A Multitude of CHRISTMAS CAROLS Appear in LA This Holiday Season

A number of versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL have popped up in the Los Angeles area this holiday season. The Los Angeles Times recaps the surge. Hal Landon Jr. has portrayed the role of Scrooge for 30 seasons at the South Coast Repertory. Portraying Scrooge has become somewhat of a signature role for Landon Jr.

Inlcuding a number of standard productions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, several less-than-standard productions have become appearing in the area. GAY APPAREL: A CHRISTMAS CAROL is currently playing at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre Cafe in Silver Lake features the character of Scrooge, portrayed by John Downey, as the overseer of a fashion empire.

Chris Winfield, who played Scrooge at the age of 13 and is currently revisiting in with the Group Rep in North Hollywood, says "It's a great part for an actor. I've always wanted to revisit it, just because it's a fabulous role. You go from being the meanest guy in the world to the nicest...There are so many emotions in this play, and you get to experience the joy of Christmas."

To read the full article from the Los Angeles Times, click here.

Landon says that, through the years, he has been spoken to by many people who say the play means a lot to them. "The Christmas spirit is revived in them every year, and people who were children when they first saw it now bring their children. You've got to go to the real basics of acting -- really concentrating and focusing on making it all happen for the first time."

The most noticable change from 30 years ago for Landon is the makeup. "That's one of the big differences," Landon notes, who began playing the role at the age of 38. "I used to spend an hour and a half putting on all this age makeup. Now I don't spend any time at all."