Traditions flourish at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be shaken up a bit.
Rather than falling back on one of its seasonal rotations of musical storybook cozies, Chance Theater this season delivers a new, extremely well-directed production of Leslie Briccuse’s “Scrooge! The Musical.”
Never heard of him? Or it? Oscar and Grammy winner Bricusse successfully wrote songs for a wide range of characters — from Willy Wonka to Dr. Doolittle and even James Bond — so the British composer and lyricist feels suited to have a go at the indelible Ebenezeer Scrooge and “A Christmas Carol” story.
Bruce Goodrich and Winston Peacock appear in a scene from “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
Bruce Goodrich, Kayley Stallings, Corydon Melgoza, and Sophie Sonntag appear in a scene from “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
“Scrooge! The Musical” is on stage at Chance Theater in Anaheim through Dec. 21. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
From left, Adam Leiva, Kayley Stallings, Bruce Goodrich, Sydney DeMaria and Lizzie Spellman appear in a scene from “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
Justin Ryan and Bruce Goodrich appear in a scene from “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
Bruce Goodrich plays the title role in “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater through Dec. 21. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
Show Caption
1 of 6
Bruce Goodrich and Winston Peacock appear in a scene from “Scrooge! The Musical” at Chance Theater in Anaheim. (Photo by Doug Catiller)
First seen and heard in a 1970 movie starring Albert Finney, and then retooled into a 1992 stage version, the Bricusse score doesn’t push any boundaries (happily, the musical spirit of “Oliver!” and even some “My Fair Lady” blithely spirits around the proceedings).
There is a last century rollicking ensemble number “Thank You Very Much.” But most of the bluntly self-descriptive song titles like “I Hate People,” “It’s Not My Fault” and “I Like Life” are simple and aim to articulate feelings in the moment more than advance the plot, which traditional book musicals strive to do.
As to that plot, Bricusse’s version may not be for all Charles Dickens purists because the composer fiddles about with the source material. And darned to even dare suggest it, but it’s possible some of these changes improve on the original.
For instance, The Ghost of Christmas Past turns out to be not just any ol’ anonymously pesky haunter, but Scrooge’s dead sister. And as the figure who redeemed him from childhood isolation and loneliness it makes sense Jenny (renamed from the original Fanny) gently tour guides Scrooge to Fezziwig’s party and his meeting with Isabel, his life’s love, whom he alienates in favor of money, as he will time and again in every human encounter.
Here Scrooge is played by Bruce Goodrich, one of the 14-member cast with a Chance pedigree. The veteran actor also chaired Cal State Fullerton’s Theatre and Dance department for a time.
Director James Michael McCale and Goodrich have worked up an interesting departure from the traditional crotchety, wizened and terrified Scrooge. Instead, the tall and lean Goodrich presents us with a vital, middle-aged Victorian loan shark, not at all denying his self-created shortcomings.
While this Scrooge may be a bit scared of his sleepless night, and a bit defensive of his choices as a younger man, ultimately there’s almost an eagerness in coming to terms with the toll his choices have cost him.
Goodrich has a high-pitched voice, strong and confident, essential for the character’s four solo numbers, and for leading the ensemble through half a dozen others.
Another singer who is particularly adept, and shrewdly cast as both cheery nephew Harry (for some reason not Fred in this version) and younger Ebeneezer in flashback sequences is Corydon Melgoza. Paired with radiantly voiced newcomer Sophie Sonntag as young Ebenezeer’s beloved, their duet in “Happiness” manifests the song’s title.
With a strong cast top to bottom, performances of note include Justin Riley’s Jacob Marley, whose operatic baritone elevates the warning of “Make the Most of this World.” Winston Peacock’s Ghost of Christmas Present is especially winning with decidedly John Belushi-esque jollity.
In the performance this reviewer saw, Amy Sorensen’s Tiny Tim (she rotates in the role with Audrey Moore) fulfilled the mission of any and all Tims, which is to get an appreciative “awwwww” from the audience after an assured, piping voiced rendition of “The Beautiful Day.”
The production credits outnumber the cast and a lot of their work is front and center.
Dialect coach Glenda Morgan Brown stamps out any American vowels possibly skulking around the cast. While this tin ear can’t attest to Brown’s achieving 100% Henry ’iggins specificity of London street-by-street accuracy, we relish her successes, in speech and song, when hearing soft, middle-class mercantile British voicing to ubiquitous East End cockney.
This is a gloriously well sung show. Music director Lex Leigh’s full cast harmonies are constantly strong. Though the male voices are greater in number, the top notes from the five female singers land as though from a practiced, full-time chorale.
Choreographer Niko Montelibano’s movement in tight quarters is satisfyingly on display. Early on, there is a delightful economic pairing of five couples arranged vertically towards the stage front, then evolving this dance into a reel.
Montelibano’s neatest visual joke comes as “Make the Most of this World” builds and the vocal chorus slowly menaces Scrooge in full Michael Jackson “Thriller” lurch (though the choreographer double-downs a full zombie too many during Scrooge’s potential postmortem hellscape scene).
Touches abound.
Sound designer and engineer James Markoski’s deep echoes for Marley’s clanking chains rumble through the hall. Costume designer Gwen Sloan’s period garb feels apiece across the cast, with Scrooge sporting hints of almost dandified dress.
Even the patriarch of Chance Theater’s local, latter-day Medici supporting clan, Wylie Aitkins, is on board as dramaturg. The program features his ruminative overview of “A Christmas Carol’s” origins.
This review isn’t totally fezziwiggy over the show as it now stands.
A scrimpy prop set, leaving screen projections to provide atmosphere and detail, is perilously becoming a Chance trope of late. Leigh delivers fine English music hall pacing’s at solo piano, but Bricusse’s score hungers for arrangements outfitting, at the very least, an instrumental quartet.
Plus, a couple grumbles aimed at Bricusse’s ghost wherever he may be resting not too gently.
The end of this narrative noticeably short sheets cathartic emotions for the familial recipients of happy Scrooge’s newfound benevolence. And, perhaps criminally worse, in this version not one of the torrents of scripted “humbugs” gets preceded by a single “bah.”
All this notwithstanding, the abiding hope here is that “Scrooge! The Musical” enters Chance’s Christmastime canon.
With all due respect to Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott, and in whatever form they are rendered, other Christmas-themed narratives inexorably fall short compared to the primal resonance of Dickens.
‘Scrooge! The Musical’
Rating: 3 1/2 stars, (out of 4 possible)
When: Through Dec. 21. Performances 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m., Sundays; additional performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21.
Where: Chance Theater, Cripe Stage, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim
Tickets: $58-$116
Information: 888-455-4212; chancetheater.com