Synopsis

ACT ONE opens with an overture and narration (OVERTURE/MARLEY WAS DEAD) and moves quickly to the choir describing the miserly Scrooge. (SCROOGE’S EVIL EYE). We first meet Scrooge at his counting house where he is dismissing his nephew Fred’s invitation to dinner (YOU CAN KEEP YOUR CHRISTMAS). Then, home alone on Christmas eve, Scrooge is haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley. (MARLEY’S FACE) Hoping that Scrooge will redeem himself, Marley warns him that he will be visited by three spirits. (I WEAR THESE CHAINS)

As the bells toll one Scrooge is awakened by his first visitor, the Ghost of Christmas Past. (RISE AND WALK WITH ME) Their journey begins at Scrooge’s boarding school (YOUNG SCROOGE AT SCHOOL) where he has been left alone for the Christmas holidays. (BETTER OFF ALONE) Next the spirit takes Scrooge to the office of his former employer, Fezziwig’s, where Scrooge becomes caught up in the celebration of Fezziwig’s Ball. (DANCE YOUR CHRISTMAS) Next, the ghost transports Scrooge to the moment when he broke off his engagement to his first love, Belle. (I WON’T KEEP YOU)

Back in his bed Scrooge wakes up to find his second visitor, The Ghost of Christmas Present. (FEAST YOUR EYES) They begin their journey with a walk through the streets on Christmas day. (PROMISE OF THE DAY) Next, they arrive at the humble home of Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Cratchit, as he prepares for his family’s Christmas dinner. (THERE NEVER WAS SUCH A CHRISTMAS) Leaving the Cratchit house with Tiny Tim’s future in question, the Ghost now shows Scrooge two frightful children, Ignorance and Want, and warns him about the last ghost. (BEWARE)

ACT TWO opens (ENTR’ACTE) with the introduction of The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come, played by a solo cello. Scrooge follows the spirit through town hearing callous conversations along the way about a man who died. (DEATH DUET PART 1) Next they return to the Cratchit house (THE CRATCHIT FAMILY) where the family is grieving Tiny Tim’s death (NO TROUBLE). Now at the end of their journey the Ghost leads a frightened Scrooge to his own gravestone. (DEATH DUET PART 2)

Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning to find that he is not dead and has not missed Christmas at all! (CHRISTMAS MORNING MONTAGE) Giddy and delighted he is completely transformed and relishes every moment of Christmas day. The next morning (BACK AT THE COUNTING HOUSE) Scrooge surprises Cratchit with an offer to raise his salary and assist his struggling family. Cratchit is grateful and overwhelmed by Scrooge’s transformation. (GOD BLESS US EVERYONE)