Charles Dickens鈥� beloved A Christmas Carol has lent itself to a number of interpretations over the years, but one aspect always remains: with a little magic, the holidays can turn any curmudgeon into a mensch.
For the uninitiated, the original story follows the miserly and solitary Ebenezer Scrooge, a businessman who hates Christmas鈥攁nd anyone who loves it鈥攁nd does just about everything possible to avoid the holiday spirit. On Christmas Eve, three spirits visit Scrooge to show him how his choices in life have led him to such a miserable place, and where he鈥檒l end up if he doesn鈥檛 change his ways.
Stage productions of all shapes and sizes of A Christmas Carol have appeared on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in the West End, and at regional and international theatre companies around the world, but this year is different with the ban on mass public gatherings due to COVID-19.
Whether it鈥檚 watching The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln in The Old Vic鈥檚 live steam production (the same seen on Broadway in 2019) or star opposite Besty Wolfe in a female-led adaptation, joining an interactive theatrical experience by Seize the Show in which audiences play a character themselves, or listening to a radio play by Chicago鈥檚 Goodman Theatre, there are dozens of options to enjoy A Christmas Carol as a digital production this season.
Check out the list of shows below.
ACT - A Contemporary Theatre
A Christmas Carol: On Air
December 4鈥�31
Re-imagined as a spatially-designed radio play for the virtual era and adapted from the ACT stage production, A Christmas Carol: On Air invites you and your household to gather together to take in the timeless story of optimism and humbugs, memories and redemptions, spooky presents and hopeful futures.
Actors Theatre of Louisville
A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play
November 24鈥揇ecember 31
This spirited listening experience, brought to life by a creative team in collaboration with radio professionals, is infused with all the hearty laughs and abundant good cheer that make this story a cherished Christmas favorite.
Plus: Infuse your listening experience with even more holiday cheer with a limited-edition Carol at Home box.
Alley Theatre
A Christmas Carol
December 4鈥�27
A resident company of actors assemble online to perform a new production adapted by Doris Baizley.
American Shakespeare Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Live stream December 4 at 7:15 PM ET; streaming on-demand December 9
Celebrate the holiday season with ASC in this new adaptation, starring John Harrell as Scrooge.
Catco
A Columbus Christmas Carol
December 16鈥�27
A contemporary retelling set in Columbus as bank owner Ebony Scrooge embarks upon a journey of family, redemption, and love.
The Citadel Theatre
A Christmas Carol
December 15鈥�31
In this re-imagining of David van Belle鈥檚 adaptation, enjoy the characters, songs, magic, and story in an abridged version filmed in The Citadel鈥檚 Rice Theatre.
The Classical Theatre of Harlem
A Christmas Carol in Harlem
December 7鈥揓anuary 3, 2021
A previously recorded archival presentation of the NYC institution鈥檚 annual favorite.
Dallas Theater Center
In The Bleak Midwinter: A Christmas Carol for Our Time
December 7鈥揓anuary 2, 2021
A solitary man lies in a contemporary hospital bed, alone on Christmas Eve. As his life flashes before his eyes, he confronts the joys and sorrows of his past, present and future. Created specifically to be filmed under the unique circumstances of the pandemic, this movie updates Charles Dickens鈥� story to our contemporary world.
Ford鈥檚 Theatre
A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play
December 14鈥揓anuary 1, 2021
A one-hour radio play adaptation of Charles Dickens鈥檚 A Christmas Carol, featuring local actor Craig Wallace as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Goodman Theatre
Charles Dickens鈥� A Christmas Carol: An Audio Play
December 1鈥�31
Experience Goodman Theatre鈥檚 A Christmas Carol anew with a free audio streaming version, featuring Larry Yando as Scrooge.
Guthrie Theatre
Dickens鈥� Holiday Classic
December 19鈥�31
Drawing inspiration from a centuries-old tradition, the Guthrie presents a special virtual event featuring a cast of four beloved A Christmas Carol veterans who will re-imagine Dickens鈥� hand-curated chapters for a global audience to enjoy.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol
November 23鈥揇ecember 31
This fireside storytelling version features four favorite KCRep actors each bringing to life a chapter of the book.
Kenton Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Live stream: December 17 at 2 PM ET (available on-demand through December 27)
A live streamed version of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Joseph O鈥� Malley, as performed by the Apollo Theatre Company on Kenton鈥檚 stage.
Manual Cinema
Manual Cinema鈥檚 A Christmas Carol
December 3鈥�20
An avowed holiday skeptic, Aunt Trudy has been recruited to channel her late husband Joe鈥檚 famous Christmas cheer. From the isolation of her studio apartment, she reconstructs his annual puppet show over a Zoom call while the family celebrates Christmas Eve under lockdown. As Trudy becomes more absorbed in her own version of the story, the puppets take on a life of their own, and the family鈥檚 call transforms into a stunning cinematic adaptation of Dickens鈥� story.
Merchant House
A Christmas Carol
December 18鈥�24
Let Mr. Dickens, in the person of John Kevin Jones, transport you back 150 years as this timeless tale鈥攚ith a text based upon Dickens鈥� own touring script鈥攗nfolds surrounded by flickering candles and 19th century decoration in the Merchant鈥檚 House Museum鈥檚 Greek Revival double-parlor.
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol, December 1鈥�24
Jacob Marley鈥檚 Christmas Carol, December 10鈥�24
Milwaukee Rep presents two full productions this holiday season. First, from the video vault comes a never-before-seen recording of Mark Clements鈥� 2016 classic adaptation of the Dickens tale from the Pabst Theater. Second is Jacob Marley鈥檚 Christmas Carol by Tom Mula starring Lee E. Ernst with an original soundscape by Foley artist Dan Kazemi, under the direction of Artistic Director Mark Clements
North Coast Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol
December 9鈥�31
The holiday tale gets a fresh adaptation by Zander Michaelson. Performer James Newcomb assays the entire story from one man's perspective.
NY Classical Theatre
A {15-Min!} Christmas Carol
December 17鈥�20
Ian Antal and John Michalski play Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge, respectively, with all of the other characters played in a variety of ways, from puppets to wooden spoons, all in under 15 minutes.
The Old Vic
A Christmas Carol
December 12鈥�24
Directed by Matthew Warchus and adapted by Jack Thorne, the holiday favorite returns for after playing on Broadway last year as part of the Old Vic: In Camera series performed live from The Old Vic stage to an empty auditorium. Andrew Lincoln stars.
Olney Theatre
A Christmas Carol
December 15鈥揓anuary 3, 2021
Paul Morella鈥檚 adaptation of A Christmas Carol comes to life in this new, filmed version of his one-man show.
Omaha Playhouse
A Christmas Carol
December 4鈥揓anuary 3, 2021
Experience Omaha鈥檚 favorite holiday tradition in a re-imagined small cast version with eight cast members.
On The Stage
A Christmas Carol Live
November 28鈥揓anuary 3, 2021
Tony winner Jefferson Mays stars in a one-man adaptation of the Dickens classic, newly conceived as a streaming performance based on Geffen Playhouse鈥檚 2018 stage production by director Michael Arden. Ticket sales benefit more than 50 U.S. theatres with proceeds automatically benefiting the closest theatre according to the viewer鈥檚 billing ZIP code.
People鈥檚 Light
A Christmas Carol in Concert
December 8鈥揓anuary 3, 2021
Hosted by Ian Merrill Peakes and conceived by Zak Berkman, this filmed concert event features an ensemble of local artists performing newly arranged 19th-century English carols, original music by Berkman, and readings from Dickens' novella.
Pioneer Theatre Company
A Christmas Carol - Digital Reading 2020
Episodes released December 5, 9, 13, 19, and 23 at 7 PM
Split into five parts鈥攁lso called 鈥渟taves鈥濃攚ith 12 actors, the readings will premiere right here and will remain online for viewing at a later date.
Primary Stages
A Christmas Carol
Live stream: December 18 at 8 PM (available on-demand through December 22)
Adapted by Theresa Rebeck (who also directs) and Erin Daley, Tony nominee Ra煤l Esparza stars as Scrooge, with Krysta Rodriguez, David Mason, and W. Tr茅 Davis, Mary Bacon, Abadi Bacon Leynse, Kimberly Chatterjee, and Matthew Saldivar also in the cast.
Seize the Show
A Christmas Karen
December 17, 21-22 at 8 PM, December 19 at 2 PM and 7 PM
What if it turned out people don鈥檛 just change overnight? It鈥檚 been five years since Karen鈥檚 famous Christmas morning redemption, and once again, Karen is barking orders while ignoring the holiday spirit she once seemingly embraced. Audiences play Karen鈥檚 assistant in this interactive theatre experience.
Streaming Musicals
Estella Scrooge
November 27-onward
Broadway favorites Betsy Wolfe, Clifton Duncan, Patrick Page, Carolee Carmello, Danny Burstein, and more star in this upcoming streaming musical. With a book by Tony-winning director John Caird and music and lyrics by Tony nominee Paul Gordon, the musical flips the script of Charles Dickens鈥� beloved holiday tale by adding a modern sensibility and additional characters and storylines from Great Expectations, Little Dorritt, Bleak House, and more.
Theatre in the Park
A Christmas Carol
December 1鈥�31
A musical comedy adaptation by Ira David Wood III.
Trinity Repertory Company
A Christmas Carol
December 17鈥揓anuary 10, 2021
This free, on-demand video is Trinity Rep鈥檚 take on the Dickens tale that integrates traditional theatrical storytelling with technological possibilities only available with digital production.
Plus: A community sing-a-long, sensory friendly guide, and online paint party video.
