Some consider the holiday season a wonderful time to bond with family. Others consider disowning their family before the year ends. If you love your relatives but fear being trapped in a tinsel-draped living room with them all month, there is an alternative: load up the ol’ mini-van and take everyone to a show. Chances are, it will amuse, engage and entertain the whole clan. Here’s a seasonal sampling, heavily sprinkled with Scrooge.
Put your own seasonal slump in perspective by watching Bob Cratchit’s wife drown her sorrows in Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge. Playwright Christopher Durang’s clever twist on A Christmas Carol will leave you in stitches – and thankful you live in modern times. December 15–23. Contemporary Theater Company at the Towers, Narragansett. More info
Meet sweet Beth, pretty Meg, feisty Jo and artsy Amy – four sisters well on their way to becoming Little Women. Veteran theater artist Bob Colonna pens this original adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 19th century classic, an enduring and endearing story. Through December 11. 2nd Story Theatre, Warren. More info
Another funny take on A Christmas Carol fast-forwards to the future and The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. His transformation short-lived, he sues Marley and the other ghosts for all the crimes they committed against him in the name of holiday cheer. The gavel adds conviction to “Bah! Hum-bug!” in Mark Brown’s playful spin. December 2–11. Rhode Island Stage Ensemble at the Assembly Theatre, Harrisville. More info
A recent Brown/ Trinity Rep MFA grad helms Trinity’s 35th production of Dickens’ timeless tale, A Christmas Carol. Christopher Windom adds new dimension by setting the action in 1959, with flashbacks to the roaring ‘20s, the Great Depression and more. The cast includes ten local kids, with eight-year-olds Johnny Spinelli and Phineas Peters sharing the role of Tiny Tim. Through December 30. Trinity Repertory Company. More info
Can’t get enough of A Christmas Carol? In this innovative solo show, Granite Theater’s artistic director adapts the Dickens classic and performs all the parts. David Jepson brings over 50 years of theatrical experience to bear in his interpretation, sure to make Ebenezer ever more memorable. December 6-21. Granite Theatre, Westerly. More info
Hear George Bailey bound through Bedford Falls, and all the sound effects that entails, when It’s a Wonderful Life, the classic Frank Capra film, is re-envisioned as a radio play. Tyler Dobrowsky directs a talented Trinity cast in which each member assumes multiple roles, including Mauro Hantman as loveable everyman George, Timothy Crowe as evil Old Man Potter, and Joe Wilson, Jr. as Clarence the Angel. December 9-31. Trinity Repertory Company. More info
For a traditional version of A Christmas Carol, complete with top hats and figgy pudding, wend your way to Woonsocket. Encore Rep stages the play in Victorian London, where ghostly encounters guide grumpy Scrooge toward becoming a better, merrier man. You’ll leave feeling the same way yourself. December 2-11. Encore Repertory Company at the Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket. More info
A holiday themed ballet is always a solid bet. Breathing new life into this tradition, Providence Ballet Theatre presents ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, based on the poem by Clement Clarke Moore. This original production features all new choreography, sets and costumes, making the poem come alive with dancing reindeer, children’s dreams dancing across the stage and falling snow. December 21-22. Providence Ballet at Rhode Island College. More info
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