Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol - Theatre Three | 11.10.24

Photo Credit: Steve Ayle/Showbizshots.com

Theatre Three in Port Jefferson is currently producing the Charles Dickens Holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” from November 9 to December 28. I had the pleasure of seeing the show opening weekend and it was the perfect way to kick-off the holiday season! This production is adapted for the stage by Jeffrey Sanzel, the theater’s Artistic Director who stars in it and serves as Director as well. The story is about Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy yet frugal man who makes his fortune by lending money to those in need and charging high interest rates for his services. We learn early on that he runs his own business - Scrooge and Marley - that he began with his late friend Jacob Marley. Scrooge was once a joyful person with family and friends but a series of unfortunate incidents turned him into the curmudgeon we are initially introduced to.

Many of us are familiar with the general plot; a cranky, cheap man is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve that show him the error of his ways and he has a major change of heart - but Ebenezer is so much more than that. What I have always loved about the production at Theatre Three is the deeper dive into what makes Scrooge the way he is, and nobody knows him better than Sanzel. He carries us through Ebenezer’s life and we get to see the different layers to him.

When the story opens, we see everyone in town preparing for Christmas Day. We meet Bob Crachit (played endearingly by Ray Gobes, Jr.) who works for Scrooge to support his large family, as well as Scrooge’s nephew Fred (played by Theatre Three staple Steven Uihlein). Both are looking for something simple; Bob, to have Christmas Day off to spend with his family and Fred, to simply have his uncle over for Christmas dinner. Scrooge reluctantly grants Bob’s request for the day off but is clearly not pleased with making the concession and he declines Fred’s invitation. While disappointed, we get the impression that this response does not come as a surprise to Fred.

Ray Gobes, Jr. (Bob Cratchit), Steven Uihlein (Fred), Jeffrey Sanzel (Scrooge).

Photo Credit: Steve Ayle/Showbizshots.com

Later that night, Scrooge is visited by an apparition in the form of his late business partner Jacob Marley (played hauntingly by Stephen T. Wagner). Marley shares that since his passing he has been wandering around dragging chains and boxes as punishment for living his life with greed & selfishness and warns that if Scrooge doesn’t change course, his future will look the same. Scrooge brushes this off but Marley tells him to expect three ghosts to visit him throughout the night with messages he needs to listen to in order to save himself from the same fate.

Cassidy Rose O’Brien (Ghost of Christmas Past) & Jeffrey Sanzel (Scrooge).

Photo Credit: Steve Ayle/Showbizshots.com

The first spirit we see is The Ghost of Christmas Past, played by Cassidy Rose O’Brien. She takes him back to Christmases past, where we learn more about Scrooge’s upbringing and see some of the happier times in his life. We see how close he was with his sister Fan (played by Ash Stalker/Olivia David) and the ghost reminds him what his life felt like with more love in it. We also see his first employer Mr. Fezziwig (played by Scott Hofer), who Scrooge was also close with. Fezziwig is everything that Scrooge isn’t - warm, joyful, and kind - and you can’t help but wonder what went wrong that put Scrooge on such a different track. We also meet Scrooge’s first love, Fezziwig’s daughter Belle (played by Julia Albino). Belle is sweet and gentle and you can see the love shared between them but she quickly realizes that he will never be able to love her as much as he loves his money and accumulating wealth. As a result, she ends the relationship with him. Christmas Past shows him a glimpse of Belle happy with her new family around the same time that Marley passes and these memories are too much for Scrooge to bear and he demands to be taken home. While she complies, she reminds him that she was only the first of three ghosts that will be visiting this evening and we soon meet The Ghost of Christmas Present.

Photo Credit: Steve Ayle/Showbizshots.com

Christmas Present (also played by Scott Hofer) is bright and humorous and takes Scrooge around town to see all the joy that he is missing. He brings him to Fred’s house to see the fun he’s missed by not accepting his Christmas dinner invitation. Scrooge sees the family he’s shunned and is later brought to Bob Cratchit’s house where he’s informed that if things don’t change for the Cratchit family soon, Bob’s son Tiny Tim will likely die due to a grave illness they cannot afford to treat. Scrooge has nearly had enough when The Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come arrives (played by Steven Uihlein as well) and shows him a Christmas day years from now where a funeral is sparsely attended. Christmas Yet-To-Come warns that this future will be his if he doesn’t make changes to the way he lives expeditiously. He also gets a glimpse of the Cratchit family years down the line, who are now mourning the unfortunate death of Tiny Tim.

