In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit works for Ebenezer Scrooge, an unhappy, miserly man who takes out his dissatisfactions on others and primarily on the clerk who shares a cold office with him every day.
So why doesn’t Cratchit reach a breaking point, rear back and tell Scrooge what he thinks of him? Part of it is he has a responsibility to his large family which includes Tiny Tim, who cannot walk without a crutch and has a potentially fatal — if never exactly specified — disease.
The other reason is that Bob Cratchit is genuinely kind-hearted, says Alley Theatre Company member Dylan Godwin who will play the character for the third time and figures he’ll reach at least the 800 performance mark with this season. In previous productions he had played almost every character except Scrooge, he says.
“Bob is kind of my favorite role in the show to play. He’s all heart. He’s so connected to his family and to Tiny Tim,” Godwin says. And the fact that he stays with the job is something that almost everyone in an audience can relate to, Godwin says.
Scrooge undergoes a transformation after a ghostly visit from his dead former partner Jacob Marley. This is followed by visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. By the end he has come face to face with the future for Tiny Tim and is eager to help the poor and other people he has rejected.
For the first time since Alley Artistic Director Rob Melrose adapted his text from Dickens’ source material, Melrose will not be directing. Instead, after serving as the Assistant Director for the past two years, new Alley resident artist Amber D. Gray will be at the helm. While the text remains the same, Godwin says, with a different director, there’s been subtle, nuanced changes with the actors. And as with any work, adjustments are made based on how past audiences reacted to certain lines, he says.
Most of the company members are in the same roles they’ve had for the past few years, Godwin says. “We have a new young Scrooge [Derrick Moore] who is not in the Company and who is making his debut with the Alley.” Other cast members include David Rainey as Scrooge, Chris Hutchison as Marley, Elizabeth Bunch as The Ghost of Christmas Past, Shawn Hamilton as The Ghost of Christmas Present, Luis Quintero as The Ghost of Christmas Future, Michelle Elaine as Mrs. Fezziwig, Melissa Molano as Belle, Christopher Salazar as Fred and Todd Waite as Mr. Fezziwig.
With so many actors returning, yes costumes from past years get reused. Godwin is more than set for that, after running all over the stage in Alley’s Noises Off. In fact, his costume may have to be taken in a bit, he says laughing.
“This is a story that whatever life experience you’re bringing from the year since the last time you’ve seen it, that’s going to have a contributing factor in how you perceive the show. In the holiday, people love the tradition of going and seeing something they know that they can bring their families to and they can take a bit of the unknown out of what they’re going to see and just enjoy what they’re seeing.
Parents of younger, more sensitive children should be aware that especially given these are live performances, there are some scary parts, particularly with the arrival of Jacob Marley early in the show.
“This is the original ghost story of Christmas. It is the original ghost story. Charles Dickens is often credited with bringing back the traditions of Christmas that had fallen away prior to the introduction of this novella. Christmas used to be about sitting around and telling ghost stories around the fire,” Godwin says. .
As for people who have never come before, Godwin says, “I think they will be really surprised at the way we tell the story. Houston is hot all year long. It’s so amazing to come into a space and pretend you’re in London and it’s not 1,000 degrees. And to be part of a different world for a while. That puts people in the holiday spirit.
“This is an opportunity for people to come and be together and not argue and not be at odds, but just put that off to the side and enjoy a story that makes you think and a story that makes you feel good and is the story of ultimate redemption.”
Performances are scheduled for November 15 through December 29 at 7 p.m. continues through December 29 at 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 1:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and 6:30 p.m. Sundays at Alley Theatre, 615 Texas. For more information, call 713-220-5700 or visit alleytheatre.org. $28-$84.
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
