Acclaimed Playwright Amy Freed To Write New Adaptation Of A CHRISTMAS CAROL For South Coast Repertory

South Coast Repertory will commission award-winning playwright Amy Freed to write a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, with Artistic Director David Ivers set to direct. The project will mark a new chapter for the theatre’s long-running holiday tradition, with Freed collaborating closely with Ivers throughout the development process.

Over the coming seasons, the development will include research into Dickens’ original text, observation of other productions nationwide, script workshops, and production design planning, supported by SCR’s artistic staff and The Lab@SCR. The process will also include opportunities for audiences to attend readings of the work-in-progress and provide feedback. The development is supported by a gift from Julianne and George Argyros and the Argyros Family Foundation, originally made in honor of the production’s 40th anniversary. The premiere date for the new adaptation has not yet been announced, and SCR will continue producing its current version in the interim.

“An SCR legacy playwright of international acclaim, Amy Freed is the perfect choice to adapt SCR's next iteration of Charles Dickens' beloved holiday masterpiece,” said Ivers. “Among her many achievements, Amy is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and her plays have been produced across the globe, with many having their world premieres right here at SCR. She is unequaled in her love and understanding of language, structure and character.” He added, “I have known Amy for many years, acted in her shows and found her love for A Christmas Carol inspiring. Audiences can expect a production faithful to Dickens and aided by SCR's excellent roster of artists and exceptional execution of design. And I promise, SNOW!”

Freed has a long history with South Coast Repertory, where several of her plays have premiered, including Freedomland, The Beard of Avon, Safe in Hell, You, Nero, and Shrew!. She was also commissioned by SCR for The Monster Builder and is the recipient of the Steinberg Commission in Playwriting, which she will use to write the new adaptation. This marks her seventh commission from the theatre.

“What a pleasure it is to return to SCR—a great American theatre and my artistic home,” Freed said. “SCR's confidence in me has enabled me to develop and debut six plays. The invitation to write a new version of A Christmas Carol here, for a renewal and celebration of Dickens' literary and popular masterpiece, is like working for Fezziwig.” She continued, “South Coast Repertory has played Fezziwig to hundreds of emerging artists, giving them work and bringing them joy. I'm so happy to be back in the heart of a theatre that has given so many so much. In return, I hope to enhance the joys of the season with my version of A Christmas Carol.”

A Pulitzer Prize finalist for Freedomland, Freed has received numerous honors, including the Charles McArthur Playwriting Award, the New York Arts Club Joseph Kesselring Award, two Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best New Play, and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association Award for Best New Play.

Managing Director Suzanne Appel noted the significance of the work to the community, saying, “Our current production of A Christmas Carol reaches 15,000 people annually and has become an annual tradition for many families over its 45-year run. In developing a new production, we plan to include our most important collaborator of all, our audiences, in keeping the experience true to Dickens' classic novel and making it contemporary for today's audiences.”