to me was the sight of our Mrs. Fezziwig, Lauren Haumersen, dancing up a storm despite one of her feet being in a special boot (thanks to a recent car accident.) There is nothing quite as inspiring as when a performer fights back from adversity to deliver the goods- and Lauren certainly did that. The tears also flowed as the cast took the stage for my favorite song of the show, “Christmas Together” – and then again at the very end of the show, when that song is reprised with the entire cast onstage. Of course, you’re also talking to the guy who absolutely blubbered as the cast sang “Wells Fargo Wagon” during the RTG’s production of The Music Man back in 2005 – so this is nothing new. I seem to have a thing for oddly-timed tears when I am sitting in the audience, but especially when it is people I love who are up on that stage and when I have played a part in preparing them for the performance.
What continues to amaze me is how timely the Dickens story is. Poverty remains a very grim reality for far too many people – including innocent children – and it’s a reality that can bring out the best and the worst in us. And while it’s all too tempting see the figure of Scrooge in certain people we encounter (people who are all too quick to assume the worst about the poor, that surely they are poor solely because of their own poor choices, and who feel little or no sympathy or empathy for them) the fact is that there is at least a little bit of Scrooge in all of us and it’s important for us to be mindful of that – and of our need to embrace our most compassionate selves. “Let the stars in the sky remind us of man’s compassion. Let us love till we die, and God bless us everyone. In your heart there’s a light as bright as a star in heaven. Let it shine through the night and God bless us everyone.” But this show is also about how there are different kinds of riches and the things that matter most in life have absolutely nothing to do with how much money you have in the bank. One of my favorite moment in this musical is something that Bob Cratchit sings to Tiny Tim: “I don’t need a fortune hidden in a shoe. Many men have fortunes- but they don’t have you. When I look at you, I’m richer than a king! Yes, you mean more to me than anything.” What the story makes crystal clear is that Scrooge may be a wealthy man- but he is actually dirt poor when it comes to everything that matters. “Sad when a fellow has nothing to love but his gold” is a line of lyrics that says it well. On the other hand, Bob Cratchit is (to quote a famous line of dialogue from a beloved Christmas film) “the richest man in town!”
I already mentioned that my favorite song in the show is “Christmas Together” – a spirited song that is evoked by the exuberant Ghost of Christmas Present to celebrate the joy of being together with those we love. By the end of the number, the stage is filled from stem to stern with with various gatherings – but it was only during this year’s run of performances that I first noticed a wonderful directorial touch from Doug Instenes. In the midst of all of the large tables surrounded by Christmas revelers, there is a small table right in the middle of the stage at which sit Mr. Smythe and his young daughter … two characters we meet early in the show when he goes to Scrooge in hopes of securing an extension on his mortgage so he can pay the expenses for the funeral of his young wife, who has just died. Scrooge, needless to say, could not care less and refuses to grant him the slightest leniency. During “Christmas Together” in the second act, amidst all of the hustle and bustle on the stage, there sit Mr. Smythe and his young daughter, smiling and celebrating Christmas dinner together – a poignant reminder that this holiday is not just about the loved ones we are with, but also about the loved ones we so desperately miss. I’m thinking this Christmas about two dear friends for whom this will be a difficult holiday because of recent losses. And I find myself remembering my mom 30 years after her death and wishing it were possible for her to be here. Those we love and by whom we are loved leave deep and lasting impressions – and the deeper the love, the deeper the impression. And when they’re no longer with us, the impression can seem like an enormous empty cavern – but I like to think instead about the vibrant love that carved that cavern, that impression, in the first place … like the mighty river that carved the Grand Canyon. And don’t try to tell me that a mother’s love isn’t just as mighty and unrelenting as that mighty river. This show has me thinking about all that and more. No wonder I bawl my eyes out.
The other thing that makes me cry as I watch these dedicated performers singing “Christmas Together” and the other big numbers of A Christmas Carol is that I’m watching people who mean so much to me- and who have impressed me so deeply with their passion and dedication. And I’m not just talking about the adults in the cast, but the children as well. And just beyond the view of the audience is the small army of volunteer crew members who are every bit as indispensable and whose selfless contribution to the production is an inspiration in every sense of the word. All of these folks so beautifully embody the lyrics from the final verse of “Christmas Together”:
GATHER AND SING OF THIS GLORIOUS THING KNOWN AS CHRISTMAS TOGETHER
FAMILIES CREATED BY FRIENDSHIP AS WELL AS BY BIRTH.
What a blessing when we find deep friendships in our families – and when our friends become like family to us. In such gifts do we find life’s greatest riches.
The final performances of the RTG’s production of A Christmas Carol are coming up this weekend, December 14, 15, and 16. Call (262) 633-4218 for more information.