But what has Charles Dicken's most famous Christmas story got to do with musical theatre? It seems that a North American theatre company, Troupe America, is bringing this classic story to the stage in musical form. This author was most delighted to be able to attend a performance of this very production.
No matter what one might think, music and dancing does add something most enjoyable to this classic tale. Although based on Dicken's, "A Christmas Carol", this musical production was written by Buffy Sedlachek with music by Kevin Rotty.
'The Money Song', which is sung by Scrooge himself, is by far the most entertaining and best suited piece in the entire score. It suits Scrooge's character perfectly and is not merely an intrusive musical bit between elements of the actual story. 'The Tavern Song', sung by the ensemble, befits the merriment of the pub-goers in contrast to the "hum-bugging" Scrooge. A touching moment in the story, a look into the future when Tiny Tim is no longer alive, is represented beautifully in the Cratchit family's 'Song for Tim'.
This author's opinion of the musical score is favorable, yet one doesn't expect any of the pieces to rise to the status of the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein or Andrew Lloyd Webber. For anyone who enjoys singing and dancing and musical theatre, this company has presented a wonderful adaptation of a classic tale with a new twist which is quite enjoyable.
To this musical theatre patron, however, it is the special effects that stand out in this production. From the arrival of Marley's ghost through Scrooge's bed to the green spectre of the ghost of Christmas future, the effects stand with the best productions of this decade's musical theatre. Kudos should go to Franz Harary, an internationally acclaimed magician best known for his NBC TV special where he made the space shuttle disappear before a live audience. This magical element provided delight to young and old who attended this production.
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