A Christmas Carol - Capital Repertory Theatre

a christmas carol
ADAPTATION
A Christmas Carol has five, which is quite a luxury for me! This kind
of theatre is true theatre to me and I think what theatre should be.”
Mancinelli-Cahill has adapted A Christmas Carol herself, twice.
The first, aimed specifically at children, was developed at Denver’s
Theatre Under Glass in the 1980s, and was later re-purposed as an
On-The-Go! production for Capital Region schools.
The second—which featured M*A*S*H actor Larry Linville as
Scrooge in one of his last theatrical roles— was created at theREP
in 1998, and was, in its own way, hip, modern and as self-referential
as Kaufman’s film.
“The Christmas ghosts,” Mancinelli-Cahill says, “had a
contemporary knowledge that they could bring in to what was
happening onstage.”
Both of her adaptations utilized puppets amidst the creative
arsenal of stage techniques.
photo by Richard Lovrich
Scrooge (Kevin McGuire) is not so happily reunited with Marley (Doug Trapp).
It
is the act, some would say the art, of transforming a
work from one form to another—think Romeo and Juliet
making the leap to West Side Story. There are no rules
to adaptation, no guidebooks. There is no governing
organization to specify what is in or out of bounds.
The classic 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, for example, was
based on a New York magazine feature about the Manhattan club
scene, which writer Nik Cohn later revealed to be a fabrication
based on Britain’s Mod culture.
Sometimes adaptation becomes a chain. In 1940, filmmaker John
Ford created a moving cinematic portrayal of John Steinbeck’s
The Grapes of Wrath. Upon viewing the film, songwriter Woody
Guthrie boiled the story down to a song, worrying that the people
who needed to hear the tale’s potent message couldn’t afford the
time or the money to read a book or go to the movies.
These days, adaptation sometimes takes curious turns. In
2002, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman wrote the script for the
appropriately-titled Adaptation, a Spike Jonze meta-exploration
of a writer adapting a book (Susan Orlean’s non-fiction tome The
Orchid Thief) for the screen.
With the Broadway hit The 39 Steps, English actor, comedian and
playwright Patrick Barlow, merged all of those streams, hilariously
flipping Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1935 film adaptation of John
Buchan’s 1915 novel on its head.
Barlow, like Guthrie, boiled Steps down to its essence, assigning all
the minor characters to two onstage players, playing comic havoc
with the serpentine plot. Yet, somehow, despite all the tomfoolery,
Barlow never lost sight of the true, tense and suspenseful heart of
the original.
Now Barlow has turned his eyes towards something even more
familiar, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
He allows for a bigger cast this time around, with most still playing
multiple roles, all of which swirl around Ebenezer Scrooge—
brought to humbug life at theREP by Broadway star Kevin
McGuire, who actually suggested the piece to Capital Repertory
Theater Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill.
Barlow says, “I love adapting classics, particularly with the fun and
sheer challenge of having few resources—in other words without
epic sets or spectacular no expenses-spared effects, but by relying
upon the acting and the musical skills of the performers, and the
sheer ingenuity of the director and designers.”
“In my time, I’ve done Wagner’s Ring Cycle with three actors,
Zulu! with two and The 39 Steps with three, to name but a few.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL Edition
November 22 - December 22
So does show director Michael Bush’s production of Barlow’s
take, but even more ambitiously. This Carol also features straw
dolls, a stunning set and a cast fully capable of playing all of the
music and carols that accompany the show. It is, in Bush’s terms, a
spectacular. And a funny one at that. In fact, Mancinelli-Cahill says
that trademark humor is one of the striking differences between
her shaping of A Christmas Carol and Barlow’s.
“Mine just wasn’t as funny. It was more classically A Christmas
Carol.”
“ — I was struck by how passionate
Dickens is about people’s need not to
lose their soul in these material times.”
Perhaps that’s because before tackling her adaptation, MancinelliCahill had already developed a years-deep relationship with the
story, including ritual holiday readings at home with her family.
Barlow had not.
