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Scrooge
The Musical
Book, Music and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Directed by Bill Pullinsi
At The Theatre at the Center
1040 Ridge Road
Munster, IN
Call 219-836-3255, tickets $36 - $39
Wednesdays & Thursdays at 2 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 2:30
Additional Friday & Saturday matinees plus some Thursday evenings
Running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes with intermission
Through December 23, 2007
A sparkling regional premiere of Scrooge, The Musical adorns the The Theatre at the Center
Scrooge, The Musical is a rare holiday treat for the family. This wonderfully polished production showcases the prowess of Chicago talent. This refreshingly warm Scrooge will delight families. Scrooge, The Musical offers a fine, intimate, yet large ensemble treatment that if filled with excellent voices and zesty dances. Just the show to get us into a holiday spirit.
Based on the Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is brought to life by Leslie Bricusse whose stage work includes Stop The World --I Want to Get Off, The Roar of the Greasepaint –The Smell of the Crowd, Jekyll and Hyde and Victor/Victoria. With nineteen period-perfect songs including “Father Christmas,” “December the Twenty-Fifth,” “I Like Life” and “Thank You Very Much,” Bricusse’s score enchants and dramatizes Scrooge into a charmingly refresh holiday show. It is so nice to see something relatively new during the holidays.
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James Harms anchors the show as Scrooge, the money-loving, nasty businessman who hates children, hates the poor, hates Christmas and hates himself. Harms brings his immense experience to give Scrooge enough vile and enough dark humor to render the miser believable. Harms lands his songs in character with just the right emotion to carry the meaning. His “I Hate Christmas” was cute while “It’s Not My Fault” and “I’ll Begin Again” were convincing. This is finest work I’ve seen James Harms do in years.
The Chicago cast was marvelous delivering the ensemble numbers with precision and polish typical of Chicago musical productions. From the opening English folksy number, “A Christmas Carol” we see Dickens’ poverty stricken world of Victorian London celebrating the holiday with excellent harmonies. Marvelous ensemble numbers like “Father Christmas” and “Make the Most of This World” (featuring Dale Benson as the white colored chained Marley) demonstrate Bricusse’s creativity. Stacey Flaster’s choreography produced rousing English folk-style dance in numbers like ”December The Twenty-Fifth,” “I Like Life,” “The Milk of Human Kindness” and “Toy Ballet.” Frank Paul leads the ensemble in the riveting march “Thank You Very Much” a celebration of Scrooge’s apparent death. These dance numbers remind me of pieces from Oliver and My Fair Lady which is nice company to be in.
Jonathan Lynch was splendid as Harry, Scrooge’s nephew and the ‘young Scrooge’. His charisma and swagger works and his adequate voice rendered “Happiness” into a moving song together with Audrey Billings, in the duet parts, and James Harms in three-part harmonies. Meg Miller, as the Ghost of Christmas Past, enchants us with her golden voice in “Love While You Can.” Young Liam Byrnes, as Tiny Tim, knocks down the heart-wrenching “The Beautiful Day” eloquently while the funny “The Minister’s Cat” allows the Chicago musical performers to shine. With excellent work from Larry Adams as Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge, The Musical delivers a thoroughly enjoyable holiday musical.
Scrooge, The Musical looks gorgeous, sings and dances well and contains a worthy Christmas story of redemption and good cheer. Director Bill Pullinsi has mounted a charming and heartwarming holiday treat. James Harms’ Scrooge is a treat.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2007
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