'A Christmas Carol' comes to Sarasota

There are thousands of Christmas stories, but probably none are so widely beloved as Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It's such a significant and familiar work that it gave our language the word "Scrooge" to describe any non-fan of Christmas, and it almost single-handedly cemented our perception of what a Victorian Christmas was like.

In fact, on the basis of that one story, Dickens has often been called "the man who invented Christmas."

Theaters all over the country trot out various stage adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" this time of year.

One of the most popular and most respected is the one that the Nebraska Theatre Caravan takes on the road each year. Local audiences will get a chance to see it when it comes to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota on Sunday.

Unlike some adaptations that take liberties with the story and the characters, this one is essentially faithful to the original, except for moving the action ahead 40 years into the 1880s, when the Christmas traditions that we know today were more firmly established.

It features has cast of 24, plus a live band. It's not a traditional musical, with songs that move the story forward, but its songs and carols, along with period sets and costumes, help summon the mood of Dickensian Christmas.

Details: 7 p.m. Dec. 21, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets: $35-$55. Information: 941-953-3368, vanwezel.org.

-- Marty Clear

This story was originally published December 18, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "'A Christmas Carol' comes to Sarasota ."