Study Guide - Sudbury Theatre Centre

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Study Guide .............................................................................................................................. 3
Decades of Desire and Deception .............................................................................................. 3
For the Teacher ......................................................................................................................... 3
What’s New at STC? .................................................................................................................. 4
Meet our New Director of Education: Ralph McIntosh ................................................................ 4
Caleb Marshall talks about creating and directing A Christmas Carol......................................... 4
Michael Doherty talks about creating A Christmas Carol ............................................................ 5
Before the Play ......................................................................................................................... 7
Who was Charles Dickens? ....................................................................................................... 7
Brief synopsis of the novella....................................................................................................... 8
Things you’ll see and hear in the musical ................................................................................... 9
Legacy of A Christmas Carol...................................................................................................... 9
So you want to live in England in the 1850’s? ...........................................................................10
Before the Play Discussion topics for Young and Older Audiences ...........................................11
Cast and Characters / Creative and Production Teams / Orchestra ..........................................12
About musicals – Common elements ........................................................................................13
Songs and Music from A Christmas Carol .................................................................................13
Selected History ........................................................................................................................14
After the Play Discussion Topics .............................................................................................16
Bibliography ..............................................................................................................................17
Photo credits .............................................................................................................................17
Appendices .............................................................................................................................17
Short Glossary of Theatre Terms ..............................................................................................17
Behind the Scenes…………………………………………………………………………………….. 19
Preparing for your Visit to the Sudbury Theatre Centre ……………………………………………21
A Guide to Theatre Etiquette ………………………………………………………………………….22
2
A Christmas Carol
A new Musical Adaptation from the original text by Charles Dickens
Music and lyrics by Michael Doherty
Book and lyrics by Caleb Marshall
Study Guide
The 2015-2016 season at STC invites audiences to
journey in their imaginations across the decades, and in
the works selected for the stage, to witness in the
characters and actions of the plays the continuity of human
behavior both noble and villainous; to ask what perpetually
intrigues and informs us in that behavior; and to discern
what still connects us in this 21st century to those living in
the century or in the centuries before us. This season’s
productions are all populated by strong characters, men
and women caught in the prism of their times - sometimes
victims, sometimes victors, always interesting.
A Christmas Carol offers an excellent study of human behaviour. Ebenezer Scrooge, with all his
faults, is still an endearing character. His story is an intriguing look at how the past shapes the present
and possibly even the future. Is it possible to change the future? Will a complete shift in attitude
somehow change him from a hated to a much loved character? This story has been repeated many
times and in many different ways but it always brings a message of hope and redemption.
FOR THE TEACHER
STC, with the support of Vale, our Spotlight on Education sponsor, provides a study
guide for each play attended by our student audiences. The classroom teacher is encouraged to
download the guides from the STC website and to make use of the background materials, notes
on the play and the author, and suggestions for related research or classroom activities and
assignments. The guides are intended to save the busy teacher time and to augment the
classroom activities connected to the class field trip to the theatre.
Depending on the individual play, secondary school drama and English teachers – and
often music, visual arts and history teachers – will find something useful for their classes in the
guides. Elementary teachers will be pleased to know that guides are also produced to
accompany those productions aimed at young audiences (like this one!).
So tell your colleagues at both levels about these guides and encourage their use! Your
feedback re the content and the format of the guides is welcomed.
3
WHAT’S NEW at STC?
 Check out our refurbished foyer and Vale Cabaret, our improved will-call ticket kiosk,
streamlined intermission refreshment service, and our continuing platform as a
showcase for Sudbury’s visual artists and emerging writers.
 Enjoy the rotating exhibitions of paintings, photography and fabric arts on display in our
new STC Gallery.
 Learn about all the opportunities provided through the STC Academy:
Voice and Theatre Classes Adult Workshops
24hr Play Challenge
 Be treated to original one-act plays presented before selected main stage shows.
Visit www.sudburytheatre.ca to learn more about our exciting 2015|2016 season!
Meet our New Director of Education: Ralph McIntosh
Ralph is a familiar face to those who work in the
fields of Arts and Education. He joined the STC family in
July 2015 after a lengthy teaching career with the
Rainbow District School Board.
Ralph came to Sudbury Secondary School in 1986 as a
vital member of the Arts Education staff, serving as
choirmaster and musical director for many high school
musicals and variety shows. As one of a key crew of arts,
theatre, music, dance, and film teachers in that program,
he helped to creating the conditions in which students
could shine – on stage or behind the scenes.
As a music teacher, he worked with hundreds of students, enjoying a wonderful
association with the many young people with whom he shared the magical moments of on stage
productions. In each of his students, he fostered the joy of singing and a love of the arts. His
students were able to practice their craft and showcase their talents, while learning that
everyone has a role to play in a given production, and every contribution is to be valued.
From 2005 to 2015, Ralph served the Rainbow District School Board as their Arts
Education Coordinator. He has encouraged and modeled respect for others, academic
diligence, teamwork and a sense of interdependence in working toward a collective goal. All of
these gifts will serve him well in his new position here at the STC. Welcome, Ralph!
STC Artistic Executive Director
Caleb Marshall
Sudbury Theatre Centre’s Artistic Director
Caleb Marshall, in his second year at STC,
continues to bring to Sudbury audiences his
energy, experience and expertise - and his
enthusiasm about this particular play ensuring another creative and original
production on the STC mainstage.
4
Caleb Marshall talks about creating and directing A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a musical adaptation of the classic Dickens tale. The idea for this
version began in 2010 when Michael Doherty wrote a few original songs for a production of
Christmas @ the Playhouse. Afterwards, they toyed with the idea of expanding it to a full show.
They eventually took the idea to Theatre New Brunswick and were commissioned to finish the
project. Overall it took about a year and a half to complete, but in Marshall’s words “the last year
came rapidly.”
