Review: Bringing the Joy with A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Connecticut Theatre Company

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been feeling the Christmas Spirit for the last few years. Whether it was the lack of snow, the state of the world, or just the hectic craziness that is life, the Holidays just haven’t had the same magic as in years past. This isn’t me being a humbug- I’ve longed desperately for that feeling of joy and whimsy during the holiday season- but merely an observation of how I’ve felt, but this year is different. Maybe it was the few inches of snow that covered the grass as I walked up the steps to the theater this early in December, but really, I think it was the show that I saw that started my holiday season off right.

This weekend, I got to visit the Connecticut Repertory Theatre in New Britain for the first time to see the Connecticut Theatre Company’s production of A Christmas Carol; the musical adaptation of Charles Dickins’ story with a book by Mike Ockrent & Lynn Ahrens, with music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. As I entered the auditorium for the first time, I caught my first glimpse at the set, which was designed by Ben Silberman, Becky Stanford, and Nicky Stanford- the former two also being co-directors. A beautiful, classical small-town main street set the mood entirely and prepared the audience for what was to be a wholesome and energetic telling of Dickins’ classic tale.

If you require a spoiler alert for A Christmas Carol, then consider this thus, because CTC’s production hits all the nostalgic sweet spots of the tale. The story of A Christmas Carol can be broken into five parts: Ebenezer Scrooge humbug-ing his way through the streets of London on Christmas Eve, his saddening visitation from the Ghost of Christmas past, his reluctant but understanding tour of London from the Ghost of Christmas Present, the sobering sneak peek of the future from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be, and his re-emergence into the world as a changed man. The emotional journey that Ebenezer Scrooge goes on requires a deftness and dedication that was on display from beginning to end in Mike Zizka’s performance: From a dour-faced curmudgeon to a flitting, jolly soul, Zizka’s wide range of emotion and demeanor was the anchor to this production’s success. While Scrooge may be the protagonist, the heart and soul of the story comes from the Cratchit family and the ensemble. The deep love shown between Bob Cratchit (played by Evan Charette) and Tiny Tim (Maddie Swider) fueled our hopes that Scrooge could change, while the ensemble kept us giddy and laughing all night long.

As much as I would love to call out every member of the ensemble that brought this piece to life, I’m running out of space and time, so I must boil it down to a select few: Just know that this could not be done without every single singer, dancer, and caroler on that stage. The incredible talents of Krystina Diaz, Eizel Magno, and Max Dittmar, however, stood out the most. Whether she was observing the streets of London as a beggar, dancing in Fezziwig’s party, or even dancing on the grave of Scrooge as the Ghost of Christmas Future, Diaz came to life with her dancing and elevated those around her with her movement and grace. Meanwhile, Magno and Dittmar, who played Emily and Young Scrooge, respectively, shined like diamonds as they took us on the love story of Scrooge’s past, but also in their ensemble work throughout the rest of the performance.

You can go on and on about perfection and dedication and talent and what have you, but when it comes to a show like A Christmas Carol, you need to have heart and soul, and the cast and crew of Connecticut Theatre Company’s production of A Christmas Carol overflowed their cups and filled up ours, which got my holiday season off to a great start. CTC’s production of A Christmas Carol runs from December 6 to December 22 with shows on Fri/Sat at 7pm and Sun at 2pm. You can buy tickets at www.connecticuttheatrecompany.org/box-office.

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