Christmas Carol, A

Few regional theaters have capitalized on the public's eagerness to see A Christmas Carol more than the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. This year the company stages its 29th consecutive year of A Christmas Carol in Milwaukee's gloriously renovated Pabst Theater. Over the years, more than a million people have seen the Rep's version of Dickens' timeless fable. Yet it still manages to satisfy as few other holiday shows can. Although small things are constantly changed from year to year, the overall effect remains the same. This is a grand production:  Christmas with all the trimmings. The gorgeous sets and costumes alone are enough to knock your eyes out. The cast size, too, is grand in scale. During the crowd scenes, literally dozens of people fill the streets of old London. Often, these bustling shoppers and street urchins are caught up in song, which adds a harmonious element to the production. Old English carols are a particularly appropriate addition to A Christmas . This year, "The Holly and the Ivy" is threaded through the production in a way that cleverly propels the story line.

Among this year's changes is a new actor playing Scrooge, and a new director. Veteran actor Lee E. Ernst leads the cast as the crotchety Scrooge. He makes the most of his character's physical infirmities, reminding us that Scrooge is, indeed, an old dog who must learn new tricks. Ernst is a marvelously talented actor who approaches this role with such wonder and astonishment that it forces the audience to also see the events through fresh eyes. Ernst seems more frightened than remorseful at the appearance of the three spirits who must guide him to examine his own heart. His eventual transformation is credible.

All the actors turn in uniformly fine performances under the guidance of director Judy Berdan. Berdan moves things along smoothly, which is no small accomplishment given the large cast size, as well as the complex set changes. In addition to Ernst, particularly noteworthy performances include: Mark Corkins (who is top notch as Old Joe, a black-market operator who laments "a weakness for the ladies" when buying their stolen goods), Michael Daly (a jovial and humorous Fred, with a belly laugh that would impress Santa), William Dick (again playing a spectacular Bob Cratchit) and Elizabeth Ledo (as the charming, delicate Fan and also as Fred's wife, Catherine). Gerry Neugent, who plays Scrooge as a young man, is equally captivating.

In one of the show's best scenes, the ambitious young Scrooge allows his beautiful but poor fiancee to break off their relationship. The older Scrooge watches helplessly as she slips away. Older, wiser and now a lonely old man, Scrooge pleads with his younger self to make a better choice. The cast also includes 18 children, who add a great deal to the show's family-friendly aspect.

On a final note, it should be mentioned that some "scarier" elements of Dicken's story have been muted in deference to younger audience members. However, this does not diminish the power that A Christmas Carol will have on those who flock to the show throughout the holiday season.