Charles Dickens’ returns to Central New York with his 1843 hit-classic “A Christmas Carol.” Upon its original publication, which coincided with an early Victorian revival of Christmas celebrations, Dickens laid the groundwork for what would also become a much-beloved holiday theatrical tradition.
Dickens would hold public readings of this cherished tale in his native Great Britain, but proved so popular, he went on a tour of the United States. Between December 1867 to April 1868, he performed 76 sold-out readings.
But he didn’t just visit major cities, like New York and Boston. He also performed in Central New York, cities such as Utica and Syracuse.
On March 9th, 1868, Charles Dickens came to Syracuse to give a reading of “A Christmas Carol” and “The Pickwick Papers.” His description of seeing the city of Syracuse was, “The most wonderful, out-of-the-world place, which looks like it had begun to be built yesterday and were going to be imperfectly knocked together with a nail or two the day after tomorrow.”
Though he enjoyed performing for an enraptured audience, by the time Dickens reached Syracuse, making a large profit was his only motivation. Tickets for the reading were worth $2 dollars per seat and the entire Wieting Hall was sold out. In his letter home, he wrote he was pleased that his reading at the Wieting was a sell-out, earning him “300 pounds” that night, but he yearned for “the 22nd of April, on which day, please God, I embark for home.”
In a few weeks, Charles Dickens returns to Central New York with the Oswego Players faithful adaptation of his Christmas classic. “A Christmas Carol” tells the story of cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser who despises Christmas until the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, comes to warn him about the perils of life driven of greed and materialism.
Over the course of three nights, Scrooge is visited by three other spirits, each trying to convince him that his selfishness will be his undoing. Will these supernatural encounters be enough to melt the heart of the selfish old miser and transform him into a benevolent soul?
You can catch this heartwarming production during the first two weekends of December, on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th and 10th, at the Oswego Players’ enchanting venue, “The Little Theatre on the Water.” The Friday and Saturday night performances will begin at 7:30 PM, while the Sunday matinees are set for 2:00 PM.
Tickets are available for $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Secure your tickets by calling the box office at 315-343-5138 or visiting out website at https://oswegoplayers.org/. This production is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com).
Come join Mr. Dickens for a festive evening of joy, redemption and the true sprit of Christmas as we unwrap the timeless tale of “A Christmas Carol.” We can’t wait to share this heartwarming story with you and your loved ones!