Marshall and Doherty wanted the production to be “on the dark side” and not “fluffy”. The
ghosts should intimidate both Scrooge and the audience to some extent. There are other things
he’s hoping that audience members who are familiar with the original story will notice. This
version has Scrooge interacting more with the shadows of his past life. There is a conscious
effort to integrate the story and music. Certain scenes like the “forfeit” scene, for example, have
been expanded plus many more theatrical touches.
One thing you will notice when you arrive in the theatre is a solitary light in the middle of
the stage. This is called a “ghost light”. Most theatres will leave a light on in the middle of the
stage during the evenings so if anyone is walking around they will be able to see and not fall off
the stage. Not that theatre people are superstitious but it also is supposed to appease the
ghosts that live in all theatres and keep them away. (We don’t want that to happen for this show,
do we?)
This classic story of transformation has
universal appeal. People of all ages will enjoy watching
Scrooge as he discovers the joy of Christmas. The
younger audiences will have no problem relating to
Tiny Tim and Fan.
The set is an important part of the visual
experience. It is fluid because every piece is on casters
and the furniture glides in and out effortlessly. The
backdrops are based upon work by Gustave Doré.
Doré lived around the time of Dickens and was
renowned for his engravings and woodcuts.
Michael Doherty talks about creating A Christmas Carol
Both Caleb and I have a great passion and love for theatre
but perhaps most of all for theatre at Christmas, when the
magic of the storytelling mixes with the magic in the air and
when the message of our responsibility to our fellow man is
most resonant and keenly felt as we come together as a
community and look beyond ourselves.
This will be our 12th Christmas show as creative partners
and over the last six seasons at TNB there have been
dozens and dozens of other productions but most of our
earliest collaborations before Theatre New Brunswick were
several instalments of Christmas @The Playhouse.
5
It was there where we arrived at a common vision of what was most powerful and important in
holiday storytelling – “Our search for connection and redemption with our fellows.” There is no
other story that better illustrates this than Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
“Over the two years leading to the 2014 premiere performance, we had a couple of
writing retreats where we figured out the sequence, the doubling of characters, and flagged a
sense of what could be musicalized and what should remain the classic text we respected so
much. We then began chiselling away at the full original text to ensure that any of Dickens’s
imagery that could serve as inspiration for lyric or stage direction was kept in the script as long
as possible, only to be trimmed once we could see and hear the piece come to life. We were
very careful not to make quick decisions on what to discard in case it could serve us later.
“This is not a story that lends itself to huge glitzy dance numbers or light frivolous music.
We set out to integrate the spoken and the sung text in a way that was always driving the story
forward, one that allowed the power of the original story to shine through and in no way be
diminished by ‘a musical number’, but rather have the movement to singing be an escalation of
intention and tactics that made it harder on Scrooge.”
Doherty feels the music came from the characters. He was not trying to copy well-known
carols of the past or the ones we sing today. This is original music that is skillfully blended with
the story. While he is drawn to the Romantic era composers of Dickens’ time he is also
influenced by Stephen Sondheim. The music introduces us to each character and sets the tone
and mood for each scene. One of the challenges he overcame was how do one write a duet for
characters that can’t see or hear each other. Scrooge joins in a few songs but, since he is a
ghost, the other characters can’t “see” or “hear” him.
Tania Breen who was integrally involved in the Carol of the Bells development served as
a resource in music and lyric development, Naomi Costain, our Associate Director/Movement
director has been working for months examining possible staging and movement scenarios,
Chris Churchill arranged all of the orchestrations. Patrick Clark has given us a set where the
movement through time and from one location to another could become a dance in itself
working hand in hand with Mike Johnson’s projections.
Since the play is inspired by the original Dickens novella, it seems only appropriate that
the visual imagery of our show is inspired by Gustave Doré’s original drawings from the period.
Tristan Tidswell spent far more time in rehearsal than is traditional for a Lighting Designer to
ensure he was serving the integration of set, projections and the movement of the form we had
created with the company.
This story has some dark,
foreboding and intense moments – it must
in order to reach the light. For our search for
connection and redemption to have
meaning it can never be an easy journey.
This is a stark contrast to the journey of
making this work – which has been a joy.
In Doherty’s words “we achieved what we
set out to achieve.”
Martha Irving and Stuart Dowling
TNB premiere production, 2014
6
BEFORE THE PLAY
Who was Charles Dickens?
British novelist Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth,
England. Over the course of his writing career, he wrote the classic novels Oliver Twist, Nicholas
Nickleby, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations.
He was the second of eight children. His father, John
Dickens, was a naval clerk who dreamed of striking it rich.
Charles Dickens’ mother, Elizabeth Barrow, aspired to be a
teacher and school director. Despite his parents’ best efforts,
the family remained poor.
John Dickens had a dangerous habit of living beyond
the family’s means. Eventually, John was sent to prison for
debt in 1824, when Charles was just 12 years old.
Following his father’s imprisonment, Charles
Dickens was forced to leave school to work at a bootblacking factory alongside the River Thames. At the
rundown, rodent-ridden factory, Dickens earned six
shillings a week labeling pots of “blacking,” a substance
used to clean fireplaces. It was the best he could do to help
support his family
Dickens was permitted to go back to school when his father received a family inheritance
and used it to pay off his debts. In 1827, he had to drop out of school and work as an office boy
to contribute to his family’s income. As it turned out, the job became an early launching point for
his writing career.
Within a year of being hired, Dickens began freelance reporting at the law courts of
London. Just a few years later, he was reporting for two major London newspapers. In 1833, he
began submitting sketches to various magazines and newspapers under the pseudonym “Boz”.
