Christmas Carol coming to Ahmanson
After a successful run on Broadway, the Tony-award winning production of A Christmas Carol is coming to the Ahmanson Theatre. Emmy-winner Bradley Whitford (Get Out) takes over the role of Ebenezer Scrooge from Campbell Scott (whose father, George C. Scott, starred in a 1974 TV adaptation). Matthew Warchus (Matilda: The Musical) directs from Jack Thorne’s adaptation – which, if photos of the Broadway production are any indication, plays up the spookier elements inherent in Dickens’ “ghost story of Christmas.”
Co-starring Kate Burton as Ghost of Christmas Past and Alex Newell as Ghost of Christmas Present, A Christmas Carol promises “an immersive experience…brimming with Christmas spirit” (Entertainment Weekly’s review indicated that the Broadway version made the audience an “active participant in a Christmas Day feast”). The show features vocal and instrumental performances of a dozen Christmas carols, including “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.”
Opening on November 30, A Christmas Carol runs Tuesdays through Sundays until January, with nightly performances at 8pm (except Sundays at 6:30pm) and matinees on weekends (2pm Saturdays, 1pm Sundays). Tickets range from $40 to $150.
The Ahmanson Theatre is located at 135 N Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. Call (213) 628-2772 for more information, or visit the Center Theatre Group’s website.
Check out a press release for the event below…
Three-time Emmy winner Bradley Whitford (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The West Wing,” “Get Out,” “The Post”) will play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the magical new interpretation of Charles Dickens’ timeless story, “A Christmas Carol.” Adapted by Tony Award winner Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and originally directed and conceived by Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (“Matilda”), “A Christmas Carol” comes to the Ahmanson Theatre November 30, 2021 through January 1, 2022. Opening night is set for Wednesday, December 1 at 8 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public October 6, 2021.
“Like so many of us, this time of enforced isolation has left me starving for the communal experience of the live theatre. I can’t imagine a more thrilling moment than stepping onto the stage in this spectacular new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’” said Bradley Whitford. “Come. Join us. Celebrate. And spoiler alert: God bless us. Every one!”
Bradley Whitford can currently be seen in the fourth season of Hulu’s acclaimed series, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” in his Emmy Award-winning role of Commander Joseph Lawrence. He is known for his work in the Academy Award-nominated films “Get Out” and “The Post” and will soon be seen in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “tick, tick… BOOM!” He is currently filming “Rosaline” with Kaitlyn Dever and executive produced the documentary, “Not Going Quietly,” which is currently in select theaters. Whitford is represented by ICM Partners and Greenlight Management.
A holiday masterpiece for all ages, “A Christmas Carol” opened on Broadway to rave reviews on November 20, 2019, following critically acclaimed runs at The Old Vic, London. Breaking several box office records at the Lyceum Theatre, the production was nominated for five Tony Awards and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation. “A Christmas Carol” will return to The Old Vic for its fourth season this year. In addition to the production at the Ahmanson, a second production of “A Christmas Carol” will play San Francisco this holiday season. This timeless and timely tale of isolation and redemption welcomes theatergoers of all ages into an immersive experience that’s brimming with Christmas spirit. The production features dazzling staging, moving storytelling and 12 of the most cherished Christmas carols, including “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night” and “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.”
“A Christmas Carol” features scenic and costume design by Tony Award winner Rob Howell; lighting design by Tony Award winner Hugh Vanstone; sound design by Tony Award nominee Simon Baker; music, orchestrations, and arrangements by Tony Award nominee Christopher Nightingale; music direction by Remy Kurs; casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger; and movement by Lizzi Gee. The Los Angeles production is directed by Thomas Caruso.
“A Christmas Carol” is produced by Tom Smedes, Heather Shields, Nathan Gehan, Jamison Scott, Catherine Schreiber, Peter Stern, Xin Wen, Cornice Productions, Jack Lane, Instone Productions, Nancy Gibbs/Joseph Longthorne, Mark Lonow & JoAnne Astrow, J. Scott & Sylvia G Bechtel, Walport Productions, Alexandra Weinstein & Tobi Pilavin Weinstein, Propaganda Productions/42nd.Club, Beth Lenke/Wolfstone Productions, Tanninger Entertainment, CHK Productions/ Louise H. Beard & Seriff Productions, Mark Lippman, Fiona Howe Rudin/Sammy Lopez, David Lambert/Shawn Arani, Brian Mutert & Derek Perrigo/Gary & Reenie Heath, and Terry Schnuck/Joel t Newman, with Associate Producer Chase Thomas.
