‘The Nutcracker Christmas Carol’
Holiday musical opens at Chattanooga State
What happens when all the popular Christmas stories get mixed into one hilarious, heartfelt hour?
Will Ebenezer Scrooge save the ballet? Will Tiny Tim’s dream of becoming a dancer come true? Will Fritz get a Red Ryder carbine action BB gun?
Find out when “The Nutcracker Christmas Carol: A Holiday Musical” returns to Chattanooga State Community College for six performances. The musical opens Friday, Nov. 17, for three shows in Chattanooga State’s Humanities Theatre, then skips Thanksgiving weekend before returning Dec. 1-3
This original musical, written by Rex Knowles with music by Knowles, Sherry Landrum and Allan Ledford, has been deemed “a holiday classic,” “innovative,” “a hoot,” “original and captivating” and “phenomenal” by reviewers. It’s a musical the whole family can enjoy and will recognize the classic Christmas stories from which it’s taken.
Rex Knowles explains he wrote the musical after asking himself, “What if I found in the back room of the British Library a first draft of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ and within those pages were the seeds of every Christmas story we know today?”
He started with “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker.” He had so much fun combining the two that he added snippets from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “The Gift of the Magi” and “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”
“We created the piece as a lighthearted spoof and gave Charles Dickens credit for all of it,” continues director Sherry Landrum. “But as we worked, we realized how much all Christmas stories owe to ‘A Christmas Carol’ — Dickens’ great story of human transformation and redemption.
“The theme of Scrooge, the penurious tyrant, and his worker Bob Cratchit, the thoroughly good human being, resonates throughout all the stories,” she continues. “The Grinch steals Christmas from Whoville. Mr. Potter takes Bedford Falls from George Bailey. Fred Gailey fights the psychologist, Mr. Shellhammer, to protect the name of Santa Claus. The innocence of childhood in the archetype of Tiny Tim runs through all as well in the characters of Little Cindy Lou Who, George Bailey’s children and young Susan Walker.”
Knowles, Landrum and Ledford created nine original Christmas songs for the show. They range in style from the humorous “I’m Gettin’ Everything for Christmas” to the heart-warming “My Christmas Dream.” Ledford is musical director of this production; Lindsay Fussell is choreographer.
“The Nutcracker Christmas Carol” is appropriate for all ages.
Purchase tickets at www.chattanoogastate. edu/theatre. Reservations are not needed.
Call 423-697-3246 for more information.