In 1836, his clippings were published in his first book, Sketches by Boz. Dickens’ first success
caught the eye of Catherine Hogarth, whom he soon married. Catherine would grace Charles
with 10 children before the couple separated in 1858.
Around this time, Dickens had also become publisher of a magazine called Bentley’s
Miscellany. In it he started publishing his first novel, Oliver Twist, which follows the life of an
orphan living in the streets. The story was inspired by how Dickens’ own experience as an
impoverished child forced to get by on his wits and earn his own keep. Over the next few years,
Dickens struggled to match the level of Oliver Twist’s success. From 1838 to 1841, he
published The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby
Rudge.
During his first U.S. tour, in 1842, Dickens designated himself as what many have
deemed the first modern celebrity. “They flock around me as if I were an idol,” bragged Dickens.
When he returned to England Dickens had become so famous that people recognized him all
over London as he strolled around the city collecting the observations that would serve as
inspiration for his future work.
7
In 1843, Dickens published two Christmas stories. One was the classic A Christmas
Carol. Before writing A Christmas Carol Dickens was having a bit of a career crisis. Despite
having written five rather successful novels, including Oliver Twist, Dickens actually found
himself in debt to his publisher. His most recent novel, Martin Chuzzlewit wasn’t selling
particularly well either as a serial. Dickens decided he’d needed to write something that would
be incredibly popular with the pubic.
In searching for a topic, Dickens felt a strong need to comment on the wealth gap
between the rich and the poor in England. On October 5, 1843, Dickens gave a speech to raise
money for the Manchester Athenaeum, an organization that brought education and culture to
the working masses. Dickens was touched by the plight of the young child workers and it is said
that after the speech he took a long walk where he conceived the idea for A Christmas Carol.
Dickens wanted to get the novel out before Christmas and wrote it in a breathtaking six
weeks. When the book appeared before Christmas 1843 it was immediately popular with the
reading public as well as with the critics.
In 1865, Dickens was in a train accident and never fully recovered. Despite his fragile
condition, he continued to tour until 1870. On June 9, 1870, Dickens had a stroke and, at age
58, died at Gad’s Hill Place, his country home in Kent, England. He was buried in Poet’s Corner
at Westminster Abbey.
Brief synopsis of the novella
A Christmas Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his
transformation into a gentler, kindlier man after visitations by the ghost of his former business
partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.
The book was written at a time when the British
were examining and exploring Christmas traditions from
the past, as well as new customs such as Christmas
cards and Christmas trees. Carol singing took a new lease
on life during this time. Dickens used many sources to
complete the work but he drew primarily from the
humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for
the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales.
Dickens divides the book into five chapters, which
he labels "staves", that is, song stanzas or verses, in
keeping with the title of the book.
A Christmas Carol remains popular—having never
been out of print—and has been adapted many times to
film, stage, opera, and other media.
Charles Dickens in 1842, the year
before the publication of A Christmas Carol
8
Things you’ll see and hear in the musical
Ali Baba is a character from the folk tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from the “Arabian
Nights” Tales or ‘One Thousand and One Nights”
Orson is the hero of Valentine and Orson, a medieval romance story. Orson and Valentine are
twins. Valentine was a knight but Orson grew up in a bear cave. (I’m not making this up)
Robin Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Dafoe. Crusoe is a castaway who spends thirty years on a
remote tropical island, encountering cannibals, captives, and mutineers before being rescued.
Before a man can say Jack Robinson. Jack Robinson is a name present in a common figure
of speech used to indicate a period of time, typically in a sarcastic manner, is in “I’ll finish
building this house before a man can say Jack Robinson.”
Chirrup means to make repeated short high-pitched sounds
During the performance a game of “cry the forfeits” is played. In Victorian England the gentry
had a number of parlor games that were very popular to play. Typically the loser of these
parlour games would have to pay a forfeit. The usual practice was to accumulate the forfeits
owed until the end of the evening and then “cry the forfeits” where they would all then be
redeemed together. The forfeits were typically little more than thinly disguised subterfuge for
stealing a socially mandated kiss off somebody you weren’t married to. Here are some
examples of the types of forfeits:
Forfeits for gentlemen
say half-a-dozen flattering things to a lady without using the letter L.
play the learned pig. The victim imitates a clever pig which can answer questions like "Who's
the biggest flirt in the room?" by going up to one of the guests and grunting at them.
go around the room blindfolded and kiss all the ladies. The trick is that when the blindfold
goes on, all the ladies switch places with each other and with the gentlemen.
Forfeits for ladies
kiss a gentleman “rabbit fashion”. The lady is allowed her choice of gentleman, then they
each put one end of a piece of cotton in their respective mouths and nibble towards each
other till they’re kissing. Think of that famous scene with the spaghetti in Lady and the Tramp
only use cotton.
kiss the gentleman you love best in the company, without anyone knowing it. The idea being
that the only way to do this is to kiss all of them.
kiss each corner of the room. This sounds innocuous enough except that four gentlemen
immediately station themselves in the corners, lips puckered and whiskers a-quiver.
Legacy of A Christmas Carol
The phrase "Merry Christmas" was popularised
following the appearance of the story.
The name "Scrooge" and exclamation "Bah! Humbug!”
have entered the English language.
In 1844, shortly after A Christmas Carol was
published, there was a burst of charitable giving in
England.
In America, a Mr. Fairbanks attended a reading
on Christmas Eve in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1867,
and was so moved he closed his factory on Christmas
Day and sent every employee a turkey.
9
So you want to live in England in the 1850’s?
The average life span of London residents in the middle of the 19th century was 27 years.
For members of the working class, that number dropped to 22
In Victorian Britain at least 80% of the population was working class. In order to be considered
middle class you had to have at least one servant. Most servants were female. Throughout the
19th century 'service' was a major employer of women.
