Theatre Three Reprises 'A Christmas Carol' with a Delightful Twist

At this time of year many theaters revisit Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but this standard family fare remains a special centerpiece at Theatre Three where it has been regaling audiences with the classic tale of redemption for 41 years now.

Theatre Three has a host of loyal followers who return each year looking forward to actor extraordinaire and director Jeffrey Sanzel’s portrayal of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge surrounded by other familiar actors returning to roles they have played in the past. These conditioned audiences come to the theater like Sherlock Holmes poised with magnifying glass inspecting every nuance in staging for a few differences from the year before.

This year, audiences will delight in the reimagined staging that immerses Scrooge in his three stages of past, present and yet to come. But unlike past years, instead of Sanzel morphing from the old Scrooge into the young, hardworking and loving Ebenezer, he remains the curmudgeon forced to face each stage of his selfish life.

On this major change in staging for the current production, Sanzel says, “This is a very different year. I’ve made the biggest change in many years. For the first time in over three decades, I will no longer be playing young Scrooge. This has been percolating for a few years, and I finally pulled the trigger. Our newest company member, Kiernan Urso, is playing young Scrooge. He came up through the show as Tiny Tim, Scrooge as a boy, and Peter Cratchit. He just graduated from college last spring, and I knew he was the right actor to do this. He brings both the knowledge of the story, our production and my performance, and provides shades and depth that enhance the story. As Scrooge, I now witness and react to my younger self’s choices in real time. It has raised the stakes in a whole new way, elevating the throughline and giving the entire section of the past a new and charged energy. It has been a journey of stepping into a whole new experience that infuses me as an actor and director (and adaptor).”

The most obvious change comes when Christmas Past, played with ethereal charm by Julianna Rezza, transports Scrooge to a happier time when he worked for his former boss the merry Mr. Fezziwig (Scott Hofer) and felt the pangs of blossoming love for Fezziwig’s daughter Belle (Haley Saunders). Kiernan Urso fits perfectly as the young Ebenezer Scrooge and the chemistry between him and his one true love, Belle, is palpable.

Sanzel’s Scrooge weaves between the couple taking in their once profound bond that becomes threatened until it ultimately breaks due to young Ebenezer’s growing avarice. Belle’s final words, “Another idol has replaced me, a golden one,” are the death knell to their once great love.

This insightful directorial choice has indeed added new, exciting energy to Sanzel’s Scrooge and emanates throughout the entire cast. Returning to A Christmas Carol and adding their brand of enchantment are Stephen T. Wanger as the ominous Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s late partner, Ginger Dalton as the irrepressible Mrs. Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig, Ray Gobes, Jr. as the humble and loving Bob Cratchit, Scott Hofer with the sardonic chuckle and mischievousness of Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas Present, Linda May as the resourceful and hardworking Mrs. Cratchit, Jennifer Salvia as the kind and comforting Fan, Steven Uihlein as the affable Fred Halliwell and the foreboding Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and Zach Kanakaris as the lonely, neglected Scrooge as a boy.

Making their debut in A Christmas Carol are Mireilla O’Donnell as the frail yet cheerful Tiny Tim and Julianna Rezza as the illuminating Christmas Past who appears at the stroke of 1 a.m. to start Scrooge on his road toward redemption.

The Theatre Three technical team who provide the set, sound, lighting and costumes are stellar. Scenic design by Randall Parsons gives the proper gothic feel with dark elements, including stained glass backlit by lighting designer Robert W. Henderson, Jr. who also adds moods with flashes of light, reds and bright whites.

Sound design by Robert W. Henderson, Jr. and Tim Haggerty brings thunder to accompany the flashes of light, echoes added as an undertone to the voices of the ghosts, and chimes that introduce the conjuring of scenes. Randall Parsons and Jason Allyn’s Costume Design complement each character’s personality. Christmas Past is embellished in gossamer white veils and giant hooped skirt, Christmas Present is draped in green velvet robe outlined in white fur, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a towering vision shrouded in tattered black. The garments of the ladies at Nephew Fred’s Christmas gathering add to the holiday spirit with stunning ruby, emerald and amethyst-colored Victorian gowns while the street people make for a stark contrast in ragged garb.

Theatre Three’s A Christmas Carol is a welcome tradition that heralds in the holiday season with so much heart and gusto. So, raise a glass of eggnog and celebrate the season with this perennial favorite.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol runs through December 27 at Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson. 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com

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Barbara Anne Kirshner is a freelance journalist and photographer whose celebrity interviews, theatre reviews, features and human interest stories appear in major publications. She is author of the children’s chapter book, Madison Weatherbee The Different Dachshund, Madison Weatherbee The Musical and a host of one-act plays that have been produced across Long Island.