By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
photo by Rob Hines
Sean MacArthur (L) is Scrooge, Bailey Axen is Tiny Tim, Jesus Limon is Bob Cratchit.
The most famous Christmas story written in the English language, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” gets a fairly straightforward production for the first yuletide holiday at the brand new Great American Playhouse in Oro Valley.
The rich traditions of the story are respected, with no campy mannerisms or over the top emotions to get an extra laugh. Keeping the true Christmas spirit is rule number one here.
Sean MacArthur and Michael Claridge are double cast in the role of Scrooge. All the other roles are double cast as well, with twice daily performances being the norm at GAP through the rest of the year.
Nick Seivert has adapted and directed the story by adding a bit of foreshadowing. In the first scene Scrooge has already had his Christmas conversion from miser to benevolent member of society much loved by everyone who knew him.
The question is asked, “How did that happen?” and so the story begins.
There are a number of songs, and a light dusting of humor to remind us this is, after all, still a theater that loves its melodrama. But at the performance I attended, MacArthur played it straight. He’s not silly, he’s not dancing around.
This Scrooge is a relentless miser in the beginning, an awakening man of conscience in the middle and a genuinely reformed soul at the end singing “Here’s To Life” with quite an affecting attitude.
Veteran actors in Tucson’s theater community cover the key roles. James Gooden had a fine turn as Fezziwig and as the Ghost of Christmas Present; Jacinda Rose Swinehart set a spirited pace as the Ghost of Christmas Past; Jodi Darling played Belle, who admired Scrooge as a younger man; Seivert got to drag the chains as the ghost of Jacob Marley and handled several smaller roles.
Jesus Limon was effective as the man who always had Christmas in his heart, Bob Cratchit. April Lisette filled the matronly parts as both Mrs. Fezziwig and Mrs. Cratchit.
Rather than compose an original score or take familiar songs and add new words, Seivert and music director Mike Padilla searched the music archives to select some better and lesser know pieces that fit nicely into the mood on stage.
The sets and costumes are more elaborate for this show than GAP’s debut production that opened last August. Brian McGinn’s set design and Lynne Petty’s costumes do capture a sense of London and the story’s mid-1800s origins.
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” continues through Jan. 4 with performances at various times Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are $17.95 adults; $15.95 seniors 60 and over, active military and students; $7.95 children 12 and under. An 8.1 percent sales tax is added to each ticket. For details and reservations, 520-512-5145, or at the theater box office, 13005 N Oracle Rd., Suite 110.
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