It’s that time of year again. The most wonderful time of the year, Christmas time! It’s time to bring Christmas joy back into our lives, and what better way to do so than by witnessing perhaps the most famous Christmas story in recorded history: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The timeless allegory tells the tale of the elderly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who, with the help of three ghosts — the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come — strives to change his cruel and selfish ways and become a more kind, generous, and sympathetic soul.
Since its inception in 1843, this classic story has served as the foundational stepping stones we follow on the path toward being a good person. From the countless retellings and interpretations through almost every type of media to the simple references in our daily conversations (someone casually throwing out phrases like “Don’t be such a Scrooge”), A Christmas Carol has truly become a permanent touchpoint in our lives. This incredible story has been adapted once again and is playing now through December 20 at the Little Theatre of Alexandria, produced by Alexis Delaney and Pat Nicklin and directed by Michael Page.
Page’s adaptation adds a slight twist to the classic Christmas Carol we know and love. The story’s narration is read aloud by a grandfather to his granddaughter. The play begins in the modern era on Christmas Day. A young girl, played by Penelope Porter, enters the stage sporting a black-and-pink punk get-up with funky buns, trending crystal eye makeup, a plaid skirt, and a graphic sweatshirt. She, like most Gen-Z kids, would rather watch screens than participate in family Christmas traditions.
Porter’s grandfather arrives and convinces his dubious yet curious granddaughter to listen as he reads her a story. The grandfather is played by Peter Fannon, whose gentle yet firm tone, along with his inviting English accent, will have everyone wishing he were their grandfather, too. The two remain seated in their cozy living room chairs at the far-left edge of the stage throughout the entire show, as we flip back and forth between the main story and the narration/interjected comments that showcase the granddaughter’s growing investment in the characters.
The interwoven timelines are brought to life through lighting effects, including spotlights that alternate between the narrator’s nook and the primary scenes taking place center stage. Lighting designer Ari McSherry included a range of lighting effects throughout that work as a helpful device to define different scenes and tonal elements. The set design also facilitated easy scene transitions with constructed pieces that fold open and close to reveal different locations. The skewed, exaggerated proportions of the set elements, almost suggestive of a Tim Burton film, add another fun layer to the production.
Because of the obvious popularity of this incredible play, it’s also available at multiple theaters this time of year. But if you are looking to introduce your child to this classic tale for the first time, the Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production leans heavily toward a more family-friendly energy, with extra-enthusiastic performances and a focus on comedic buttons.
While often exciting to the audience, several of the ensemble performances did feel over-exaggerated and over-pronounced, bordering on cartoonish, which resulted in a disconnect emotionally from the words and diction. Yet there were two specific monologues from the ensemble cast that felt wonderfully genuine in their theatricality. First was Michael Blinde’s performance as Jacob Marley.
In this famous scene, Scrooge’s former business partner appears to him as a tortured apparition, weighed down by thick chains symbolizing the weight on his eternal soul from a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Marley warns Scrooge that he, too, is doomed to this fate unless he makes major changes in his life. This monologue is important as it serves as the true beginning of the story’s narrative arc, and Blinde’s grounded concern and angered tone, paired with his commanding stage presence, delivered it beautifully.
Second was Emma Noël Saville’s performance as Belle (Scrooge’s fiancée from when he was a young man), specifically during the scene in which she delivers the sorrowful breakup speech. Belle stands before Scrooge, hoping to find a glimmer of the man she fell in love with, but sadly, she realizes he is no longer that man and hasn’t been for quite some time. His love of money has long since outweighed his love of Belle. Saville’s humbling speech was delivered with honesty, as she believably choked back tears.
The lead of the show, Brian Lyons-Burke, as Ebenezer Scrooge, was also a delight. His performance straddled the line between drama and comedy splendidly. He produced genuine dramatic emotion when needed while also maintaining wonderful comedic timing, including a moment of effortless improvisation during a small wardrobe malfunction.
Nina Celestina, as the Ghost of Christmas Past, was also quite endearing and entertaining without being over-the-top. Her character was another fun little twist to the classic story from director Page. In this production, the Ghost of Christmas Past took on the characteristics of an antique porcelain doll. Celestina’s high-pitched yet soft and lilting voice, along with her stiff doll-like movements, brought the character to life.
The difficult doll pose that Celestina continually performs to reinforce the character also deserves mention. As the two make their way through Scrooge’s past, they wheel the tall Victorian bed from one point to another. Upon reaching each point, Celestina would gracefully hop back up on the bed, poised, and resume her doll-like pose. The pose (which requires some serious core strength) consisted of legs parted wide, stretched out straight as planks, and arms akimbo, positioned away from her tall torso, like a ballerina in a music box.
Celestina’s hair and makeup added a slight edge to the otherwise soft elements expected from a porcelain doll. Her hair, from hair designer Jennifer Finn, was a tweezed-out white-gray wig that looked almost like a wild mane. Her makeup, designed by makeup artist Jillian Rubino, felt almost tribal through certain shapes incorporated.
Rubino’s makeup design for the general ensemble cast was slightly less effective, however. The same basic elements were used for the entire ensemble (man, woman, and child alike). This consisted of bright blue eye shadow, bright red lipstick, and bright pink blush. It’s possible this was an effort to emulate the days of theater hundreds of years ago, when stage makeup was exaggerated for effect. So even though I found it somewhat distracting, I can appreciate the thought.
Thought, along with obvious care and love, was definitely placed on every element of this production of the classic story A Christmas Carol. The Little Theatre of Alexandria welcomes guests to an evening of Christmas joy. This show is fun for the whole family and is here just in time for the holiday season!
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, with no intermission.
A Christmas Carol plays through December 20, 2025, presented by Little Theatre of Alexandria, performing at 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To purchase tickets ($25, reserved seating), go online or contact the Box Office via phone (703-683-0496) or email (boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com).
The program for A Christmas Carol is online here.
A Christmas Carol
Produced by Alexis Delaney and Pat Nicklin
Directed by Michael Page
Music direction by Aimee Faulkner
Adapted for the stage by Rachael Hubbard
Additional adaptations by Michael Page