Photo Credit: Steve Ayle/Showbizshots.com

The thought of these events transpiring is enough to wake Scrooge up - Literally and figuratively - and he awakens Christmas morning a changed man. For what feels like the first time, we see Scrooge smile! On the off chance that you aren’t familiar with this story and how things end I will stop with plot points here - but this change in Scrooge is felt throughout the town and it's remarkable to see. This is where Sanzel truly shines. He wonderfully depicts this complicated character with ease and seeing the shift at the end feels genuine and heartwarming. What I have always loved about Sanzel’s depiction of Scrooge is the number of layers the character has and how he moves through them with intention. Even though we won’t agree with some of the decisions Scrooge makes in the beginning of his story, when we learn more about the events that brought him there, you end up feeling empathy towards him instead of being turned off by his actions. You start to root for him and hope the spirits can help him see the magic of Christmas and when we see the change, it fills you with joy too.

It doesn’t feel like Christmas on Long Island without Theatre Three’s production of “A Christmas Carol”!

I would be remiss to wrap up any review at Theatre Three without mentioning the creative team and the overall spectacle of the production because it dramatically elevates things. The use of the stage’s trap door is perfect. The team here knows when it is appropriate to use and it never comes off gimmicky. The lighting is absolutely superb - kudos to Robert W. Henderson, Jr. - and every show needs fantastic costumes and a great set to help transport you to the era. Randall Parsons & Jason Allyn as a costuming team is a home run and Parsons’ set design is consistently impressive. The company told this story beautifully and put me in the Christmas spirit early - I even listened to Christmas music on the way home! Now that opening weekend is behind us, the Holiday season has officially begun on Long Island and being that this is Theatre Three’s 40th Annual Production of “A Christmas Carol”, there is no time like the present to include it in your holiday plans and begin a new tradition if this isn’t one already. 

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is running until December 28th - tickets can be purchased online via their website at www.theaterthree.com, over the phone, or in person at the box office. This is an extremely popular event, so I would suggest purchasing your tickets in advance and be sure to take some extra time at the end of the show to take a picture on stage with Scrooge!

I’ve wanted to take a picture with Scrooge for years and this was my time!

Cast:

Ebenezer Scrooge, a man of business - Jeffrey Sanzel

The Girl, a mute beggar - Kathleen Arabelle Han, Vivian Leigh Rumble

Fred Halliwell, Scrooge’s nephew - Steven Uihlein

Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk - Ray Gobes, Jr.

A Young Debtor - Ash Stalker, Olivia Davis

Seekers of MErcy - Julia Albino, Kyle M. Breitenbach

Mrs. Dilber, a housekeeper - Ginger Dalton

The Charwoman - Amelia Theodorakis, KElsie Curran

JAcob Marley, Scrooge’s late partner - Stephen T. Wangner

Ghost of Christmas PAst - Cassidy Rose O’Brien

Scrooge as a Boy - PAtrick Hutchinson, Giovanni Ladd

The School Matron - Linda May

Fan, Scrooge’s older sister - Ash Stalker, Olivia Davis

Dick Wilkins, apprenticed to Fezziwig - KYle M. Breitenbach

Fezziwig, Scrooge’s first employer - Scott Hofer

MRs. Fezziwig - Ginger Dalton

Belle Fezziwig, their daughter - Julia Albino

Mr. Tackleton, employed at Fezziwig’s - Steven Uihlein

Office Boy, at Fezziwig’s - Aidan Sharkey, Roy Fleischer

Ghost of Christmas PResent - Scott Hofer

MRs. Cratchit, wife to Bob Cratchit - Linda May

Peter Cratchit, their eldest son - Aidan Sharkey, Roy Fleischer

Belinda Cratchit, their youngest daughter - Angelina Eybs, Skye Greenberg

Martha Cratchit, their eldest daughter - Mia Rofrano, Jennifer Salvia

Timothy Cratchit, their youngest child - Stanley Zinger, JAmes Bressler

Janet Halliwell, Fred’s wife - Cassidy Rose O’Brien

Topper, her cousin - Stephen T. WAnger

MArgaret, Fred and Janet’s Maid - Amelia Theodorakis, KElsie Curran

The Duchess - Ginger Dalton

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to come - Steven Uihlein

Old Joe, proprietor of a rag-and-bottle shop - stephen T. Wangner

Debtor, to scrooge - Julia Albino

Grandfather, debtor to Scrooge - Scott Hofer

His Granddaughter - Amelia Theordorakis, KElsie Curran

The Child on Christmas Morning - Zach Kanakaris, Christina Gobes

The Poulterer - Scott Hofer

Citizens of London, Shadows, Guests, Voices, Gossips, and many many others - the company

Creative Team:

Director - JEffrey Sanzel

Music Director - Brad Frey

Choreographer - Sari Feldman

Production Stage Manager - Melissa Troxler

Scenic Design - Randall Parsons

Costume Design - Randall PArsons & Jason Allyn

Lighting & Sound Design - Robert W. Henderson, Jr.

Additional Sound Design - Tim Haggerty

Properties Design & Construction - Karin Bagan

Technical Director - Steve Barile, Jr.

Lighting Designer - Olivia Buonsante