Despite the decidedly un-wintry air, Zach Theatre has rolled out its yearly production of A Christmas Carol, a jukebox musical stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic about a greedy old miser whose heart is transformed when he’s visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Though visually beautiful due primarily to its fabulous tech and stage design, unfortunately there’s not much substance beneath the glitter.
There are some real highlights among the performances. Matt DeCaro as Ebenezer Scrooge acts circles around his fellow performers early on, even if his interpretation of the covetous old sinner is decidedly traditional. Gabrielle North (playing Martha Cratchit) utterly slays on Beyoncé’s “Halo,” although the number exemplifies one of the show’s chief issues: that it often feels more like a concert than a musical. Kenny Williams is a flamboyant, exuberant delight as the show-stealing Ghost of Christmas Past, who I missed the instant he left. And Rod Sanford’s ominous energy as Jacob Marley overwhelms the stage during his brief but excellent introduction, especially on Musical Director Allen Robertson’s stunning basso arrangement of “Man in the Mirror.” Throughout the remainder of the show, I found myself craving more of these pitch-shifted revisions to the music.
(Special shout-out to whomever was responsible for the soundboard on Saturday night – despite an initially grating mix on the performers’ mics in Act I, by Act II the high-note-induced hiss and fuzz had completely vanished.)
Speaking of the music, the singers perform over a recorded backing track, which may be partly responsible for the generally low energy that permeated the theatre on the night of my attendance. A live orchestra adds a degree of musical bombast that could have lifted the show and provided more opportunities for playful song treatments. There’s a lack of unity to the jukebox selection, too, some of which seems almost farcical. At one point, Mrs. Cratchit and husband Bob (Ryan Everett Wood) sing “Forever Young” to Tiny Tina (aka Tiny Tim, played here by the absolutely adorable Riley Richichi). It’s meant to be sweet, but I couldn’t get past the fact that they were singing this to a sickly orphan in a time of rampant child mortality. Furthermore, the consistent stillness in staging during musical numbers makes some of the Christ-ier carols feel preachy. For some, this will be a welcome part of their holiday celebrations; for me, it was just awkward.
Which all brings us to the direction by Dave Steakley. This year’s Christmas Carol is maddeningly rife with missed opportunities, almost all of which stem from a failure to utilize characters not directly involved in the main action. Performers often remain still, passively watching others or else siloed in their own worlds. Jen Young Mahlstedt’s choreography is nice but uninspiring, and it consistently refuses opportunities to tell additional stories that could have fleshed out character motivations and dynamics. Sidelining Scrooge as he observes what the three spirits have to show him works against the sense of pathos the story may otherwise have delivered. The Topfer Stage is huge, and it feels huge here. The back half is cavernous, and while the set itself is impressive to look at, it rarely feels full or well-utilized.
Individual segments charm, but the show as a whole feels disconnected. Perhaps because the story is well-known, there’s little time spent developing the motivations behind each beat, making it feel perfunctory and detached from the characters, with little in the way of obstacles to overcome.
Despite all this, families seeking a show they can take the kids to need look no further than A Christmas Carol, which for all its flaws will likely land differently as we draw closer to Christmas. The familiarity of the script and music make it highly accessible, and it did put me in mind of the stage musical Cats, which owes at least some of its box-office success to the fact that non-English speakers can lose themselves in the spectacle rather than focusing on plot mechanics. In the end, this is a show about the soul-cleansing effects of charity – and attendees should embrace the opportunity to do a little Christmas giving to an Austin theatrical institution.
Zach Theatre’s A Christmas Carol
Kleberg Stage, 1421 W. Riverside, 512/476-0541
zachtheatre.org
Through Dec. 31
Running time: 2 hr. 20 mins.
This article appears in November 24 • 2023.