Menken/Ahrens A CHRISTMAS CAROL

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 10:57pm

I have been slightly obsessed with this recording since first hearing it many, many years ago. I've seen the show a few times: Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California (south of San Francisco) produces a charming free production every December. This could all stem from the fact that A Christmas Carol is my favorite classic novel, the "if you were on island with only one book" selection for me. The themes of compassion, charity, forgiveness and redemption and that it is never too late to change and become a better person resonates due to a family issue that was resolved happily long ago. I like the backstory Menken/Ahrens gave to Ebenezer, and love the plot device where Scrooge encounters the Three Ghosts in London before Christmas Eve. I listen to the recording all year long actually! I thought the Kesley Grammar teleplay was very good, too. Anyway, just been thinking about this show more this time of year of course. Any other fans of the show here? 

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 11:04pm

I'm actually in the cast of a production of the show opening tomorrow night. Not the Menken & Ahrens version, but a new adaptation that was created specifically for us. I'm playing Young Scrooge/Peter Cratchit, and it's been fun exploring the two very different roles. It's the second time I've been involved in a production of it (first time with this new adaptation) and it is a very charming, timeless story that I feel we can all relate to. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 11:39pm

On my iPhone, I actually have a playlist that combines tracks from the 1994 original cast recording and the 2004 TV movie soundtrack.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 3:27am

It bugs me that they never recorded the updated stage version with "You Mean More to Me" and "Jolly Good Time" in place of "Jolly Rich and Fat." The two songs are included on the television soundtrack but the stage orchestrations are far superior. It would have been nice if they'd recorded the final company or a new studio cast but maybe one day they will. I do enjoy the original cast album quite a bit.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 6:51am

It's a nice show, but the TV movie was wretched.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 8:27am

Which musical version was the one that played MSG back in the 2000s? I saw it with Jim Dale as Scrooge when I was ten.

Either way, from Menken and Ahrens, "A Place Called Home" is a beautiful song...and it also makes me cry rather hard.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 8:56am

This is it. The Menken/Ahrens musical played, I believe, nine years consecutively at the theatre at Madison Square Garden. F. Murray Abraham was the final Scrooge. And I agree, "A Place Called Home" is probably my favorite Christmas song of all time. I just adore it.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 1:59pm

I saw it with Tony Roberts as Scrooge, Didi Conn as Ghost of Christmas Past and Reginald VelJohnson as Ghost of Christmas Present (and apparently, this guy played Tiny Tim) and loved the show.  The sets and staging were outstanding and the piece as a whole was absolutely lovely.  I'm rather surprised it never found its way to Broadway or a touring production (it doesn't need to be anywhere as huge as the MSG production to be effective).  I'd happily see it again.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 12/3/16 at 4:08pm

Love the score, and the TV film came right around when I was getting hardcore into musicals so it has a special place i my heart.

[leefowler]

Posted: 12/3/16 at 4:30pm

I worked on this show, and love it as well. I think the reason it hasn't caught on is because there are so many public domain versions of A Christmas Carol, so why pay a royalty when you can do it free? I agree the TV version was wretched.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/3/16 at 5:29pm

I wonder if this could be a possible choice for a live TV musical. Sure, this adaptation may not be the most famous, but at least everyone knows A Christmas Carol. I think they would also need the right cast to create some excitement around it.

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 12/3/16 at 9:58pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "I wonder if this could be a possible choice for a live TV musical. Sure, this adaptation may not be the most famous, but at least everyone knows A Christmas Carol. I think they would also need the right cast to create some excitement around it.

"

Jeffrey, I love this idea! But since nearly every community theater company does a local production, I wonder if people would be ACC'ed-overdosed? But as you say, the right cast would attract attention and viewers. Given all the hate in our world, we need art that has a kinder message. 

 

[bear88]

Posted: 12/6/16 at 2:03am

I will never see a musical more than I have seen A Christmas Carol at Notre Dame University in Belmont, California. That's where I live, and we got to see many friends and their children and random people we started to think of as friends in the production every year. By the second year I saw it, they had switched to the Menken/Ahrens version. Sadly, last year was the final one at Notre Dame. Live theater is an endangered species.

It's a real loss for our little town. And for me. I know that show as well as any musical I've ever seen, and it always made me happy. It feels strange and a bit empty to realize that I won't be seeing it next week or the week after.

The musical itself isn't perfect, but I never thought of it as something that has to be perfect. It's community theater! It was fun to see all the little changes made, the new performers, the switched parts. But the songs are underrated, or maybe I'm just a softie. I'm not sure I would enjoy another production as much without all the familiar faces. I debated seeing another version this year but thought it would make me feel a little sad. 

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 12/6/16 at 3:08am

Bear, I'm sorry to hear that. Thanks for posting. I hadn't been in a few years and was unaware it had ceased. I just looked at the website and read the explanation, basically just time for the folks to move on to other things and all good things must come to an end. I wonder if expense was also an issue, given it was free of charge. What a lot of memories over the past few decades.  

[tazber]

Posted: 12/6/16 at 6:29am

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "I wonder if this could be a possible choice for a live TV musical. Sure, this adaptation may not be the most famous, but at least everyone knows A Christmas Carol. I think they would also need the right cast to create some excitement around it.

 

"

Great idea Jefferey!!!

It worked so well as a huge show. It's perfect for a live version.

And I'll say it again, the score is marvelous.

 

 

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 12/6/16 at 8:10am