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  • 1.  Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-02-2015 11:49
    I am looking to stage "A Christmas Carol" for our fall play next year. There are a lot of Adaptations for scripts. I was wondering if anyone knew or had an opinion on which was the "best" one or which one had the most expanded cast/female cast.

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    Zachary Mazouat
    Morristown NJ
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  • 2.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-02-2015 12:23

    Hi Zach, it's Ron in Summit -- I have done the Doris Baisley version twice-- once at the HS and once at the MS. Both very successful and there are lots of opportunities for women. It starts off with a troupe of actors "putting on a play". We built a raked stage and a giant box that had a trap door underneath. In the opening, the box opened and 25 or so actors spilled out. They decide to perform Christmas Carol and the show begins. The box becomes the fourposter bed, and all the characters can play one or multiple roles.

    It even has a handbell choir performance to set the mood -- works really well.

     Good luck - how's it going in Morristown?

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    Ron Wells
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    Lawton C Johnson Summit Middle School

    Summit, NJ



  • 3.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-02-2015 13:28
    Ron, I knew I should have just e-mailed you. Everything is going very well1 we just sold out our three performances of Grease, (which was the first time they have sold out in almost a decade)

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    Zachary Mazouat
    Morristown NJ
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  • 4.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-02-2015 15:10

    I like the Linney version a lot from Dramatists.   I thought about adapting it myself from the novel, but this one was a lot of fun.  We did it this winter, pics are available at http://trinityhighschooltheater.org

     

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    Michael Johnson
    Trinity NC
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  • 5.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-03-2015 05:29
    I love the adaptation by Brian Way done it several times closest I've found to the novel. Huge cast. ------------------------------ Ron Parker Appleton WI ------------------------------


  • 6.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-03-2015 05:53

    Alan Menken's musical adaptation is lovely, and a great sell.
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    David Montee
    Director Theatre Division
    Interlochen MI
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  • 7.  RE: Best Version of A Christmas Carol

    Posted 04-04-2015 11:17
    Several years ago, we did the RSC version of Christmas Carol which offers the chance for a huge flexible cast.  The script is written almost as a narrative that different characters speak. (Of course, all the major characters are there and play out their scenes.)  None of the "chorus" lines are assigned to characters so you can have an ensemble as large or as small as you want.  Samuel French carries this one; we had a lot of fun doing it!

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    Annie Rice
    Spring Hill TN
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