In 1847, half a million Londoners, roughly one-fourth of the population, suffered from typhus, largely
due to lack of sanitation.
Hangings were commonplace and widely attended. During Dickens’ childhood, there were more
than 220 crimes punishable by death. These infractions ranged from murder and highway robbery
to the theft of five shillings from a shop, forgery, and among the most bizarre, damaging
Westminster Bridge.
It was not unusual for children of 6 or 7 to have full-time jobs. Many youngsters outside London
worked hauling coal.
The new law was passed in 1833 which banned children under 9 from working in textile factories.
It said that children aged 9 to 13 must not work for more than 12 hours a day or 48 hours a week.
Children aged 13 to 18 must not work for more than 69 hours a week. In addition, nobody under
18 was allowed to work at night (from 8.30 pm to 5.30 am). Children aged 9 to 13 were to be
given 2 hours education a day.
Cities were dirty, unsanitary and overcrowded. The streets were very often unpaved and they were
not cleaned. Rubbish was not collected and it was allowed to accumulate in piles in the streets.
Only rich people had bathrooms. People did take baths but only a few people had actual rooms
for washing. In the 1870s and 1880s many middle class people had bathrooms built. The water
was heated by gas. Working class people had to use a tin bath and washed in front of the kitchen
range. (I guess privacy was a luxury.)
The first chocolate bar was made in 1847. Milk chocolate was invented in 1875.
The churches provided schools for poor children. There were also dame schools. These were run
by women who taught a little reading, writing and arithmetic. However many dame schools were
really a child minding service.
For entertainment many middle class people enjoyed musical evenings when they gathered
around a piano and sang.
Photography was invented in 1835 but it wasn’t until 1888 did it become a popular hobby.
Christmas as we know it evolved in the 19th century. Before then Christmas wasn't especially
important. It was one of only many festivals celebrated during the year. However the Victorians
invented the Christmas card and the Christmas cracker. Father Christmas or Santa Claus
became the figure we know today.
In the early 19th century the recipient of a letter had to pay the postage, not the sender
Children were always dressed like little adults. The first clothes made especially for children
appeared such as sailor suits.
The word girlfriend first appears in writing in 1855 - the word boyfriend in 1856.
10
Before the Play
Discussion topics for Young and Older Audiences
1) Have you ever seen a musical before? If so, which one(s)?
2) Do you know the story of A Christmas Carol? If so, where did you learn about it?
3) Have you read the original Charles Dickens novella?
4) If you are familiar with the story, how close do you think this production will come to the
original?
5) What are your expectations, i.e. what else do you think you’re going to see?
6) The end of this play deals with forgiveness. Is it possible to forgive someone who has
been mean to you? What would make you change your mind?
7) Do you think events that happened to you when you were young will shape who you are
today? Is it possible to change or will these affect you for the rest of your life?
8) Do you know someone (no names please) that has a negative attitude towards things
most people think are positive? What do you think it would take to change that attitude?
9) This musical takes place in many settings, including the past and present. How do you
think the production staff will handle all the scene changes? What devices will they use
to let the audience know of the scene or time shift? (Hint: think staging, background,
song, costumes, and even narration)
10) Much of this story has a dark tone and Scrooge is not a very nice person; however, the
story is set at Christmas. What styles of music do you think you’ll hear? Are you
expecting a lot of well-known songs or do you think you will hear original music?
Shawn Wright as Scrooge
TNB premiere production, 2014
11
Cast and Characters in the Sudbury Theatre Centre’s A Christmas Carol
THE CAST
Kristian Truelsen
Rick Hughes
Eric Craig
Stuart Dowling
Lorena Mackenzie
Brandon Crone
Shannon Taylor
Eric Belanger
Grace Reich
Scrooge
Cratchit
Fred / Marley / Dick / Future Spirit
Fezziwig / Collector / Present / Old Joe
Mrs. Cratchit / Past / Mrs. Fezziwig / Mrs. Dilber
Peter / Topper / Master Scrooge / Man
Belle / Martha / Clara
Tiny Tim / Young Scrooge / Ignorance
Young Fan / Want / Girl
THE CREATIVE / PRODUCTION TEAM
Caleb Marshall
Michael Doherty
Naomi Costain
Patrick Clark
Tristan Tidswell
Michael Johnston
Eamonn Reil
Elizabeth Kenny
Cora Eckert
Director / Playwright
Musical Director / Playwright / Sound Designer
Associate Director / Director of Movement
Set, Props & Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Video Designer
Stage Manager
Apprentice Stage Manager
Child Minder
Mike Johnson
Katherine Smith
Ben Whiteman
Miranda VanLogerenberg
Megumi Hari
Production Manager / Technical Director
Head of Carpentry / CC Production Manager
Head of Lights, Sound & Video / CC Technical Director
Head of Wardrobe
Head of Paint & Props
THE ORCHESTRA
Brian Quebec
Alan Walsh
Ian Gibson
Dick van Raadshooven
Duncan Cameron
Meredith Zwicker
Bass
Woodwinds
Percussion
Cello
Violin
Piano
FOR SUDBURY THEATRE CENTRE
Caleb Marshall
Scott Florence
Eamonn Reil
Callam Rodya
Roxanne Kneer
Paula Elzinga
Ralph McIntosh
Camil Rochon
Morgan Padfield
Artistic Executive Director
General Manager
Operations Manager
Director of Communications
Director of Development
Head of Box Office
Director of Education
Administrative Assistant
Communications Assistant
12
Stuart Dowling, Cormac Beirne and
Emma Murray - TNB production, 2014
About musicals – Common elements
This musical, A Christmas Carol, is based on the novella by Charles Dickens. It was not a
musical when first written. This version that you are about to see follows the traditions of the
great musicals of the 1940’s and 50’s in that it is a book musical. That is, a musical play where
songs and dances are integrated into a well-made story.