“Before (producer) Timothy Childs asked me to adapt A Christmas
Carol,” he says, “I had not even read the book, I’m ashamed to
say.”
Maybe because of that fresh introduction, Barlow never loses sight
of the deeper meanings and intentions of A Christmas Carol.
“As soon as I read it, I was struck by how close Dickens’ England
is to today’s western world. The divide between haves and havenots, not to mention the dominating force of money are all as
relevant today as they were in Dickens time. I was struck by how
passionate Dickens is about people’s need not to lose their soul in
these material times.”
The sheer volume of Carol adaptations is enough to make one
forget why Dickens wrote the eternal piece. But Barlow’s not
willing to let that happen.
“I was also struck by how funny he is! He is passionate for his
cause, but a great entertainer, too. I find that very appealing. I
have great fealty to the source material—Dickens is the master
storyteller after all—in particular to the tone of Dickens. It would
be a travesty to try and spoof Dickens, which this most definitely is
NOT. This is deeply inspired by Dickens, an homage if you will.”
“Interestingly, Brits don’t know A Christmas Carol nearly as well
as Americans. There are possibly two or three productions in the
whole of the UK at Christmas whereas I gather there are many
Christmas Carols all over the United States at Christmas. It was
pretty daunting to realize that everyone will have A Christmas
Carol to compare mine with. I must say that I do feel confident
that though we’re doing something rather unique and different,
the beloved story and the beloved characters are all absolutely
there and, more to the point, the beating heart of Dickens is still
safe and sound within.”
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Opening Night Tuesday, November 26, 6:30pm – Enjoy live music in the café featuring jazz guitarist Bobbie Van Detta
before the 7:30pm curtain. There will also be a post-show champagne and dessert reception in the café where you’ll get a
chance to meet the cast and crew.
Chef’s Table Tuesday, December 3, 6:30pm – All patrons are invited before the show to enjoy live music in the lobby with
jazz guitarist Bobbie Van Detta and complimentary hors d’oeuvres by La Serre and 677 Prime restaurants. One of the best-kept
secrets in town!
Post Show Discussion Wednesday, December 4 & 11 – Get the scoop from the cast and Artistic Director Maggie MancinelliCahill at the post-show discussion.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES w/Maggie Sunday, December 15 – This series features a pre-show “behind-the-scenes” discussion
“Charles Dickens Trivia!” with Producing Artistic Director, Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill. A light continental breakfast begins at
12:30pm with discussion from 1-1:30pm before the 2pm curtain. Bring friends and family and win treats for the season!
READY, SET, SUBSCRIBE!
A PRESENT
With A Christmas Carol, we are already halfway through our current subscription year
and it will soon be time for our exciting 2014 - 2015 season announcement. Subscribers
get up to 30% off the single ticket price and the guarantee of their favorite seats to
every performance, as a subscriber, you would enjoy our hassle free ticket exchanges
and other benefits. Even if you forget and miss your show date you will be reseated
at no extra charge!
Some restrictions apply
The end of 2013 is just around the corner please remember Capital Repertory Theatre
in your year-end tax planning. Maximize your
tax benefits by making a fully tax-deductible
charitable gift to the theatre today! For
questions, contact our Development Office at
518.462.4531 or [email protected].
Get the Group Advantage at
theREP!
Renting out the entire theatre is a unique way to raise funds for your organization or reward valued clients and colleagues. Using our café for
a reception before or after the show makes it that much more special. Reserve all 280 seats for your fundraiser or private party for as little as
$15 per ticket.
For smaller groups, buying together with friends, clients, colleagues or family is a great way to get the best seats, extend your
payment terms, and get discounts! Purchase 20-49 tickets and receive a 10% discount. Fifty or more tickets nets you a 20% reduction
in ticket prices. It’s easy to do and virtually risk free! Once you’ve placed your order, a 10% deposit is due to hold your tickets. Thirty
days prior to the show, your final payment is due. At that time, you can release unused tickets at no cost to you. For more information,
contact Leesa Perazzo 518.382.3884 x187 or [email protected]
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