A classic holiday tale and a historic DC theatre is a fantastic combo for holiday season entertainment in this city. And A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre is as delightful and engaging as it is a quintessential holiday activity.
The kids and I recently caught a performance, our first time seeing it in all these years. Why we hadn’t been sooner, I’m not sure. Ford’s has been presenting the holiday production for nearly 40 years, and it always gets great reviews. So, when we received an invitation to see the show, I was excited for the opportunity to find out what the raves were all about.
Just like Charles Dickens’ tale, the show follows the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, starting on Christmas Eve, as he journeys with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and finally waking up a changed, more optimistic and likable, man on Christmas Day. While the story is well known, it’s the execution of it — the stellar acting, lively musical numbers, period costumes, transportive set– that makes this show so appealing.
The cast, fantastically led by Craig Wallace as Scrooge, brings the characters to life with sincerity and charm — or in Scrooge’s case, bah humbug-ness, but perfectly so. Several children are in the show, all of them very talented (and I think kids in the audience enjoy seeing their peers in this context). The set evokes an industrial London — juxtaposed with the coziness of Scrooge’s home — and the transitions between scenes are seamless. The scenes with the ghosts are particularly riveting, the Ghost of Christmas Present especially outstanding in her role. The song and dance rounds everything out perfectly, bringing extra merriment and holiday magic to it all.
I also have to note that seeing the show in the storied theatre is fascinating in itself. While I’ve been to performances there, it was the kids’ first time (though they toured the theatre when we visited the museum and Petersen House across the street, a venture I highly recommend), so that was a treat, too.
If you’re looking for a holiday show for the family to see together, A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre is one that everyone will enjoy! It’s recommended for ages 5 and older, and I’d agree with that — it’s two hours long with one intermission. Note that the December 11 at 2pm performance is sensory-friendly. And if you’re planning to see the show, pair it with a stroll (and shop) around the Downtown Holiday Market, just a couple of blocks away, like we did.
A Christmas Carol
Where: Ford’s Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Through December 31
Tickets: $25-104
Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre, but all views expressed here are entirely my own.