Book musicals have certain elements that appear in all instances. Here are just a few of them:
Story. While this musical follows closely the dialogue and action of the original, for most book
musicals, the reason for each scene is to lead to a song. The song usually is set up by the actions
and dialogue that precedes it. In this musical, many of the songs are skillfully interwoven
throughout the dialogue.
Aria: An aria is just a fancy word that means solo. Not just any kind of solo but one that can show
off the range of the performer. The content doesn’t usually advance the plot but instead gives
insight into the thoughts and feelings of that character.
Recitative: This is similar to an aria but it does advance the plot. It can act as narration to get from
one situation to another or to skip a lot unnecessary plot development.
Chorus: These songs are usually sung by most everyone in the cast. They can reflect the mood or
restate what has already been said.
Songs and Music from A Christmas Carol
Act I
This Day (company)
It’s Not My Business (Fred/Collector)
Christmas is Coming (Fred/Crachit)
Carol of the Bells/Mr. Scrooge/Marley was Dead
(Tiny Tim/Crachit/Collector/Fred/Chorus)
Marley’s Arrival (Marley/Scrooge)
One O’Clock
Traveling
Long Long Forgotten (Scrooge/Past/Fan)
Dear Brother, Dear Brother (Fan)
Traveling
Fezziwig’s Dance (company)
Would You Make This Promise To Me Now? (Belle/Scrooge)
The Second of the Three Spirits
Entr’acte
Cormac Beirne and Robb Torr – TNB 2014
Act II
Keep this Christmas Feeling (Christmas Present/Scrooge/Members of the Company)
Transition to the Cratchits
Christmas Blessing (Mr. & Mrs. Cratchit/Tiny Tim/Peter/Martha)
Lost in the Snow (Tiny Tim/ chorus)
Keep the Christmas Feeling – Reprise – The Greater World (Christmas Present/Scrooge)
Cry the Forfeits/Yes and No (Fred/Fred’s Wife/Topper/Party Guest)
It’s Not my Business – Reprise (Scrooge/Christmas Present)
Christmas is Coming – Reprise (Topper/Collector)
The Uncurtained Bed (Chorus)
Transition to the Cratchits/ Mr Scrooge – Reprise (Old Joe)
Spectre Pray (Scrooge/Chorus)
A Place in my Heart (Scrooge/Chorus)
Christmas Blessing/This Day – Reprise (Company)
13
Selected History
A Christmas Carol has been a popular story ever since it first appeared. Here are just a few
ways the story has been adapted or performed.
Public readings
Dickens first read the story in Birmingham Town Hall to the Industrial and Literary Institute on
27 December 1852.
Theatre
Throughout the late nineteenth century, and into the early years of the twentieth, British actor
Seymour Hicks toured England with his own non-musical adaptation of the story, in which he
played Scrooge.
Film
This story has appeared in numerous films adaptations beginning in 1901
Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost (1901), a short British film that is the earliest surviving
screen adaptation.
A Christmas Carol (1910) is an 11-minute (10:59) silent version of the story
starring Marc McDermott as Scrooge and Charles Ogle as Cratchit, with William
Bechtel, Viola Dana, Carey Lee, and Shirley Mason.[13]
Scrooge (1951), re-titled A Christmas Carol in the U.S., starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge
and Mervyn Johns and Hermione Baddeley as the Cratchits. According to critic A. O.
Scott of The New York Times, this film is the best one ever made of the Dickens classic.
(Have you seen it? It’s well worth watching.)
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), an animated short film
featuring the various Walt Disney characters with Scrooge
McDuck playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, Mickey
Mouse as Bob Cratchit and Goofy as Jacob Marley.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), featuring the
various Muppet characters, with Michael Caine as
Scrooge, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy as
Mrs. Cratchit.
Replica tombstone from the 1984 adaptation,
can still be found at St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, 2008
Television
Between 1944 and 1956, most television versions of the story were staged live.
An early live television adaptation was broadcast by DuMont's New York station
WABD on December 20, 1944.
A Christmas Carol (1954), a filmed musical television adaptation starring Fredric
March as Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as Marley, was shown on the TV
anthology Shower of Stars. The adaptation and lyrics were by Maxwell Anderson, the
music by Bernard Herrmann.
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962), an animated musical television special featuring
the UPA character voiced by Jim Backus, with songs by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill.
Rich Little's Christmas Carol (1978), an HBO television special in which Canadian
impressionist Rich Little plays several celebrities and characters in the main roles.
14
Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol (1979), an animated
television special featuring the various Looney
Tunes characters, with the role of Scrooge going
to Yosemite Sam.
A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994), an animated
television special based on The Flintstones series
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol (2006) featuring Oscar
the Grouch in the Scrooge role.
Graphic novel
A Christmas Carol (1948) Classics Illustrated #53 adaptation,
script by George Lipscomb and drawn by Henry Kiefer
A Christmas Carol (1978) Marvel Classics Comics #36 adaptation, drawn by Diverse Hands,
script by Doug Moench
Christmas Carol (2004), drawn by Dick Matena
A Christmas Carol: The Graphic Novel (2008), by Sean Michael Wilson and Mike Collins .
The graphic novel was chosen as one of the Top Ten Graphic Novels of the year by The
Sunday Times.
Parodies, Spoofs, Imitations, Continuations, and others
Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988), in which the central character, Ebenezer Blackadder
(Rowan Atkinson), is initially kind and generous, but after being visited by the Spirit of
Christmas (Robbie Coltrane), becomes greedy, insulting and mean.
Canadian comedy actor Don Harron recorded a version as "Charlie Farquharson"
using malaprops.
