Matthew Desmond
Contributing writer
The year 2020 was a mess. The pandemic was filled with illness and loss. People faced social and political unrest amidst racial protests and a presidential election. Many faced mental challenges and job struggles. The shutdown of live theater resulted in one more thing we had to do without.
This year things are better, and theaters throughout the US have re-opened. Goodman Theatre in Chicago, reopened in summer 2021 and has hosted many productions. However, its most famous production is its holiday run of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. This year, the production runs from November 20-December 31. I highly recommend you see it.
The play tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish businessman, who changes his life after learning to open his heart to others.
It was published in 1843. There have been countless versions since it was first introduced to the world. We have all probably seen or read some version of it from traditional iterations to the well-regarded Muppets adaptation. It’s a simple story.
The universe conspires to convert a man from being a jerk to everyone he meets to become a compassionate person by showing him: how his past contributed to his behavior, how his behavior hurt others, and how he will be regarded in the future if his behavior does not change.
For over 40 years, Goodman’s version has delighted old and young by taking the audience on a journey with Scrooge and his three ghostly professors resulting in a lesson learned by all.
A Christmas Carol is really a ghost story and Goodman pays homage to that by being just scary enough to keep the adults interested and kids on the edge of their seats.
Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s dead business partner and the other three ghosts materialize out of nowhere often with a small explosion or an unexpected flight from one end of the stage to the other. The audience knows what’s coming, but because Goodman makes subtle changes every year, there’s always a surprise.
In addition, many of the main actors return year after year, so that someone like me who has seen it every year with my family since I was seven, feels like they are part of my personal holiday season.
When the play ends, the characters and the audience sing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”. As the audience leaves, they can donate to a Season of Concern, Goodman’s favorite seasonal charity.
After 2020, people should attend Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol because the show provides a chance to pause and reflect on what is most important.
Over the last twenty-two months, we have seen incredible acts of sacrifice and generosity. Over the last twenty-two months, we have seen incredible acts of violence and disregard for our fellow citizens.
It’s Christmas people, let’s pick a side. Goodman’s A Christmas Carol makes our options crystal clear. Do we want to be self-involved materialistic people, who are more concerned with protecting what we have than we are about the critical needs of others, or do we want to live in service and leave the Earth a little better than we found it?
We all have a choice leading into 2022– jerk, or compassionate human. Collectively, let’s make the right decision and to quote the youngest and most vulnerable character in the play, Tiny Tim, “God bless us everyone”.
mdesmond@my.dom.edu
