It is hard to be a Scrooge about A Christmas Carol: The Musical presented by The Growing Stage in Netcong. Peppered with Equity members, the production is well sung and a holiday bauble sure to please kids of all ages.
The production has a strong score by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Mike Ockrent and Ahrens. They represent Broadway royalty with shows like Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty & The Beast (Menken) and Ragtime, Once on This Island (Ahrens).
The story is a 90-minute rocket through the highlights of Charles Dickens’s original story. Scrooge (John Patrick Cleary) has no love for the holiday season, especially Christmas. He’d rather work and not give to charity. Poor people can go to prison in his worldview. Destined to a life of loneliness and anger, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts with the aim of straightening him out, turning him into a loving generous benefactor of his co-workers, orphans, and anyone else in his wake.
Directed by Stephen L. Fredericks and choreographed by Jillian Petrie some impressionable moments are created along with a message of how to live better. The show comes to life in the second half of act one. There’s cleverness abound especially in “Link by Link” with an animated Marley’s Ghost (Robert Allan) leading his chain bearing, day-glow light up cronies in chastising Scrooge.
The Ghost of Past, a lovely, lively, beautiful singer (Cara Ganski) reviews the rationale behind Scrooge’s behavior – dad went to debtor’s prison, separated from a sister he loved and mom, and a spurning from his fiancé. There’s a peppy festive party at the Fezziwig’s (Lori B. Lawrence and Danny Campos) that alights the audience with spirited choreography. The Ghost of Present (Adrienne Reuss) is a beautiful singer and she leads a well choreographed number. Christmas Future (Angela Rose Masi, Late Kennedy, Ashley Leone) are appropriately grim and outfitted in fitting macabre outfits by Lori B. Lawrence. Most of the costumes are lovely and period appropriate offering resplendency. The set (Perry Arthur Kroeger) is a series of steps and a London cityscape. Act two zips along with the Ghosts of Present and Future offering bleak views and redemption for Scrooge. Happily, he reaches the fair conclusion that life is worth living with generosity, family, and friendship.
Menken offers lovely music for "A Christmas Carol": a succession of ballads, waltzes and anthems that, whatever the circumstances, maintain pep and optimism. This sometimes puts him at odds with Dickens but definitely makes him perfect for pep and good cheer. Ms. Ahrens keeps her lyrics simple with basic rhymes of comfort. This is an especially well sung production especially when everyone can be heard. The lack of microphones creates intimacy but makes hearing softer voices difficult.
The kids are cute. The costumes beautiful. The lights colorful and warm (S.L. Fredericks). The songs well sung especially in group numbers. This is a fine outing for a family of holiday revelers seeking an entrée to a holiday classic. And hears to The Growing Stage for a highly accessible, production filled with cheer and holiday magic.
Performances of A Christmas Carol: The Musical take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - now through December 18 at The Growing Stage, 7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ.
Photos by Jerry Dalia
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