Santa Cruz Shakespeare's annual adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' brings the classic tale to life with a fresh twist, one that's steeped in the tradition of actual carols. The production, directed by Charles Pasternak and Alicia Gibson, is a masterclass in storytelling, featuring Mike Ryan as Ebenezer Scrooge and a cast that sings and harmonizes its way through over a dozen Christmas carols.
The key to this staging lies not just in the performances or the faithfulness of the Dickens text, but in the music itself. Music director Luke Shepherd, a lecturer at UCSC's Music Department and self-proclaimed 'Christmas carol nerd', has chosen 15 carols that are woven seamlessly into the narrative. The result is an a cappella extravaganza that conveys the themes of redemption, forgiveness, human kindness, and social commentary with precision.
Shepherd's approach to selecting carols was meticulous, taking time to choose songs that would be in conversation with the Dickens text and its message of love, grace, and forgiveness. He notes that there are four or five carols that 'tug at his heartstrings every time', and Pasternak echoes this sentiment, confessing a deep affection for the hauntingly beautiful 'In the Bleak Midwinter'.
The show's musical arrangement is notable for its use of traditional carols, with only one song being played out-of-tune. The SCS crew has found a delicate balance between threading the needle and finding the right tone, ensuring that each performance is unique and memorable.
One of the standout features of 'A Christmas Carol' is its ability to convey the Dickensian message without feeling overly sentimental or heavy-handed. Shepherd's choices have created a narrative arc that weaves traditional carols into the fabric of the story, making it feel organic and essential to the production.
With only five days left to see this production, don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Santa Cruz Shakespeare's 'A Christmas Carol'. Tickets are available at santacruzshakespeare.org.
The key to this staging lies not just in the performances or the faithfulness of the Dickens text, but in the music itself. Music director Luke Shepherd, a lecturer at UCSC's Music Department and self-proclaimed 'Christmas carol nerd', has chosen 15 carols that are woven seamlessly into the narrative. The result is an a cappella extravaganza that conveys the themes of redemption, forgiveness, human kindness, and social commentary with precision.
Shepherd's approach to selecting carols was meticulous, taking time to choose songs that would be in conversation with the Dickens text and its message of love, grace, and forgiveness. He notes that there are four or five carols that 'tug at his heartstrings every time', and Pasternak echoes this sentiment, confessing a deep affection for the hauntingly beautiful 'In the Bleak Midwinter'.
The show's musical arrangement is notable for its use of traditional carols, with only one song being played out-of-tune. The SCS crew has found a delicate balance between threading the needle and finding the right tone, ensuring that each performance is unique and memorable.
One of the standout features of 'A Christmas Carol' is its ability to convey the Dickensian message without feeling overly sentimental or heavy-handed. Shepherd's choices have created a narrative arc that weaves traditional carols into the fabric of the story, making it feel organic and essential to the production.
With only five days left to see this production, don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Santa Cruz Shakespeare's 'A Christmas Carol'. Tickets are available at santacruzshakespeare.org.
I love how they're incorporating traditional carols into the narrative - it adds a whole new level of emotional depth to the story 
And Mike Ryan as Scrooge sounds amazing, can't wait to see him bring that character to life 
Luke Shepherd's choices for the musical arrangements are genius, and I'm all about that 'In the Bleak Midwinter' vibes 
The fact that they've managed to strike a balance between traditional and modern feels like a total win 
What really gets me is how this production makes you feel seen and heard, especially during those moments of social commentary 
Just saw A Christmas Carol and I'm still humming "In the Bleak Midwinter" 
Can't wait for their next production! 
and I gotta say it looks super cool! They've woven those traditional carols in so seamlessly that it feels like the story is being told through music instead of words. The cast sounds amazing, especially Mike Ryan as Scrooge 
and Luke Shepherd's music choices are genius 
. What really caught my attention though was how they balanced the sentimentality of the show without making it too heavy-handed. It's just a great example of how storytelling can be done in so many creative ways 
! I mean, who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned Dickens adaptation with some festive tunes thrown in? Luke Shepherd's got mad skills, weaving those carols into the story like they're meant to be there 
. The thing that really gets me is how they've managed to keep it from feeling too sappy or heavy-handed - that balance between tradition and modernity is pure gold 
️. I'm defo grabbing tickets for this one! 
. But what really got me was how well they balanced tone and sentimentality - it never felt too sappy or heavy-handed, which is impressive given the Dickensian message. If you haven't gotten tickets yet, don't miss your chance! Trust me, you won't regret it 
. The only thing that would make it even better is if they had a special 'silent night' moment where everyone just stopped singing and enjoyed the silence... but that's just me being dramatic 
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Mike Ryan as Scrooge is perfect too 
don't miss this show when u can, trust me u won't regret it 
! The way they wove traditional carols into the narrative was pure GENIUS 
they've done it with a fresh twist using actual carols! Mike Ryan as Scrooge is straight fire 
anyway u should defo catch this show before it closes, tickets r available online! 
It's not every day you get to see Scrooge belt out 'Silent Night' while having a change of heart. The performances were top-notch and Mike Ryan as Ebenezer was spot on... what really got me though was how they didn't go all sappy on us with the sentimental bits, it felt so organic and true to Dickens' original tale. I'm already planning my next trip back just to experience the magic again