Capsule Reviews

A Christmas Carol Dallas Theater Center outdoes every previous production of its annual classic with a new musical adaptation by Richard Hellesen and David de Berry. Actor Robin Chadwick is the quintessential Scrooge, made all the more interesting by his well-tempered transition from miserly old grump into charity-minded hero. A cast loaded with local talent–Chamblee Ferguson as Bob Cratchit, Liz Mikel as Ghost of Christmas Present–sings and dances with great merriment. Fine work by director-choreographer Joel Ferrell, who keeps the action moving at a throbbing crescendo. Oversized clock faces dot the impressive set by Bob Lavalle. Truly one the whole family will enjoy and remember. Continues through December 24 at Dallas Theater Center, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., 214-522-8999. Reviewed this week. (Elaine Liner)

Season’s Greetings A bit of bitter British farce is on view out at Quad C Theatre. Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s two-act comedy finds a dysfunctional family trying to ignore some illicit canoodling going on under the tree on Christmas Eve. The cast of both student and professional actors hits every beat just right under the direction of the masterful Rene Moreno. In the little Black Box theater, the ornate three-room set by Craig “Yo” Erickson spreads out and into the audience. Like any good sex romp, this one is nonstop entrances and exits, dashes up and down stairs. Several fine drunk scenes find the characters toppled by tippling (Tiffany Kellerman makes her character’s alcoholism funny and sad). Student actress Julie Painter has a couple of very touching moments as the eternally pregnant wife of an unemployed slacker (J-M Specht). Raye Bonham shows star potential as the buxom mistress of the house who hooks up (only briefly but hilariously) with a visiting novelist (Michael Salimitari). Continues through December 11 at Quad C Theatre, 3800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, 972-881-5100. Reviewed this week. (E.L.)

A Very FIT Christmas The Festival of Independent Theatres attempts a holiday minifest of new 10-minute plays, short bits of storytelling, musical interludes and other nonsense. The only thing worth seeing is Scott A. Eckert’s astonishing one-man musical version of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, sung in counterpoint to recorded Christmas carols. Eckert’s performance lights up an otherwise unremarkable series of grim Yuletide tributes. Continues through December 18 at the Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive, 214-670-8570. Reviewed this week. (E.L.)

The Gift of the Magi O. Henry’s classic tale of a young couple whose love is larger than their gift budget turns into an elegant and heartwarming Christmas play thanks to a clever adaptation by Dallas writer-actor Lee Trull. Additional words from other stories by O. Henry are woven into the short-short story of Della (Elise Reynard) and James (Steven Walters), newlyweds who live in a sparsely furnished flat in 1907 Manhattan. Directed by Matthew Gray for his Classical Acting Company, this Magi is a revival with the same cast as last year’s successful production. At just 65 minutes, the play feels just long enough, and the quiet grace of the two lead actors casts a powerful spell. As Christmas messages go, this one–about unselfishness and the depth of true love–has it all. Add the delight of O. Henry’s ironic ending and you have yourself one nice night at the theater. Through December 22 at The Arena Theatre, Fannin Hall, Richland College, 12800 Abrams Road, 214-505-1655. Reviewed December 1. (E.L.)

Jack and the Beanstalk Theatre Britain carries on its annual tradition of staging a “panto,” the wildly over-the-top musical comedy built on a favorite fairy tale. As is customary, the leading lady’s role is played by a man (Mark Shum, hustling his bustle as Jack’s flirty mum), and the leading boy’s role is played by a young girl (Kit Givens). All storytelling halts for some audience sing-alongs and lots of ad-libs of a bawdy nature from the drag characters. Sue Birch directs a cute cast and keeps the jokes flying, including some clever visuals during the glow-in-the-dark scene changes. Just 90 minutes long, this production entertains young folk with fast-moving action and silliness, and the grown-ups can count on plenty of nudge-wink-nudge by the inimitable Mr. Shum. Great fun. Through December 18 at Trinity River Arts Center, 2600 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 180, 972-490-4202. Reviewed December 1. (E.L.)