A Sarasota tradition continues as ‘Christmas Carol’ returns to Van Wezel
In theaters and performing arts centers around the country, the harbingers of Christmas are productions of “The Nutcracker,” Handel’s “Messiah” and “A Christmas Carol.”
For a lot Sarasota-area families, “A Christmas Carol” pretty much means the Nebraska Theatre Caravan production that comes to Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall every year. It’s returning Friday evening
The NTC people call their show “a lavish, full-scale Broadway-style production.” It features 24 professional performers, and it incorporates such classic seasonal songs as “Good Christian Men Rejoice,” “Away in a Manger,” “Greensleeves” and “The Boar’s Head Carol” into the story. A live orchestra accompanies the singers.
It’s an distinctive style of production, with one actor playing Ebeneezer Scrooge, and the others taking multiple roles. But the company takes care that the story and the language stay truthful to the original 1843 story by Charles Dickens. The sets and the costumes are faithful to the period. The songs are additions to the story, not an integral part of it. So the show is not a musical comedy, and the lyrics of the songs don’t alter the plot.
The Nebraska Theatre Caravan production has toured the country every Christmas season for years, and has drawn rave reviews.
Details: 7 p.m. Dec. 22, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. $36-$56. 941-953-3368, vanwezel.org.
Marty Clear: 941-708-7919, @martinclear
This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 2:07 PM with the headline "A Sarasota tradition continues as ‘Christmas Carol’ returns to Van Wezel."