(Left to Right) Thom Christopher Warren as Scrooge and Gregory Mallios as Bob Crachit in Columbus Association for the Performing Arts’ production of “A Christmas Carol.” Credit: Ryan Shreve | Fyrebird Media
Even though Christmas is still over a month away, stage actors are already eager to kick off beloved holiday shows over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts — also known as CAPA — will bring its 30-year holiday tradition, “A Christmas Carol,” back to the Ohio Theatre for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the play’s director Edward Carignan said. The show will open Friday and run through Sunday, according to CAPA’s website.
Carignan, also Short North Stage’s artistic director, said the show depicts Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story of the same name. He said its plot follows a cold-hearted old man named Ebenezer Scrooge whose beyond-grumpy outlook on life transforms as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in addition to his late business partner.
“It is a wonderful story that reminds us that people can change their minds,” Carignan said. “It reminds us at this time of year that all that is important is to spread joy and be helpful and take care of our fellow man.”
CAPA president and CEO Chad Whittington said the Nebraska Theater Caravan — a joint project between the Omaha Playhouse and the Nebraska Arts Council — toured around the country to present a traditional version of the play prior to COVID-19, with Columbus always being a stop.
When the Nebraska Theater Caravan did not resume touring following the pandemic, Whittington said CAPA decided to partner with Short North Stage to produce its very own version for the first time.
“It’s going to be different from what people had seen before here on the stage of the Ohio Theatre because it is locally produced,” Whittington said.
Whittington said CAPA will continue the tradition of playing the 4/34 Robert Morton Organ — a pipe organ native to the Ohio Theatre — before the curtain rises and during intermission. While certain conventions of past shows will be upheld, this year’s production has been refurbished with new stage directions, set designs and costumes, Whittington said.
“It’s going to be a continuation of a great tradition, but at the same time a new and exciting production for audiences to see,” Whittington said.
Carignan said the production team made a trip to New York City while casting and the chosen performers include actors from there as well as Columbus.
Carignan said it has been challenging for the production team to build a play from scratch and assemble an organized cast and crew. A composer was recruited to write incidental music for the show, he said.
“It took about a year for us to put everything together,” Carignan said.
Whittington said CAPA’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is a family-friendly event that serves as an exciting way to celebrate the holiday season.
“It’s an opportunity to come sit in the beautiful historic Ohio Theatre and see a great production,” Whittington said. “You get to be the first audience to experience this new version of it this year.”
“A Christmas Carol” will run from Friday to Sunday at the Ohio Theatre, and tickets can be purchased via CAPA’s website.
This story was updated Nov. 22 at 11:51 a.m. to clarify a detail about the production.
