Theater Review: A Christmas Carol

This Christmas classic marks the end of the final full season that Dallas Theater Center will perform at the Kalita Humphreys Theater as they now move to the new Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

A Christmas Carol is Dallas Theater Center's last production at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, and they are going out with a bang.Several bangs.And flashes of light, and smoke, and echoing clock chimes, and furniture that seems to move around the stage on its own.

This classic Christmas tale was well produced with surprising special effects, characters that seemed to pop out of nowhere, and a large rotating floor that kept the action - as well as the actors - moving throughout the play.When we weren't enthralled by the musical numbers, intrigued by the moving/glowing props, or chuckling at the numerous comedic moments, we just sat in our seats with warm smiles on our faces.

Sean Hennigan played a cold-hearted but likeable Ebenezer Scrooge, and some of the harshest moments of self reckoning for Scrooge were some of the most captivating for us.James Crawford was wonderfully freakish as The Ghost of Jacob Marley, and looked like something that had just walked off The Flying Dutchman. Joanna Schellenberg was wickedly sassy as The Ghost of Christmas Past; and Natalie King, who played The Ghost of Christmas Present, had a full, strong voice that captured our attention and pressed us to heed every word she said.

And of course, we're big fans of Chamblee Ferguson who played the role of the loyal and loving Bob Cratchit with wit and charm.

A Christmas Carol is definitely worth experiencing, especially since Dallas Theater Center is partnering again this year with the North Texas Food Bank to provide meals for the hungry in North Texas.Last year, $40,000 of show proceeds was given; and by 2011, the NTFB Close the Gap initiative hopes to unite the community and raise funds to provide access to 50 million meals annually.

So see the show, and stick around afterward if you'd like to learn the magic of what goes on backstage. DTC invites you to stay late as they share the secrets behind Marley's chains, the moving furniture, and the ghostly apparitions.

For more information and tickets:

http://www.dallastheatercenter.org
http://www.ntfb.org/index.cfm