Now a beloved Chicago tradition, The Goodman Theatre ushers in the holiday season with its adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic holiday story A Christmas Carol. Audiences look forward to the "bah humbugs," the electrifying arrival of the ghosts, the jubilant musical numbers and dancing, and Scrooge's joyful rediscovery of life, love and the Christmas spirit. Goodman's Carol continues to lift heats and spirits after four decades more than a million visitors, and the timeless holiday tale promises to be merrier and more magical than ever. The Daily Herald says the play is "the crown jewel of the holiday season" -- find out for yourself or relive the magic again.
"...So, what to make of “A Christmas Carol” on my fifth viewing at the Goodman? I can’t say that I came away with an unalloyed sense of hope, but rather a sober appreciation for the moral clarity of the Ghost of Christmas Present. In her horror-infused final scene, Thomas reveals two gaunt children (Kelly and Boparai) who represent the societal ills of Ignorance and Want. When Scrooge asks if they are hers, the ghost responds, “They are yours; they belong to all of you.” This collective indictment is a reminder that, though we can’t count on the Scrooges of our own world to change for the better, the rest of us can and should do our parts to banish these scourges from our midst."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Highly Recommended
"...The play is a captivating adaptation by Tom Creamer, brought to life under Malkia Stampley's talented direction. The breathtaking set design, crafted by Todd Rosenthal, immerses the audience in the enchanting atmosphere of Victorian London, complemented by Heidi Sue McMath's beautiful costumes. With its eye-popping effects, featuring ghosts and spirits, "A Christmas Carol" remains a timeless classic that beautifully captures the spirit of the holiday season. This enchanting tale is a must-see for the family."
"...After years of so many excellent productions of this humorous and heartbreaking holiday classic, I thought I knew A CHRISTMAS CAROL. But each and every holiday season the Goodman Theatre surprises me with exciting new surprises that make their production feel fresh, unique and even more extraordinary than the previous year. So, once again, this new production is everything anyone could desire in A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This production is bigger and better than ever! It’s what Christmas is all about, and Chicago is very lucky to have it back once more for another holiday season."
"...At a time when the gap between the haves and the have-nots has grown to levels not seen since the Gilded Age (if then), A Christmas Carol seems particularly important. Dickens’ novel celebrates the powerful positivity that poorer people often seem to possess even as it takes the rich to task for failing to treat others more fairly and front-ends the idea that money can’t buy happiness. Would that humanity would finally embrace this notion from 1843; then it might truly be a happy Christmas."
"...Tis the season at Goodman Theatre and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” opened on Sunday, heralding in the holiday in festive form. The classic adaptation by Tom Creamer is stylishly directed this year by Malkia Stampley and once again stars Christopher Donahue in an outstanding performance as the irascible humbug Ebenezer Scrooge who finds the true meaning of Christmas, life, and the errors of his ways, through the eyes of three devilishly haunting spirits."
*The designation of "Jeff Recommended" is given to a production when at least ONE ELEMENT of the show was deemed outstanding by the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee.
