We Want to Hear from YOU!

Share your favorite memory of A Christmas Carol. The cast and crew of the Goodman’s beloved holiday classic share their own stories and want to YOU to join the conversation:

My favorite scene is Fezziwig’s party, because of all the dancing and energy. But I wrote about that before, so I asked my dad about his favorite scene. Can you believe that I’m not even in it? Or even alive! He says that every time he sees Bob Cratchit (played by Ron Raines) hang my crutch on the wall in Scrooge’s future, he cries like a baby.
—John Babbo (Tiny Tim Cratchit)





The first year I was in A Christmas Carol was in 2004, and I played Belinda Cratchit. I was twelve years old and it was my first professional show, and I vividly remember my first day in "tech" rehearsal. I had never been on a stage that big! The first time I saw the counting house move onstage by itself, I stood there with my mouth hanging open until my Young Performer Supervisor snapped me back into reality. It was like magic. Of course, the beautiful scenery was only the beginning. The real magic was the warmth and energy I felt each night from our loving audience!
—Lauren Patten (Martha Cratchit/Young Woman)


My favorite memory of A Christmas Carol is the opening night performance. Everyone in the cast was really excited. My mom and dad were in the audience, and the entire audience seemed really excited to see the show. They laughed louder than any audience we had before.

Some people in the cast brought opening night presents for each of the cast members. Since it was my first time in the show, I didn’t know about this ritual. I guess some people bring closing night presents, so I might do that. But I did get lots of neat gifts, like Frango chocolate mints and candy. I also got a couple of really nice notes from people in the show. I have made lots of new friends, and we have a lot of fun together.

After the show, we all changed out of our costumes and put on our party clothes for the opening night party. I got to wear one of my prettiest Christmas dresses. I love to get dressed up! The party was at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant in Chicago. There were chocolate fondue fountains where you could dip marshmallows, strawberries and mini donuts. It was awesome. You could eat as much as you wanted! All the kids in the cast hung out together near the chocolate fountains. We had a lot of fun!

Merry Christmas,
Mackenzie Wilkin (Belinda Cratchit/Fan)

We want to know all about YOUR favorite memory of A Christmas Carol! Post a comment below to share your story.

I’m So Excited to be in the Cast of A Christmas Carol Again

Posted by Caroline Heffernan (Child in Doorway/Emily Cratchit/Want)

I became interested in A Christmas Carol because I watched my brother, Matthew, play the role of the Turkey boy in 2005 and 2007. He loved it and encouraged me to try out in 2008. In 2008 I went to the open call and was called back a couple of days later. I found out that I would be playing the role of Emily Cratchit and my brother would be playing the role of Peter Cratchit. So it turned out that I would be in the Cratchit family with someone in my OWN family!

This year I tried out again and was told a few days later I would be in the show again, but with some new cast members. It sounded like a ton of fun. I was very excited again! This year I am playing Child in the Doorway, Emily Cratchit, Want, School Boy and Fezziwig Guest.

My favorite thing about being in the cast of A Christmas Carol is either the Secret Santa exchange or the Dressing Room Wars. Every year for Secret Santa we draw a name out of hat and exchange notes or little gifts such as chocolate with one other cast member. They give hints but we can’t find out who our Secret Santa is until we have the pot luck at the end of the year. We get three guesses and if we don’t guess right, our Secret Santa stands up and tells us who they are. The one rule in this is that a kid can't get another kid.

The Dressing Room Wars is a contest between all the dressing rooms. Each dressing room puts together a skit to perform on a special day near Christmas. There are judges (usually our director, Bill Brown, and a couple of other people) and they select the winning dressing room. They put the name of the winning skit and year on a plaque that has the previous winners on it and hangs on the billboard backstage. Last year for the first time in MANY years, the kids won!

My favorite costumes are the Want and Child in Doorway costumes. I LOVE my other costumes but these are probably the coolest. I love the Want costume because it is so unique and scary. It is very light weight and easy to put on. I like my Child in the Doorway costume because I get to be a boy and no one really knows it's me!

Happy Holidays!
Caroline

Getting Started!

Posted by Mackenzie Wilkin (Belinda Cratchit/Fan)

Hi, my name is Mackenzie Wilkin and I play Belinda Cratchit and Fan in A Christmas Carol. I am nine years old and in the fourth grade.

Before I was in A Christmas Carol at the Goodman, I did lots of shows at my community theater. I was in Peter Pan, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Sound of Music and Broadway Bound. I love to sing, play the piano and read.

I was inspired to audition for A Christmas Carol because my mom and dad have taken me to lots of shows in Chicago. I thought that it would be really cool to be on the Goodman’s big stage with so many people watching you, so I asked my mom about it. She found the audition for A Christmas Carol online, so I auditioned!

For my first audition I had to prepare a one-minute monologue and sing a Christmas song. I must have done well because I got a “callback,” which meant they wanted to see me again!

