One of my favorite traditions come Christmas time is A Christmas Carol, the timeless Dickens classic tale of Christmas ghosts and Ebenezer Scrooge's redemption. I've enjoyed the various movies over the decades, and even an animation or two. However, without a doubt, A Christmas Carol is best when seen live on stage. Perseverance Theatre has outdone themselves with their presentation this year at the Performing Arts Center, faithfully adapted by Anchorage's own Arlitia Jones and director Michael Even Haney.
I met Arlitia and Michael a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed a run-through rehearsal at the PAC. I could tell that the Perseverance crew was enjoying their work, and that they have tremendous respect for the Charles Dickens story, it's message, and the emotions it has communicated over 175 years ago.
The story is well known, yet Perseverance Theatre still manages to deliver surprises, both emotional and visual, as the Ghosts of Christmas (plus Marley-- don't forget old Marley) set Scrooge down the path of the Christmas days of his life. The multi-level set and period costumes are excellent. Adding to that, the choral arrangements and live musicians were wonderful and there is some impressive dance choreography.
J. Todd Adams plays a compelling Scrooge, wearing the role as comfortably as if it were Scrooge's night cap. It's amazing to watch the gruff, stiff miser transition through regret and sorrow, then animated with Christmas joy-- and the choreographed dance sequences were also a hilarious riot as the disembodied Ebeneezer weaves and ducks through the crowd of Fezziwig's party-goers.
Speaking of Old Fezziwig, David Haynes brings a wonderful, fatherly charm and mirth to the character, and later the desperation as he pleads with Scrooge to spare him from debtor's prison.
The Spirits, from spooky Jacob Marley to even spookier Christmas Yet-to-Come, were all well done, spreading their Christmas magic over the stage and crowd. My favorite was the Ghost of Christmas Past. Danielle Rabinovich danced and floated through her energetic performance, living up to the brightness that nearly blinded Mr. Scrooge.
Get your tickets for A Christmas Carol, at the Performing Arts Center through December 29th. Remember as well to bring some canned goods which Perseverance Theatre is collecting to benefit the Food Bank of Alaska. Tickets are available at www.ptalaska.org.
Here are some photos I took of the rehearsals and the opening night after party.
~Brian