For many of us, Christmas is a time for tradition. Whether that means attending church, eating a big meal with the family, or watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special, many of us look forward to these traditions year round. One of our favourite traditions here at Fault Line Theatre is the annual productions of A Christmas Carol that hundreds of regional theatres stage across the country. Many friends of Fault Line Theatre are themselves involved with these productions each year. Here are a few thoughts they shared with me about why they think A Christmas Carol is such a well loved and important show each year.
“I think A Christmas Carol is great for audiences because they are able to get together with their families and share this story. We have people that came as children come back with their children. It’s a lovely tradition (this is the 34th year). Being a part of the play is great for me because after 8 years this cast and crew are extended family. I get to spend my holidays with them again and again.”
- Brooke Redler (Stage Manager of The Faire & From White Plains) is currently stage managing A Christmas Carol at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
“One of my favorite memories growing up was the annual school field trip to see A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. I think that, in whatever community it’s produced, A Christmas Carol can become a powerful seasonal tradition, bringing us all together in one room, year after year, to remind us how important we all are to one other, and how goodwill leads to greater happiness for the whole.”
- Tristan Jeffers (Co-Founder of Fault Line Theatre)
“Playing Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol was my first professional job out of graduate school. It’s a universal story of love for our fellow man that we all can relate to and was a privilege to perform 8 times a weeks… Also, I got to fly, and that was pretty awesome!”
- Matt Clevy (Communications Director of Fault Line Theatre) performed as Jacob Marley at Trinity Rep’s production of A Christmas Carol in 2010.
“A Christmas Carol is woven into the fabric of this holiday in an indispensable way. In a time of year that can be stressful and exhausting and perhaps show us the worst sides of ourselves, A Christmas Carol reminds us that any person, no matter how awful they seem, may find redemption. The story is set at Christmas but is essentially secular and not limited to a particular faith: it simply stresses that love, generosity and taking responsibility for one’s community are the characteristics that make for a better life. People come back year after year to be a part of this story. There is something wonderful about an audience that knows every line, every bit, every joke. Far from being bored by the ‘same old thing’, everyone is participant in a community tradition, a shared experience, exactly what the theatre is supposed to be.”
- Craig Wesley Divino (Co-Founder of Fault Line Theatre) has played Nephew Fred in productions of A Christmas Carol at both Trinity Rep and at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, where he is currently a part of their 23rd annual production. In total, Craig has played the Role of Nephew Fred for a total of 175 shows!
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US AT FAULT LINE THEATRE!
![Photo by Lorz at it.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5766ffe96a49633b4492d1d5/1473704990351-LYSKOBBX4QXVI3XS6D5N/image-asset.jpeg)