The Unicorn Theatre is ringing in the holiday season with "Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big KC MO Christmas Show," which lifts “A Christmas Carol” from the cobblestone streets of Victorian London to the heart of the Midwest.
Ernie Nolan, the Unicorn’s new artistic director, said it’s a fast-paced retelling of the famous holiday story.
“I was looking for something that was joyful at the holiday, and something that I felt like everybody knew, that we could remix and twist a new way,” Nolan said.
The story revolves around Scrooge and his Christmas Eve brush with three spirits determined to change his miserly ways.
“It's that line in ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ‘Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion,’ and that is, I think, what the show delivers,” Nolan said. “You go from this wild and wacky irreverent show, and then all of a sudden realize the heart that is really at the center of it.”
Nolan said he immediately thought of actor Ron Megee for the role of parsimonious Ebenezer Scrooge. Despite all the clowning around, Megee says the story’s message still packs a punch.
"Each of the ghosts have a moment of, you better be looking at your life and think about what you've done and how can you become a better person," Megee said.
Jessica Dressler is part of the five-member cast taking on dozens of roles. She alternates between Mrs. Cratchit, the Ghost of Christmas Past and a host of other characters.
“The biggest challenge is changing your clothes fast enough,” Dressler said.
She says the Unicorn’s campy adaptation lets the audience connect with some of the deeper messages of the show through laughter.
“You leave with the good feelings, but also you get to laugh at fart jokes,” Dressler said. “You know what's supposed to happen, but it’s like Bart Simpson wrote the show.”
Megee said friends keep asking him if the 90-minute holiday show is suitable for children.
“There are some cuss words in it,” Megee cautioned. “But it's a very heartfelt show with some wild, wacky moments.”
Megee said children who have come to the show have asked good questions.
“We had a smart little kid ask what Hershey squirts were, and I thought that was a great moment,” Megee said. “He was very curious.”
In between the laughs, the serious moments hit harder.
"It's absolutely ridiculous. It's over-the-top, it's silly, it's fun, so you have a great time,” Dressler said. “But then you do leave with that yummy feeling, which is why I think ‘A Christmas Carol’ has lasted so long and is such a staple."
Unlike most adaptations, "Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big KC MO Christmas Show,” finishes in a rousing dance number. Megee said the joy radiates off the stage.
"The dancing at the end is great, because all five of us are giving it our all," Megee said. "It’s one of my favorite moments in the show."
For Nolan, directing the play has been a respite from what has proven to be a divisive year of politics.
“I think there's something very healing about hearing this story in the time we're in right now,” Nolan said. “There’s also something so celebratory, like, let's all be together, let's all experience this together, let's all laugh together.”
Megee said the theater has a way of bringing people together in tumultuous times.
"Ernie has given us a love letter to the city," Megee said. "Right now, we need joy, and there's something beautiful about that. Spreading love and feeling connected to our city is great.”
“Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big KC MO Christmas Show” runs through December 22 at the Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri, 64111. For more information check unicorntheatre.org.
