A CHRISTMAS CAROL Remains a Splendidly Festive Tradition

It just doesn't feel like the holidays until you've watched a greedy old man get spooked into being nice by a few ghosts.

At the Denver Center Theatre Company, their musical retelling of A Christmas Carol feels fresh as ever. Featuring an ensemble cast led by Michael Santo as Ebenezer Scrooge, the production jingles along with few chilling moments, of course ending with the warmth of a mug of hot cocoa on a snow day.

Directed by Anthony Powell, the Charles Dickens classic is retold through an adaptation by Richard Helleson and music by David De Berry. The cast is decked in detailed period costumes by Kevin Copenhaver on a clever set designed by Vicki Smith.

If you're familiar with the story, there's no surprises here -- but a terrifying Jacob Marley is guaranteed to make you jump out of your seat. The cast is dynamic as a whole, bouncing dialogue back and forth, collectively telling the story of mid-1800s London in an intimate setting.

Yet somehow I always forget a bit of the darkness of the tale, filled with regret, heartbreak, and that tiny boy on crutches who might not live to see next year. The schadenfreude of all is enough to put your family holiday gatherings into a friendlier perspective.

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