Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within. The annual tradition is back for 2021 in a production that captures all the magic and the mystery of the classic holiday tale as Dickens first imagined it back in 1843, once again bedecked with one of the most gorgeous production designs in town.

Adeptly adapted by its Ebenezer Scrooge, Geoff Elliott, and directed with equal parts imagination, flair, humor by Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, this is the Christmas Carol you grew up with, narrated in the author’s own words by Charles Dickens stand-in Frederick Stuart.

With Jeanine A. Ringer’s marvelously fluid “scenic concept” taking us from stunning tableau to stunning tableau, aided and abetted by composer-sound designer Robert Oriol’s mood-setting music, Ken Booth’s exquisite lighting design, and original costume designer Angela Balogh Calin’s supremely imaginative period and ghostly garb, it becomes as easy as Christmas pie to abandon adult skepticism and allow oneself to be transported into the world of theatrical magic the directors Elliott and team have confectioned.

 The evening’s most vivid memories include Jeremy Rabb’s towering Ghost of Jacob Marley’s myriad of chains extending way over the audience’s heads and up into the rafters, Deborah Strang’s Ghost of Christmas Past’s appearance as if out of nowhere on a garden swing in a ruffled white fairy-princess gown and black bowler hat, and Alan Blumenfeld’s twelve-foot tall Ghost of Christmas Present, adorned in more fresh fruit than Carmen Miranda wore in her entire life.

In addition to A Noise Within treasure Blumenfeld, Rabb, and Strang (who play multiple roles each), master thespian Elliott makes for a delightfully droll Scrooge, with ANW faves Kasey Mahaffy and Emily Kosloski exuding abundant familial warmth as Cratchits.

Rafael Goldstein (Fred), Sydney A. Mason (Fred’s Wife), and Roshni Shukla (Belle) provide splendid support as do Cratchit children Stella Bullock, Darius De La Cruz (Peter), Clara Duffy, Amalia “Molly” Morris, Kwayi Grimstad Ndjamen, Gioya Tuma-Waku (Martha), and the adorable Aarush Mehta as Tiny Tim, with José Donado (Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come), Freddy Duffy (Youngest Scrooge), and Andrea Somera completing the multi-talented, multi-tasking cast.

Music director Jennifer Lin elicits top-notch harmonies from the ensemble cast, with additional kudos shared by wig and make-up designer Angela Santori props master Amy Sargent, dialect coach Andrea Odinov, and scenic painter Orlando de la Paz.

Rita Cofield is stage manager, Edward Khris Fernandez is assistant stage manager, and Troy Stafford Whiteley is Covid safety manager. Bert Emmett understudies the roles of The Ghost Of Christmas Present and Marley.

It wouldn’t feel like Christmas in Pasadena without A Noise Within’s A Christmas Carol, a sure bet to delight adults and children alike, and maybe even theatergoers as grouchy as Ebenezer Scrooge was until one unforgettable Christmas Eve.

A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd, Pasadena. T
www.ANoiseWithin.org

–Steven Stanley
December 10, 2021
Photos: Craig Schwartz

Covid-19 Protocols: Proof of full vaccination and masks are required. All audience members 18 and older must show photo ID. Social distancing available per request only. If you prefer this option, please reach out to boxoffice@anoisewithin.org to put in your request PRIOR to the show. As of December 1, children under 12 will be permitted with a negative Covid test result (PCR or antigen) obtained within the last 72 hours. Patrons 12 or older will continue to be required to show proof of full vaccination.

Tags: A Noise Within, Charles Dickens