Epic Rap Battles of History episode "Donald Trump vs. Ebenezer Scrooge" features
Ebenezer Scrooge rap battling The Ghost of Christmas Past (represented by J.P. Morgan),
The Ghost of Christmas Present (represented by Kanye West) and The Ghost of Christmas
Yet to Come. (Teachers may want to preview this for suitability.)
An American Christmas Carol (1979), an adaptation starring Henry Winkler at the height of
his fame from the television series Happy Days.
"A Jetson Christmas Carol" (1985) Episode sixty-five of The Jetsons animated television
series. Mr. Spacely orders George to work overtime on Christmas Eve. Three spirits visit
Spacely to convince him that Christmas is a time of giving.
The Odd Couple: In the episode “Scrooge Gets an Oscar”, Felix and other poker players
become Dickens characters in a dream after Oscar refuses to be Scrooge in a children’s play.
Scrooged (1988), a remake in a contemporary setting
with Bill Murray as a misanthropic TV producer who is
haunted by the ghosts of Christmas.
A Klingon Christmas Carol (written c. 2006) is
an adaptation set on the Klingon homeworld of
Qo'noS in the Star Trek fictional universe.
A Scene from A Klingon Christmas Carol
15
After the Play – Discussion Topics
For Younger Audiences
1. Is this the kind of music you like? What was it about the music that you did or did not
like?
2. What does Christmas mean to you? Did this musical make you feel like Christmas?
3. How close was this production to other versions of the story that you may know?
4. What surprised you? Was there something missing that you expected to see?
5. This musical had many settings, even the past and present. What devices did they use
to change the time and location? Were they effective and believable?
6. What do you think would happen if Scrooge stayed, you know, as a scrooge?
For Older Audiences
1. Have you ever had an experience that immediately and completely changed your mind
or opinion?
2. Why do you think Cratchit feels pity for Scrooge? Why does Fred? Is it for the same
reason, or do their different points of view affect their perceptions of him?
3. Who has the most to forgive in the novel? Who has the least? Does anyone hold a
grudge?
4. What do you think would happen if Scrooge didn't come around in the end?
5. Do you agree that the person Scrooge learns to feel the most compassion for during his
ghostly adventures is himself? Explain why or why not.
6. Everyone seems to forgive Scrooge for a lifetime of misdeeds. Do you think the
quickness to which they forgive Scrooge makes his transformation more believable?
7. Is it possible to connect the fact that Scrooge chooses books rather than people for
company during the lonely Christmas holidays at school as a boy to the fact that he lives
in self-imposed exile as an old man?
8. Why does the transformation of Scrooge take place over one night? Why not stretch it
out? What would be different if this story happened over weeks? Months? Years?
9. Because we see that Scrooge was a sensitive and loving boy when he was a child, this
is not a true transformation story so much as a story of a man reclaiming qualities he has
already had all along. Do you agree or disagree?
10. Scrooge provides his own rational explanation of the ghosts he sees—that they are
nightmares fueled by indigestion. For example, he says “there’s more gravy than grave
in you” to the first spirit. Does it diminish the story if this is actually the case—that he
transforms because of a bunch of bad dreams and repressed memories and guilt
bubbling up as opposed to an actual supernatural sleepwalk? Why or why not?
11. Why does the plot line of this musical feel like a race against time when we don't actually
know how many years into the future the visions of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
are? What would be different if we knew that Scrooge had several years to decide to
change himself?
16
12. Should the Cratchits be worried to have Scrooge suddenly become a "second father" to
Tiny Tim? Does Tiny Tim really need another father, or do you think Scrooge is buying
his way into this family?
13. Do Scrooge's memories actually explain the man he has turned into? We see him being
isolated and then in turn isolating himself, but why would this have made him bitter and
vicious, rather than, say, hermit-like and shy?
14. Why don't we find out more details about Scrooge's father and what exactly his sister
means when she says that he is “so much kinder that he used to be” and Ebenezer can
come home? What kinds of potential backstories can we imagine? Does it matter which
of them is the real one?
15. Do you agree that a large part of what makes Scrooge such a monster is that he
appears to feel no remorse for his cruel indifference and no sense of responsibility for
the welfare of others? As he remembers and works through his many bad deeds through
the visions brought by the Christmas Ghosts, Scrooge gradually regains his ability to feel
shame about what he has done, which means he can police his own behavior in the
future. Do you think he can do this?
16. Why don't Fred and Bob Cratchit blame Scrooge for being such a, well, scrooge?
Bibliography
http://www.biography.com/people/charles-dickens-9274087
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol
http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
http://www.mylearning.org/everyday-life-in-the-industrial-revolution/p-2349/
http://www.localhistories.org/19thcent.html
http://www.shmoop.com/christmas-carol/themes.html
http://www.epicrapbattlesofhistory.com/video/agNd4RUyi53a/category/battles/tag/all/section/latest
Photo credits
Pages 4 and 5: photos of Ralph McIntosh, Caleb Marshall and Michael Doherty provided by STC
Pages 10 and 20: Costume sketches by Patrick Clark
Martha Irving and Robb Torr
TNB premiere production, 2014
Brandon Crone, Martha Irving, Shawn Wright and
Eric Craig – TNB premiere production, 2014
17
Short Glossary of Theatre Terms
IN REHEARSAL
Blocking
Cast
Costume
Rehearsal
Script
Understudy
IN THE THEATRE
Auditorium
Front of House
Backstage
Wings
Box Office
Dressing Room
Greenroom
The setting of the actors’ positions and movements in rehearsals.
The list of characters in a play and the actors who play them.
Clothes worn by the performers on stage.
The time during which the director leads performers in developing their
characters, learning lines and movement.
The text of a theatrical work that everyone in the collaboration builds from.
An actor who has learned and rehearsed the part of one of the leading actors to
take over for him/her in the event of illness, etc. (Our actors perform for you even
when they are sick).
