Ron’s Ramblings

A Christmas Carol at the Civic Theatre

By Ron Epstein

Charles Dickens immortal classic “A Christmas Carol” has been read every Christmas since it was first published in 1843, and has since been performed in plays, movies, and musicals.

At Allentown’s Civic Theatre, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has been an annual event since 1991, with the exception of 2020 when the COVID-19 virus forced its cancellation.

“A Christmas Carol” was first performed at Civic (then known solely as the Nineteenth St. Theatre) in 1931. Fred McCready, one of the founders of the theatre played the part of Scrooge. The play was not performed again at Civic until the 1980’s when it appeared in two different versions. One in 1982, and the other in 1989. Both versions were written by Civic Board President Sharon Lee Glassman. William Sanders, who as a gig artist directed the play in 1989, added scenes that were not in the 1982 script, such as the scenes with Mr. Fezziwig, the story teller being Tiny Tim, and the scenes with the urchins. Every performance since has had something new added to it.

After becoming artistic director for Civic in 1991 William Sanders suggested the play be produced every year based on the 1989 version. He believed that since so many theatres across the country have made “A Christmas Carol” an annual event, it would be a perfect opportunity for them to do the same.

Over the years “A Christmas Carol” has featured hundreds of actors, some of whom, especially the younger ones, return year after

year. Many have bounced from one roll to another. There are usually over 80 actors involved ranging from ages 5 through 78. Some have gone on to national fame, such as Christine Taylor, who played Marcia Brady in the Brady Bunch movies. Dan Roebuck, who starred in many movies including “the Fugitive”, Oaks and Winslow Fegley, two brothers who have appeared in at least four films each, Dane De Haan, known for his role as Andrew Detmer in the film “Chronicle” among others, James Cusati Moyer, who received an Oscar nomination for best performance actor, and of course Amanda Siegfried, well known Allentown actress who starred in numerous movies such as “Mean girls”, “Nine Lives” and “American Guns”. In order to give the children in the play less of a commitment in terms of performance and rehearsal time, and to give them more stage time so the number of actors in group scenes are smaller, the urchin and party kids are divided into two groups: Holly Fred McCready Cast and Ivy Cast. The children of each cast appear in every other performance. Over the years 13 people have played the part of Scrooge including two women. In 1999 Sharon Lee Glassman played the part as Carole Scrooge (A

PHOTO BY KENEK PHOTOGRAPHY

Tiny Tim with the small bear is Robert Pierno behind him is Kelly Herbert James as Mrs. Cratchit in 2013. Kirk Lawrence as Scrooge and Nia Clements Fratrik as the Ghost of Christmas Past in 2014.

Christmas Carole) in a new adaption taking place 100 years later in 1943 during World War II. A miserly boss who learns the true meaning of Christmas. Jo Ann Wilchek Basist was Carole Scrooge in the 2019 production which took place in 1944 because the staff wanted to make it closer to the end of World War II. Both versions took place in New York City rather than London.

During one nighttime performance in 2014, marking the 25th anniversary of this version of the play, the actors who played the part of Scrooge over the years took turns as Scrooge in the various scenes. Fortunately, this version was recorded, because in 2020, when COVID-19 forced the plays cancellation, for the price of a ticket, the public could watch the video online and not have to miss “A Christmas Carol” that year.

At the end of each performance, when they come on stage to take their bows, the show always ends with the actors singing “Angels We Have Heard On High,” while they each hold an electric candle and snow begins to fall. At last year’s performance they sang “White Christmas” which was then overlaid with a verse of “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

All in all, a beautiful performance, but there is no way the annual event could have lasted this long if it were not for the interest of the public. In William Sanders words “It keeps coming back year after year because the interest is there.”

Adults and youngsters alike have made “A Christmas Carol” at Civic an annual event, as have I. After learning of the play from the theater billboard in 1989, I attended the play and it has since become an annual tradition for me as well, except in 1990 when “A Miracle on 34th Street” was performed.

I’ve already purchased my ticket for this year. I hope you will too. n

PHOTOS BY MARCO CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHY