by Ann Talbot

I far prefer live theater to movies and Prana Productions’ "A Christmas Carol" is a fine example of why. We all knew the story before we arrived, so the fun is experiencing how this group of children and their adult creative team present the story to us. And they gave us a great presentation with talent and energy and super characterizations.

Narrator Evyn Whiteley has a running conversation with the audience, letting us know what is happening between scenes. The play begins with carolers. Suddenly Scrooge bursts through their group scattering them as he walks down the aisle in a funk. When he immediately returns complaining about the women who left their pocketbooks in the aisle, we have been introduced to the main character to a tee. The appearance of his former partner Marley’s ghost is preceded by excellent sound effects which are used whenever the ghostly characters appear.

There are several opportunities to showcase the many children of a variety of ages in the cast. Scenes like the street vendors, Fezziwig’s ball, the Cratchits' home, and Fred’s party give the cast lots of stage time. Carolers appear at the piano several times, holding candles and enlarging the acting space. The costuming is also showcased in these scenes.

We are always interested in how the three ghost guides are portrayed. Christmas past is a young girl, Christmas present a flower seller, and Christmas future a hooded skeleton. Each of these, plus the many speaking characters, put their own special stamp on the speeches. The woman who gets the giggles over her engagement, the charitable gentleman shocked that Scrooge will finally give money, Fred’s family playing twenty questions, Cratchit’s family mourning for Tiny Tim – these and many more are standout moments.

The cast is so familiar with their lines that the tempo never lags. And each knows the stage business perfectly. Marley and Scrooge have their physical scene down pat. And Scrooge has to change character from his grouchy old self to delight at some of the things he is seeing on his visits with the ghosts, to deep despair at the future, to glee that he has not missed Christmas after all. Let’s give a tip of the hat to the learning of the lines. Each of these children has a full school life plus other activities, but they were flawless. They are inspired to do an excellent performance and given the opportunity to perform more than once.

A hearty thank you to Roberta Weiner and her staff for a superb holiday treat. And a special thank you to the actors and singers who gave their best. You were wonderful!