Review: DCPA CHRISTMAS CAROL Welcomes New Scrooge

There's a glimmer of familiar holiday magic radiating from Denver's downtown art district.

A Christmas Carol, presented by the Denver Center Theatre Company, is back again, playing nearly every year since its arrival in 1990.

Richard Hellesen's adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, with music by David de Berry, infuses a haunting choral ensemble with moments of hope and joy. I love this version because it's able to provide moments that genuinely creep me out, but I'm back to grinning in seconds. There's a healthy dose of emotions in this show. And Leslie O'Carroll's Mrs. Fezziwigg IS holiday cheer.

While most of the show is unchanged from previous years, the production welcomes a new Ebenezer Scrooge this year, Sam Gregory, replacing longtime humbugger Philip Pleasants, who had played the role since 2005. There's also a new director, Melissa Rain Anderson.

Gregory, who has appeared in more than 45 Denver Center Theatre Company shows, brings to Ebenezer the charm Denver audiences have come to love from his other characters. He evolves Scrooge with warmth and levity. While replacing an icon is no easy task, Gregory gives us a Scrooge I'd be happy to keep around for a few more years.

Anderson seems to bring a refreshing new flow to the show. This time, Scrooge's evolution felt very instinctive. And high-five for a mixed-race Cratchit family. That gave the show an extra layer of beauty.

There's no shortage of holiday magic in this one. Whether it's your tradition or you're looking to start a new one, Denver Center's A Christmas Carol is one to catch every year.

Denver Center Theatre Company's production of A Christmas Carol plays the Stage Theatre at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex through Dec. 24. Tickets are available at DenverCenter.org, by calling (303)893-4100 or visiting the box office located in the lobby.

Photos by AdamsVisCom

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