That\u2019s the one where theatergoers remember the title character, whose name, Ebenezer Scrooge, has become synonymous with the word \u201cmiser\u201d in the years since the Dickens novella first appeared in London in December 1843. The wealthy man is so wizened of spirit that when asked for a charitable Christmas donation he declares, \u201cI cannot afford to make idle people merry.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the course of four years, Cygnet\u2019s production has morphed from a radio show format to a more straightforward telling with multiple narrators and musical refinements.<\/p>\n For instance, Thompson\u2019s score, flawlessly played by music director\/accompanist Patrick Marion, is laced with Christmas carols, both sung by the company in various combinations and underscoring the dialog and providing melodies for much of the sung text as well \u2014 not that the layperson will be aware of such intricacies, which set it apart increasingly from other \u201cCarols\u201d one might experience.<\/p>\n In other words, this presentation of the well-known Christmas story, performed by a solid acting\/singing company, is quick, emotionally secure, musically satisfying and rich in imagery, clocking in at a bit over two hours and cutting the tale to its essence.<\/p>\n In other productions, sometimes the progression of ghosts \u2014 Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come, all played by multi-talented David McBean \u2014 can grow tedious, and the joyous transformation of Scrooge (marvelously played by Tom Stephenson, one of the city\u2019s finest actors) becomes mired in sorting things out between different groups of related characters. Not in Sean Murray\u2019s adaptation!<\/p>\n Here, the primary emphasis is on the family of Scrooge\u2019s employee Bob Cratchit (Patrick McBride) and his wife (Maggie Carney), whose youngest child is the frail, crippled and cherished Tiny Tim.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, onlookers get joyous doses of the Fezziwigs (Melinda Gilb and McBride) and also those all-important scenes that help us to understand how Young Scrooge (Charles Evans, Jr.) became Scrooge. He\u2019d been engaged to Belle (Melissa Fernandes), who ultimately broke up with him when it became apparent he would never love her as much as he did money. All but Stephenson play multiple characters and the several talents of each \u2014 musical, dramatic and comic \u2014 are bounteously utilized.<\/p>\n![\"ACC14_cast2web\"](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/ACC14_cast2web.jpg\")
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<\/a>The production\u2019s most ingeniously utilized innovations are the puppets created by Michael McKeon, Lynne Jennings and Rachel Hengsy. Convincingly the puppets portray Tiny Tim, a Street Urchin and the waifs Ignorance and Want, who appear from under the skirts of the Ghost of Christmas Past.<\/p>\n