Open Forum

Greetings everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying your summer.  I'm looking for any information you have on scripts for A Christmas Carol.  I'm thinking about producing it this year at the high school I work at but it seems like there are HUNDREDS of options when it comes to scripts/versions of the show!  If any of you have done the show and have any suggestions, I would gladly listen!  Scripts seem to range from 5 actors to 50 or more, there are musical versions, radio versions, hokey takes on the story.  I'm looking for a play (possibly with singing but not a full musical) for maybe around 12-20 people.  Any help is appreciated! 

Thanks.

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Shane Valle
Waterford, CT
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The Doris Baisley (Dramatists Play Service) version (which I have done twice), is a lot of fun. Has about 20 - 25 people and doable for HS and MS. It starts out as a troop of actors deciding to produce a play. The stage manager become Scrooge. You can go minimal or over the top! We built a raked stage on top of our stage (leaving the apron level) with a large box up center. The actors (a motley crew to be sure) poured out of the box, changed into their character for the play right on stage, and at the end, went back in the box! The box doubled as scrooge's bed (we added four poles as bedposts, when needed). For the ghost flying, we had a 2 sided ladder painted black which Scrooge climbed up (the ghost above him on the other side), and on a black stage (follow spot on ghost and scrooge), the stage crew, dressed in black, pulled the ladder (on wheels) around the apron. It was an amazing "flying" effect, getting us to the next location.

The show features a bell choir (ask a local church to help with this - or your music department) and it works well to ring in the season. You can add in songs too, during the Fezziwig scene. I really had fun with this script and so did my students. Lots of learning going on! Good luck with your decision.

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Ron Wells
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I love the Brian Way version--very close to Dickens' novel and easy to stage.  Flexible casting also.  You might also consider creating your own with your students.  I did it this past year with Alice in Wonderland for the sesquicentennial. Like Dickens--no copyright issues--both in public domain.  We read the novel together--listened to an unabridged audio version read by Jim Dale-- and then I broke the cast up into groups of three and gave them each a chapter to dramatize.  They were not allowed to use any of their own words--just what Carroll had written for the characters to say.  They were limited to four pages maximum in order to keep the play within manageable time limits, but they could "negotiate" with other groups if they didn't need the full four pages.    Didn't know how it would work, but it was amazingly easy and the resulting scrip was amazing!  We then came up with staging ideas together.  It really was a wonderfully exciting artistic experience for everyone. 

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Ron Parker
Appleton WI
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"Jamz's Christmas Carol" on pioneer drama.com is a more modern take on the story. It's great if you teach in an urban school.
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Chelsea Petty
Columbus MS
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I adapted a version from the Dickens novel about nine years ago and directed it three times for a local community theatre.  

Key to my version is ghostly figures in gray to nearly black costumes with wispy bits of fabric like thick spider webs and dust on them who move the minimal set pieces into place for each scene.  

Besides two brief dances--we did a reel and contra dance--I put in a dance at Fred's house, accompanied by a fiddler who was a "guest."  

If you'd like to read it, shoot me an email at cjbreland@gmail.com.  I have it formatted to print for scripts.

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C. J. Breland
Asheville NC
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Thank you for posting this question! I am planning to do A Christmas Carol as well and have had the same challenges you face! I am looking for the same musical qualities as well as cast size, so I'm following this thread. Thanks again and best of luck!

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Summer Heartt
Director of Drama
Napa CA
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The big stage musical version is from MTI.  But I have done Carol many times with a script adaptation I did myself.  You can use as many people as you want.  My version begins with three students who are studying the book in school and one of them  is a bah hum bug and hasn't read the material. They explain some of the circumstances about the scenes as the play progresses.  The scenes from the Book take over and are unfurled on stage.  I have used traditional Christmas Carols interspersed in the work.  I have done it with an entire live choir to the actors on stage singing to the use of canned  music.  that decision is based on the number  of students and their talent level. I have also done dancing and again that is  talent and cast  driven.  Carol is a very easy   script to adapt as it is written with much dialogue and clear divisions of scenes.

Break a  leg with your  project!  