The part of the theatre in which the audience sits - also known as the house.
The parts of the theatre open to patrons (e.g., box office, lobby, lounge)
All the areas that surround the stage that the audience does not see.
The areas left and right of the stage that the audience does not see.
The place where the tickets are sold.
A room where the performers put on makeup and costumes.
A room backstage in which the company can sit and relax before, during or after
a show.
Cormac Beirne, Ellen Denny, Emma Murray – TNB 2014
ON THE STAGE
Blackout
Curtain Call
Downstage
Stage Left
Stage Right
Upstage
The Cast – TNB premiere production, 2014
A lighting term: switching all lights out at once, leaving the stage in complete
darkness.
Taking a bow in front of the audience at the end of a show.
Towards the audience.
The left side of the stage from the performer’s point of view (opposite from the
audience’s perspective).
The right side of the stage from the performer’s point of view (opposite from the
audience’s perspective).
At the back of the stage, away from the audience.
18
Behind the Scenes
Creating theatre involves many people working very hard behind the scenes!
Caleb Marshall, DIRECTOR
The Director is the person who chooses the actors for the show and then works with the designers to
decide how to tell the playwright’s story. Sometimes a show needs lots of sets, costumes and props to
support the actors on stage, and sometimes it can be very simple, involving only the cast. The director
also works with the actors to interpret their roles, and decides what movements (blocking) and voices the
actors will use to tell the story. In the end, it is the director’s job to make sure that the many designers,
builders and performers are all telling the same story, and that all of the elements fit together.
Michael Doherty, MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Leading up to the beginning of rehearsals the musical director (MD) will become familiar with all of the
music in the show and how it functions in the storytelling. During rehearsals the MD is responsible for
leading all music rehearsals and helping the actors learn the pieces. The tone of the show is also set by
choices an MD makes with respect to how loud or soft (dynamics) and how fast (tempo) each section of
each song is. If it involves the music making in a musical the music director will have considered it.
Katherine Smith, PRODUCTION MANAGER
The production manager works with the carpenters, props artists, wardrobe and others to make sure all
the production elements such as set, props, and costumes are ready on time and within budget. The
production manager regularly communicates with the Director and the designers so that the final products
that make it into the show are as close as possible to their vision.
Eamonn Reil, STAGE MANAGER
The Stage Manager works with the Director, Cast, and Production teams, to guide the entire show into
one cohesive product which will be presented in front of an audience. The stage manager is responsible
for organizing and coordinating the rehearsal schedule while working around the construction and
production schedule. The SM notes all of the movements and cues developed during rehearsal and calls
all the cues during the actual performance, ensuring that the show you see is the same show we
rehearsed with the director.
SETS include the complete stage setting for a scene, act or play. Sets tell you where you are – a castle,
a house, a dock, a forest or even at sea! Sets are made mostly of wood but can be made partly of cloth,
steel, Styrofoam and even plastic.
Patrick Clark, SET DESIGNER
The Set Designer draws the sets, chooses
colours, and oversees design elements. An
understanding of architecture and the “looks” of
various periods help the designer to create a
playing space that is appropriate to the era of a
given script and supports the director’s vision for
the show. When a show has a variety of locations,
the design needs to allow for quick changes of
scene. A set designer needs to be a good
communicator, able to interpret the script and the
input of others (the director, other designers,
carpenters, etc.) and integrate this information into
their final design concept.
The cast of Theatre New Brunswick’s premiere production, 2014
19
CARPENTERS build the sets and often need to be very creative in building set pieces that can serve
many purposes and are easy to move onstage or pack for touring.
PROPS ARTISTS build and paint the sets and props. Props (short for properties) are objects used on
stage that actors hold or handle in any way (other than sets and costumes). This could mean
swords/weapons, bags, chairs, curtains, cups, fire of any kind (always fake!), lamps of any kind, as well
as any decorations you see on set. Props even include furniture or eyeglasses.
SCENIC PAINTERS get to play with paint and sometimes materials that create different textures.
Scenic painters make wood look like marble or stone and Styrofoam look like wood.
COSTUMES AND WARDROBE
Costumes are the clothes worn by the performers on stage.
Patrick Clark, COSTUME DESIGNER
The costume designer is the person who chooses what the actors’
costumes and hair will look like. Sometimes the clothing can be
bought already made and sometimes they have to be made by a
wardrobe seamstress. The designer researches the time period of
the show, chooses the fabric and colours, and then designs each
of the costumes.
The WARDROBE DEPARTMENT drafts patterns, cuts,
sews and assembles costumes, fits the actors in the clothing, and
styles wigs.
SOUND AND LIGHTS
Lights, sound effects and music create atmosphere, mood and setting. The Lighting Designer creates
lighting states that can change the mood, the sense of place and time of day on stage.
Michael Doherty, SOUND DESIGNER
In a musical the sound designer can be
responsible for how the mix of the show sounds.
Here at the Sudbury Theatre Centre that job is in
the capable hands of the amazing Ben Whiteman.
A sound designer can also be responsible for the
creation of all the sounds that you hear that make
up the world of the play, such as wind howling,
bells tolling, horses trotting and chains rattling
(scary eh?!) These sounds, along with the music
and the vocal contributions of the incredible
actors, create a full experience for the audience.
Shawn Wright as Scrooge - TNB Premiere Production, 2014
All of these jobs are creative and fun, but also very hard work, and require lots of training.
20
Preparing for your Visit to the Sudbury Theatre Centre
Now that you’ve booked your seats for one of our student matinees, here’s some additional information about how
to prepare for your visit, and what your students can expect when they arrive at the theatre.
Study Guides - Supported by Vale, our Spotlight on Education sponsor, STC provides Study Guides for our
student audiences. Study Guides are posted on-line approximately one week before opening night.