For the second audition I had to prepare two pages of the script. I practiced it over and over again with my eight-year-old brother Jack. I had a lot of fun at the audition because I really got to act out the scene.

I'm really excited about being in the cast, and I can’t wait until the performances start!

See you soon,
Mackenzie

An AWESOME First Rehearsal

Posted by John Babbo (Tiny Tim)

Hi, my name is John Babbo, and I am so excited to play the role of Tiny Tim this year in A Christmas Carol! I just turned nine and I am in third grade. In my free time, I really enjoy playing soccer, piano and violin. I had to miss my last three soccer games of the season, but it was totally worth it because I like acting better. (Just kidding, soccer friends!)

The first rehearsal was AWESOME! I met all the cast members and crew and they are really kind! We did a read-through of the script and I could already tell that I was going to have a lot of fun. I thought, Wow, these actors are so talented! They spoke with great British accents and were really in character. After my first rehearsal, I was thrilled and tired—and couldn’t wait to go back the next day!

The rehearsals are so much fun. My favorite scene to rehearse is the Fezziwig scene. This scene is a Christmas Eve party at Fezziwigs’ house when Scrooge was a young man. Scrooge was apprenticed to Fezziwig. I really enjoy this scene because there is so much energy—we dance and dance. Last time, we danced so hard that another cast member, my “mom” in the play, accidentally (or so she says) whacked me in the eye. I have been a good boy ever since...

See you soon!
John

Go Behind the Scenes with the Cast of A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens’ timeless story of magic and redemption has been a holiday tradition at the Goodman for more than 30 years! Go behind the scenes with the cast of A Christmas Carol, and discover “the best show to get at...the true meaning of Christmas” (SouthtownStar).

We welcome you to join the conversation. Feel free to respond to our artists—or post your own thoughts about A Christmas Carol.

We'll see you at the theater!

Why High Holidays?

Posted by Artistic Director Robert Falls

I have been a fan of Alan Gross’ work since my early days in the Chicago theater. In the late 1970s he established himself as one of our city’s truly original voices with such plays as Lunching and The Man in 605, using his mordant wit and expansive humanity to examine in loving, sometimes savage detail the vagaries of human relationships. Although he continued writing plays for both the stage and screen, he has also explored other literary forms, where his finely observed musings on human actions and emotions have brought him particular success,
not surprisingly, in the world of poetry.

When Alan returned from a stint in Hollywood several years ago, I encouraged him to write what would eventually become High Holidays. I think it is his best work to date, containing both the subversive humor and passionate characterizations that distinguished his earlier plays, but with a newly forged maturity and command. Drawing from memories of his Chicago boyhood, Alan has captured the tensions, the celebrations and the uncertainties that are familiar to all of us. He examines the complexities of the relationships—between husband and wife, parent and son, brother and brother—that are echoed in every family. In his own words, Alan notes that “what emerged was a story about growing up—all of its joys, challenges and disappointments—and ultimately, what it takes to become a man.”

The distinctive humor and humanity of Alan Gross have been missing from our stages for far too long. It is a great pleasure to welcome him back.

-Robert Falls

We’d love to know what you thought about High Holidays! Please share your comments about the play with us, below!

Opening Night: A Series of Haiku Memories

By Molly Brennan

Joey Slotnick played
Frank Sinatra rendition:
No Business Like Show

Did anybody see
That handsome hatted fella
SM Intern Phil?

Jonathan Brody
Gave me a generous gift:
Tissue wrapped tissue

Ride thundering steeds
To hilarity's battle:
Paul, Scott and Christy

Watching from the wings
Mara and Tony rip it
Bam Clickety Slam

Thanks to the Prop Gods
From Molly playing Harpo:
A Farting Ladder

Charming Edward Kross
If your adoring fans knew
What a cad you are! :0)

Captivated, all
Your resounding tones and steps
O, Stanley Mathis!

Steve Scott. Santa Claus.
Have you ever seen the two
Inhabit one room?

Ora Jones down stairs:
Applause shatters Monday Night
Lady is a star

Never have I known
Such strong, quiet, smiling strength:
Thanks Old Joe Drummond

If Jessie Muehler
Ain't on Broadway in a year
Someone's going down

The real show happens
Back in the wings, Magicians
Make us look splendid

We missed you Bob Falls!
But we read your kind letter
Thank you for the ducks!

Work that chewing gum
Lift us on that tide of tune
Immortal Doug Peck

Henry Wishcamper
We'd follow you anywhere
We're at your house now.

Hey, Alden Vasquez!
You like Scrooge more than Groucho?
In your absence, tears.

At Petterino's
Spinning, funny, delightful
Servers make our night!

Chicago Stage Scene:
You were mostly all there, friends!
THANK YOU for your LOVE!!

Animal Crackers
Will all be on insulin:
Green Room of Dessert.

Katie and Kelly
Hit on by Europeans
At the after bash

As I remember
Exactly what did transpire
I'll update this post