A Christmas Carol

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

For the first time in my life I experienced Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol with this year’s Denver Center Theatre Company’s production at the Stage Theatre.

(L to R) Paul Morland as A Beggar Child, Philip Pleasants as Ebenezer Scrooge and Christine Rowan as the Street Singer in the Denver Center Theatre Company Season 30 production of A Christmas Carol.. Photo by Terry Shapiro

No, no I have seen the play so many times. A once upon-a-time existed that I never ever wanted to see it again. This year it wasn’t just a “seeing”, it was an honest experience. I never ever thought I would want to say, be able to say, I had fallen in love with the show. This year, those were the first words out of my mouth when the lights came up.

Over the years I have seen gorgeous productions, creative, innovative productions, but this year an ambiance, honesty, believability impacts not just the play, not just the stage, but also the entire theatre.

Adapted by Richard Hellesen, directed by Bruce K. Sevy, for the first time ever, for me, Ebenezer Scrooge became a real human being brought to immeasurable life by Philip Pleasants. Scrooge isn’t just a character, a symbol, or a projection. In hundreds of previous productions Scrooge was never Scrooge enough. Watered down, I was told, “We don’t want to scare the children”. Humor was highlighted so this skinflint grouch could be laughed at, and everyone would have a good time. Humor and "Scroogeness" never partnered. There was the humor and there was the Scrooge, never acting as though the two belonged in the same body, much less the same room.

Pleasants magnificently healed the chasm, turning Ebenezer Scrooge into an honest, real human being melding humor, anxiety, fear, and “skinflintness”, into someone who could have lived in London in the 1840’s, and who could and indubitably does live in the 21st Century.

Pleasants sees to it that every emotion all human beings are capable of, walk hand in hand. As in real life, one takes center stage over another depending upon circumstances, only to move out of the spotlight when circumstances change.

Pleasants blew me away.

Seven years ago on Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s partner, Jacob Marley died. Scrooge feels deserted, alone, and fearful having tightened the screws on what makes human beings human.

One actor alone cannot drive a production into magnificence. It takes “a village” of actors and behind the scenes people to pull everything together. This production works and acts as though an invisible string runs through everyone involved from Vicki Smith’s scenic design, to Don Darnutzer, lighting design, to Craig Breitenbach’s sound design, to Gregg Coffin’s musical direction, to Christine Rowan’s choreography, and to every single cast member. Scenes don’t just come and go. Actors aren’t just presenting pretty or startling pictures. They relate to each other as actors, as characters. They tell a story they see and feel, and it shows.

Sam Gregory isn’t just being Bob Cratchit who happens to have several children, who works hard for the little money the skinflint pays him, who happens to have a crippled boy who might die, who has made famous the overused run-into-the-ground “God Bless us everyone” line. Sam Gregory was Cratchit. Was, because Brian Merz-Hutchinson takes the role from December 14-27.

John Behlmann becomes Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. He’s not just a figure in a Christmas Carol painting. He knows his uncle, he understands his uncle, and he’s not about to give up on his uncle no matter what. Skillions celebrate the Fred in their lives, and skillions more dream of having a Fred, a someone, who would never give up on them.

With chains dragging him down, David Ivers as Jacob Marley’s Ghost isn’t just a caricature, to scare the pants off of Scrooge. He knows and understands of which he speaks. You believe him.

The interaction between Scrooge and Stephanie Cozart’s Ghost of Christmas Past almost steals scenes. Cozart lures the audience into believing she actually creates the scenes of Christmas Past by staying involved with what goes on before her. Pleasants allows Scrooge to forget himself, remembering his past, the loneliness at school with Ebenezer the Child (Bryce Baldwin), and the connection with his sister, Fan (Ellie Schwartz), and the joy with the Fezziwigs. The Fezziwig segment integrates with the whole. Always a delight, because of the merriment, Chris Mixon as Fezziwig and Leslie O’Carroll as Mrs. Fezziwig are brilliant in their honest portrayal of a couple loving life, soliciting an honest joyeous reaction from the old man.

(L to R) (L to R) Philip Pleasants as Ebenezer Scrooge, Nisi Sturgis as Belle and Jeff Cribbs as Ebenezer the Young Man in the Denver Center Theatre Company Season 30 production of A Christmas Carol.b> Photo by Terry Shapiro

Nisi Sturgis warms the heart as Belle sharing a love that could be, with Ebenezer the Young Man (Jeff Cribbs) facing the horrific decision of placing money and career before a relationship. Ebenezer falls into the memory the Ghost ‘s powers create.

Larry Bull’s Ghost of Christmas Present admirably on Cozart’s heels creates the illusion he too has the power to bring the present into full focus for Scrooge to see with eyes that had been dimmed by self-imprisonment.

The Cratchit family doesn’t play at making a cohesive family. The do it. With Leslie Alexander, Mrs. Cratchit; Sturgis as Martha; Mark Siegel as Peter; Christy Oberndorf as Belinda; Max Schwartz as Edward; and Alex Farmer as Tiny Tim. Farmer makes Tiny Tim into a real little boy rather than a “Pinocchioed” icon.

Andy Jobe’s smoky essence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come exudes an essence of powerful involvement demanding Scrooge’s intent attention, avoiding a static picture, creating a foreboding portrait of what might lie before him if he continues on his “Scrooged” path

David de Berry’s music fits the production like a suede glove. It isn’t just something to tack onto a ready- made script. It belongs to the characters. It’s their music; De Berry enabled the characters to sing their own tune.

A Christmas Carol is a stunning piece of work of congeniality, of preciseness, of honesty, of truth, It’s a complete piece of work built with cohesive strength. Where every scene ties every character together in fluid three-dimensional adhesion.

I never ever thought I would say secretly or out loud I fell in love with A Christmas Carol, but I did.

Tickets may be difficult to come by. Persistence carries its own magic. Go for it, and don’t give up. Sevy’s production for The Denver Center Theatre Company is a Holiday treasure.

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens: Adapted for the stage by Richard Hellesen; Music by David de Berry; Directed By Bruce K. Sevy; Music by David de Berry