Ghost Story

I am sure very few people need to be told what Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is about. Ebenezer Scrooge's story has been told so many times in so many ways, with Scrooge being played by everyone from Bill Murray to Scrooge McDuck and adaptations numbering in the hundreds over the years (Dickens' original story was published in 1843). For any who have managed to miss this classic story or whose memories are hazy, Scrooge is a money-grubber and a meanie who gets taken on a dream journey through time by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come. The experience radically changes his perspective, and he becomes a generous and loving guy. Set in Victorian England, A Christmas Carol has all the Dickensian doom and gloom, but finishes with a colorful and well-fed flourish of happiness. And let's not forget the magic of young Tiny Tim, the disabled kid with a heart of gold. Between Scrooge and Tim, we get hope, redemption and gobs of Christmas spirit. The Dallas Theater Center puts on a musical production of the story through Sunday. Tickets are $16 to $60. Call 214-522-8499 or visit dallastheatercenter.org.
Fri., Dec. 19; Sat., Dec. 20; Sun., Dec. 21; Mon., Dec. 22; Tue., Dec. 23; Wed., Dec. 24; Sat., Dec. 27; Sun., Dec. 28, 2008