Meg Bradley, Noah Ratgen, Jacob Koshiol, and Jillian Ehlke Photo by Richard Mailand

Open Window's A Christmas Carol uses an adaptation of the Charles Dickens novella by Emily C.A. Snyder, which is interspersed throughout with traditional Christmas carols. It remains the story of a wretched skinflint who lives only to make and keep his money–the character who is the basis of the euphemism "scrooge" for a tightwad–scorning Christmas for its goodwill, cheer, inclusion and generosity. He is forever changed one Christmas Eve when the ghost of his deceased partner Jacob Marley visits him, followed by visitations from three more ghosts who take Scrooge on a spirit journey to Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas yet to come. Scrooge is thus shaken out of his misanthropic state and embraces the qualities of Christmas that day and all through the year.

Snyder's rendition adds brief but significant bits of dialogue, in particular pertaining to Scrooge's past, that serve as his backstory, enabling us to understand, if not excuse, Scrooge's transgressions. In doing so, Scrooge becomes a more fully fleshed out human being than we usually come to know. The separate episodes we are accustomed to seeing in Scrooge's past Christmases become interconnected to depict a fleshed out human being. We see him tormented as a child at school for his poverty and isolation; see his concerns regarding the business sense of Fezziwig, his congenial employer; witness his meeting and courting Belle, who is presented as Fezziwig's niece; see responsibility for his nephew Fred fall to him after his sister Fanny's death; and watch him be lured away from Fezziwig by the glib Marley. Same plot, but the sense of the story being a whole cloth lets us know and understand Scrooge better.

This effect is deeply enhanced by Peter Colburn's penetrating performance as Scrooge, which in the course of the play runs the gamut of emotions from ferocity to despair to elation. Our understanding of Scrooge is further deepened by Noah Ratgen's astute performance as the younger Scrooge. Ratgen conveys an earnestness, rather than a callousness, presenting a young man struggling to figure out his life's course, who makes bad choices, as any mortal is prone to do. We see how he slips into his miserly state, and while that doesn't cause us to excuse his later behavior towards ... well, everyone, we have a better grasp of his humanity buried within, even before he himself does.

Other subtle but meaningful alterations in the narrative include having several employees at Scrooge's counting house, with Bob Cratchit being their spokesperson rather than the sole employee; Scrooge inquiring of the ghost of Christmas Past whether his sister Fanny walks the Earth in chains like Marley, and being perplexed by the ghost's answer; Scrooge offering condolences to Cratchit (who does not recognize him to be Scrooge) for the terrible loss his family suffers and Cratchit's touching response; and Scrooge's housekeeper appearing early in the play, showing up (as usual) during Christmas future as part of the degrading of Scrooge's estate and returning at the end as Scrooge transforms into a changed man and extends an act of love beyond even what Dickens had conceived.

Twelve of the thirteen cast members–all but Colburn's Scrooge–are cast in multiple roles, or are part of the ensemble, or both. Director Joshua Zapata-Palmer, making his professional directing debut with this production, ably handles the transitions, not only between scenes but among actors switching off their parts, to create a seamless whole. Zapata-Palmer makes good use of the simple but effective set (designed by Robin McIntyre), which includes a number of wooden boardwalk sections that are moved about to create different locations, and even to become the Cratchits' dining table.

In addition to Colburn and Ratgen's stellar work (Ratgen is also an extremely effecting Fred, Scrooge's warm-hearted nephew, here given even more cause to long for his uncle's company), other standouts in the cast include Jacob Koshiol, excellent as Bob Cratchit and also as Mr. Fezziwig's son, a character Snyder inserted into the play to a powerful effect. Sarah Stanbary conveys the outspoken Mrs. Cratchit with dash, and her heartbroken moments with tenderness. Peter Aitchison is Marley's fearsome ghost, the generous-to-a-fault Fezziwig, and a life affirming ghost of Christmas present. Jillian Ehlke is deeply affecting as Belle, and Meg Bradley makes a strong case for the charity solicitor who, early in the show, shows her great offense to Scrooge's outrageous dismissal of her cause, and is amusing as the choirmaster of young Ebenezer's school. I certainly cannot overlook Justus Heisler, among the most winning Tiny Tims I have seen in decades of A Christmas Carols.

The singing of Christmas carols is integrated appropriately into the narrative as well as being used as a bridge during scene transitions. For the most part, the cast sounds splendid lifting their voices in song, though on a couple of the occasions with only two or three singers on stage, the voices are a bit reedy, and on one occasion out of sync with the fine accompaniment by Kurt Larson who plays keyboard, cello, penny whistle, and accordion in the course of the evening.

Robert Graff's costumes are wonderful, looking very much in place in early Victorian London, and not so opulent as we sometimes see, which seems proper for the period. Sue Berger's lighting design captures all the nuance of the greatly varied moods throughout the play, and Nate Farley designed a cornucopia of suitable props. Jeremy Stanbary's sound design allows the cast to be clearly heard throughout the performance, though I am not a big fan of the amplified voice given to Marley's ghost. His appearance, to say nothing of his very presence, makes him fearsome enough; the sound effect seems a bit of excess.

Overall, this production is thoughtfully mounted and extremely well acted. Snyder's adaptation of A Christmas Carol brings new perspectives to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge that deepen the experience in ways that more elaborate stage craft alone cannot provide. I heartily recommend Open Window's A Christmas Carol, whether in addition to the one across the river or as the only production of this timeless work you see. I feel confident that it will enhance your holiday spirit.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 30, 2024, at Open Window Theatre, 5300 S Robert Trail, Inver Grove Heights MN. For tickets and information, please call 612-615-1515 or visit openwindowtheatre.org.

Playwright: Emily C.A. Snyder, based on the book by Charles Dickens; Director: Joshua Zapata-Palmer; Music Director: Dylan Sauder; Set Design/Lead Scenic Artist: Robin McIntyre; Costume Design: Robert Graff; Lighting Design: Sue Berger; Sound Design: Jeremy Stanbary; Props Design/Assistant Scenic Artist: Nate Farley; Stage Manager: Kendra Kispert.

Cast: Peter Aitchison (Marley/Christmas Present /Old Fezziwig/Old Wessex/Joe), Meg Bradley (Charity Collector/Mrs. Fezziwig/ Choir Mistress/Bess), Peter Colburn (Ebenezer Scrooge), Jill Ehlke (Belle/ Maggie/Clara), Audrey Hegewald (Belinda Cratchit/Fanny/ensemble), Justus Heisler (Tiny Tim/ ensemble), Kasmira Heisler (Christmas Past/beggar/ensemble), Thaddeus Heisler (Youngest Fezziwig/ ensemble), Jacob Koshiol (Bob Cratchit/Young Fezziwig/Topper), Kurt Larson (live music/ensemble), Carter Monahan (Youngest Scrooge/ensemble), Noah Ratgen (Young Scrooge/ Fred/Christmas Future). Augustine Stanbary (Master Wessex/Undertaker/ ensemble), Sarah Stanbary (Emily Cratchit/Fezziwig Guest/Penelope).