Busing – Schools must book and pay for their own buses. Please ensure that you leave your school early enough
to arrive at the STC no later than 15 minutes before the scheduled performance time. If you experience any delays
and anticipate a late arrival, please call the Box Office at 705 674 8381 so that we are aware of your situation.
Latecomers will be seated at the first convenient break in the program.
Drop off and Pick up – After dropping students off at the main entrance to the theatre, buses should leave the
area to allow the other buses easy access. After the performance has started, buses can line up along
Shaughnessy Street so the students can board quickly at the end of the performance. (Check the website for the
start times and approximate duration of the show you are attending.)
Seating – When you arrive at the theatre, you will be greeted by a volunteer and guided to the lobby to wait quietly
until your group can be seated. You will be escorted to your assigned seats by the Education Director or other
designated staff member. Seating will be assigned based on the number of tickets you have requested beforehand
– please do not bring more students than you have booked seats for without notifying the theatre beforehand!
Supervision – Please ensure that teachers and other adult supervisors are strategically dispersed throughout your
group so that student behavior can be monitored effectively. We ask that you quietly remove disruptive students
that continue to act up, call out or disturb others during the performance.
Unruly students may be removed at the discretion of the STC staff.
Teachers and chaperones are encouraged to set a good example of theatre etiquette for their students.
Washrooms – Students should remain in their seats for the entire performance. If absolutely necessary, students
should wait until an appropriate point in the play to leave (e.g., move only during applause). When a student is
ready to return to his or her seat, he or she must wait in the lobby until allowed back in by an STC staff member.
Theatre Etiquette – See the next page for a handout that you can share with your students before you arrive. It is
very important that you take time to run over these guidelines with your students beforehand.
Food or Drink – Absolutely no food or drink is allowed in the theatre – there are no exceptions. It is especially
important to avoid bringing NUTS or NUT PRODUCTS into the building (including the lobby).
Scented Products – Please remind your students to avoid using scented products, as a courtesy to other patrons
who may be allergic.
Use of Electronic Media – Please remind EVERYONE associated with your field trip that they may not record the
performance in any way (photography, video, cell phone camera or sound recordings).
Q & A Session – When the performance is over, students should remain seated for the Q & A session (approx. 1015 minutes).* When the Q &A is finished, we will dismiss one or two schools at a time, starting at the back of the
hall.
*If your class needs to leave immediately after the performance, please let us know when you arrive so that we can
seat you at the back and dismiss your group quietly as soon as the performance ends.
For more information about school matinees or other educational programs, contact Ralph McIntosh, Director of
Education, at [email protected] or 705 674 7788 x27.
21
A GUIDE TO THEATRE ETIQUETTE
Attending a live performance by a professional theatre company can be an exciting experience for students of all
grade levels. For some students, this may be the first time they have attended a live performance.
Live theatre is also an interactive experience, and the performers can be distracted by disruptions from the
audience. Before coming to the theatre, please review the items of etiquette listed below with your students and
other adult supervisors.
Entering the Theatre
When you arrive at the theatre, you will be greeted by a volunteer and guided to the lobby to wait quietly
until your group can be seated. You will be escorted to your assigned seats by the Education Director or
other designated staff member.
Groups should arrive 15-30 minutes before the performance is scheduled to begin, to allow sufficient time
for seating, washroom visits, etc. Groups arriving late must wait in the lobby until a suitable break in the
performance before they can be admitted into the theatre.
Food, drinks, candy and gum are not allowed in the theatre – there are no exceptions. They can be
distracting both in terms of smell as well as sound (e.g., candy wrappers or eating noises).
Please avoid using scented products, as a courtesy to other patrons who may be allergic.
Please remove hats, coats, mitts, etc. when you arrive at your seat.
Respect the theatre – keep your feet off the seats and avoid bouncing in the seats.
Washrooms
Washrooms are located in the lobby, on either side of the coat-check area. Students should use the
washrooms before the performance, or wait until the end. If absolutely necessary, students should wait until
an appropriate point in the play to leave the theatre (e.g., move only during applause).
When a student is ready to return to his or her seat, he or she must wait in the lobby until an STC staff
member allows re-entry to the theatre auditorium at a suitable break in the play.
Electronic Media
Cell phones, personal listening devices, pagers, etc. must be turned off completely. The light your phone
creates when texting is distracting, so please turn your phone off, rather than just muting it.
The use of cameras, video cameras, tape recorders, or other electronic recording devices is strictly
prohibited. It is not legal to record or photograph a professional production in any way.
Theatre Etiquette
When the house lights dim, this is a signal that the performance is about to begin. All conversations and
fidgeting should cease at this point, so that everyone can enjoy the show without distraction.
Students should remain in their seats for the entire performance.
It is never okay to talk during a live performance. It is appropriate to laugh when things are funny, and to
show your appreciation to the performers by applauding at appropriate points in the story. Please save your
thoughts and comments until the Question and Answer session after the show.
Pay attention to the actors on stage – they will let you know what is appropriate, especially if they are
encouraging audience participation.
Disruptive students who act up, call out or disturb others will be removed from the theatre.
After the Performance
When the performance is over, students should remain seated for the Question & Answer session (approx.
10-15 minutes). When the Q &A is finished, we will dismiss one or two schools at a time, starting at the
back of the hall. If your group needs to leave as soon as the play is over, please exit the theatre quickly and
quietly so as not to interrupt the Q & A.
Before leaving, remember to pick up your hats, mitts, and coats that may have been removed.
Sudbury Theatre Centre welcomes constructive feedback and reflections from teachers and students.
We invite you to mail written student reflections or student artworks to:
Sudbury Theatre Centre, 170 Shaughnessy St. Sudbury, ON P3E 3E7
22