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Kelly Thomas
Mesquite TX
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Shane,

My husband wrote a very faithful adaptation to the book. I broke up the narrator's lines and had them interact with the ensemble. It is easy to produce and runs about an hour. The language is a little bit heightened in places, as it is true to Dickens' writing style. However, it presents good practice in diction and characterization.

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Nancy Bernhard
Salinas CA
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In 2012 we used an adaptation by Michael Wilson available through Dramatists Play Service. (One of my students had seen this version at the Ford Theatre in Washington D.C.)  We loved this version for a number of reasons:

1. The three ghosts have more parts. They are also vendors (Past: antique dolls, Present: Christmas celebration fruits, etc., Future: time pieces) that owe Scrooge money. Scrooge confronts them before his night of visitations and forgives them their debts after.
2. There is a small group of dancing ghosts that adds to the horror of the visitations, much like in the movie versions. (My costumer dressed them all in white in costumes from various time periods.)
3. There is a glorious sound effect and music CD by John Gromada that is available for purchase and rights from Dramatists Play Service. We bought it right away with the scripts and began practicing with it right after blocking. The layers of emotion and creepiness it added was really effective!
4. The cast size is about 12-20 (I think I used 30), perfect to use many talented students, but not unmanageable.
5. The play is easily done using area staging.

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Valerie Gargus
Mt. Laurel NJ
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2015 19:29
From: Nancy Bernhard
Subject: A Christmas Carol - Which Script/Version?

Shane,

My husband wrote a very faithful adaptation to the book. I broke up the narrator's lines and had them interact with the ensemble. It is easy to produce and runs about an hour. The language is a little bit heightened in places, as it is true to Dickens' writing style. However, it presents good practice in diction and characterization.

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Nancy Bernhard
Salinas CA
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Hi! I'm really interested is reading your version. Looking for a great shortened version true to Dickens for my high school. My email is anorman@carlisleschool.org. Thanks, Anne

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Anne Young
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2015 19:29
From: Nancy Bernhard
Subject: A Christmas Carol - Which Script/Version?

Shane,

My husband wrote a very faithful adaptation to the book. I broke up the narrator's lines and had them interact with the ensemble. It is easy to produce and runs about an hour. The language is a little bit heightened in places, as it is true to Dickens' writing style. However, it presents good practice in diction and characterization.

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Nancy Bernhard
Salinas CA
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Several years ago, I directed Mortimer's adaptation-used by the RSC-and absolutely loved it! The narration was broken into individual lines and not assigned to any specific character; it was TOTALLY adaptable to whatever size group a director wants to work with.  (I gave each member of my ensemble a number and then numbered the narration lines-they were merchants, citizens, homeless, etc. who could interact with each other and the story line.) There wasn't any music/singing, but the Fezziwig party was in there so you can have your cast dance.  
Samuel French owns this one.
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Annie Rice
Spring Hill TN
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We've done the Romulus Linney (DPS/Concord) twice, and it's my favorite. Very faithful, been around forever, versatile cast size.

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Josh Kauffman
Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
Winfield City Schools
Winfield, AL
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I will send you my version for free. It fits your criteria. I put the Narrator down right, behind a podium. I have only slightly modified two or three scenes. 

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Michael Corliss
MI
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Would you be willing to email me your version?  I would appreciate it so much!

My name is Joy Bosley, and my email is joychun504@gmail.com

Thanks!!

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Joy Bosley
Talented Theatre Teacher
Mandeville High School
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-27-2023 08:57
From: Michael Corliss
Subject: A Christmas Carol - Which Script/Version?

I will send you my version for free. It fits your criteria. I put the Narrator down right, behind a podium. I have only slightly modified two or three scenes. 

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Michael Corliss
MI
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Hello! Are you willing to email me a copy or is there a website I can find it? Kerry_Rupe@chino.k12.ca.us

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Kerry Rupe
Drama Teacher
Chino Hills High School
CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-27-2023 08:57
From: Michael Corliss
Subject: A Christmas Carol - Which Script/Version?

I will send you my version for free. It fits your criteria. I put the Narrator down right, behind a podium. I have only slightly modified two or three scenes. 

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Michael Corliss
MI
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