A SPIRITED SHOW
6 reasons not to miss OKC’s last outdoor ‘A Christmas Carol’
Beloved as a tale of redemption, Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” also centers on missed opportunities: to stop a heartbroken lover from leaving, to bond with a relative desperate for connection, to show kindness to those who are in need.
Fans of the Dickens' often-adapted “Ghost Story of Christmas” shouldn't miss their last opportunity this season to see Lyric Theatre's unique outdoor version of “A Christmas Christmas Carol,” continuing through Dec. 23 at the Harn Homestead.
What started as a necessity to allow the show to go on even in the bleak midwinter of the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of my all-time favorite productions of one of my all-time favorite Christmas classics.
Although I'm eager to see what Lyric Theatre has planned for next year's new indoor staging of “A Christmas Carol” — especially since Devon Energy just announced a $1 million gift to help the nonprofit arts organization bring its annual yuletide production back to its Plaza Theatre — here are six reasons why you shouldn't miss the final year for the outdoor version:
1. The immersive show puts you right into the story
With its 12th annual production of “A Christmas Carol,” Lyric's creative team remains faithful, as always, to Dickens' beloved 1843 redemption story. But audiences don't just sit back and watch it unfold up on a stage: Guided by “audience hosts” costumed as Victorian-era lamplighters, audiences follow the characters to various locales around the Harn Homestead, a living history museum of similar vintage to the original tale.
So, the outdoor version offers a more immersive experience — co-directed by Lyric Producing
Artistic Director Michael Baron, who adapted the script from Dickens’ story, and Lyric Executive Producer Ashley Wells, who also choreographs — that puts audiences right in the middle of the treasured tale.
That’s literally the case in some scenes, as when the miserable, miserly protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge ventures onto the porch of his stately manor house to investigate an eerie sound and is confronted in the front yard by the ghost of his long-dead partner, Jacob Marley. At the Nov. 19 late show, the crowd literally parted to allow the apparition to pass between it and Scrooge.
The experience isn’t always as comfortable as sitting in a plush theater seat — bundling up against the the cold is vital, particularly if the Oklahoma wind is getting frisky, and for those who have mobility issues, this version just might not be a good option — but there’s something special to being in the same space where this moving story is unfolding.
2. The production boasts many uniquely memorable moments.
The show’s outdoor walkthrough format creates many memorable moments, from watching the Ghost of Christmas Past appear on a ladder resting against a festively illuminated tree to witnessing the Ghost of Christmas Present make his jolly entrance inside the loft of a barn.
Whether they pick an early or late performance, ticketholders will find themselves in the dark by the time the intimidating Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come — a towering wraith-like puppet designed by Penny Benson — emerges from out of the woods to meet Scrooge in the midst of a spooky cemetery.
In time, I may even miss the lifelike but still unsettling Tiny Tim puppet — a necessary COVID-19 concession designed by Benson as Lyric first launched the outdoor production before vaccines were widely available — but I tend to doubt it.
3. The walkthrough version is merry for families with children
Lyric’s “A Christmas Carol” is devised for all audiences, but families with children may find it an especially merry experience since, like many youngsters, it perpetually stays in motion.
The story has been pared down to a lean 75 minutes — with each scene running about five to seven minutes — to make it comfortable for a literally briskly moving show that’s presented without intermission.
Although it is occasionally difficult keep little ones positioned to see all the action, the traveling aspect keeps them continually in engaged in where Scrooge’s story is going next.
4. The outdoor ‘A Christmas Carol’ spotlights a hidden OKC gem
Nestled between the state Capitol and downtown Oklahoma City, the Harn Homestead is a 10-acre living history museum and a hidden gem.
Lyric’s “A Christmas Carol” doesn’t use all the available acreage, but audiences do follow the familiar characters to various locales on the property, including the elegant 1904 Harn House, vintage farmhouse and event barn.
While audiences pass through the barn, where the Ghost of Christmas Present’s tempting feast is laid out, they don’t spend time in any of the other buildings. Hopefully, their “Christmas Carol” experience will prompt some Lyric patrons to return to Harn Homestead for a full tour, because it’s an underrated spot to take in Oklahoma’s Land Run history.
5. The talents of the cast and crew really shine outside
Lyric’s production again features two rotating casts — the Holly and the Ivy — largely made up of local fan favorites. Jonathan Beck Reed and W. Jerome Stevenson are taking turns at reprising the curmudgeonly lead role: Reed is playing Scrooge the first three weeks of the show’s run, while Stevenson is starring in the last three weeks.
Reed’s stellar stage presence and dry sense of humor make him a compelling Scrooge whose story you’d walk much farther than a stretch of Harn Homestead to see come to its uplifting conclusion.
For the Holly cast, Matthew Alvin Brown and Mariah Warren are a dynamic duo as the narrators. Brown also embodies the cheerful hopefulness of Scrooge’s nephew Fred, while Warren plays the jovial Mrs. Fezziwig, as well as Scrooge’s hard-hearted housekeeper Mrs. Dilbert.
Jason Bias again does triple duty as the spooky ghost of Jacob Marley, as Scrooge’s kindly first boss Mr. Fezziwig and as the black-hearted black market dealer Old Joe. Emily J. Pace sparkles as the Ghost of Christmas Past, while the charismatic Caleb Barnett convincingly shifts from fun-loving to formidable as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Charlie Monnot never disappoints as Scrooge’s beleaguered clerk Bob Cratchit, while Susan Riley brings a sharptongued sassiness to the part of his wife. Young talents Austin Rindler, Shawntel Black and Hanna Andreassen show promise as the Cratchit children and in the show’s other kids’ roles.
The chemistry between Andi Dema’s Young Scrooge and Kaylene Snarsky’s Belle makes the story of their squandered love especially sad.
Except for a bit of cutting out and crackling on the performers’ microphones, the Nov. 19 late show proved an impressive technical feat. It can’t be easy to keep the scenes set when they’re spread all over the Harn Homestead — nor can it be a simple task to keep 15 actors dressed up, miked up and lighted up as they roam all over the place with the audience in tow.
But three cheers to the whole creative team — including scenic designer Adam Koch, lighting designer Fabian J. Garcia, costume designer Jeffrey Meek, sound designers Corey Ray and Josh Schmidt, properties designer Courtney Strong and technical director Josiah Brooks — for their hard work and ingenuity over the past three years of outdoor “Christmas Carols.”
6. Classic carols sung outdoors are the epitome of Christmas cheer.
Nothing says Christmas cheer like hearing a talented troupe of performers crooning classic carols like “The Holly and the Ivy,” “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “Good King Wenceslas” in the great outdoors. By the time the cast closes the show with a heart-warming rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” it truly feels like Christmas.