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One way to relieve holiday stress brought on by baking, shopping and decorating is to take a break and see an old Christmas chestnut. Not one "roasting on an open fire" but on stage.
Pittsburgh CLO's 18th installment of "A Musical Christmas Carol," running through Wednesday at Byham Theater, fits the bill.
Dickens' holiday classic about a miser's redemption features local favorite Tom Atkins reprising his role as the heartless Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeon whose response to any holiday cheer is "Bah, humbug!" Atkins is sufficiently bewildered and terrified when visited by spirits over the course of a Christmas Eve and is obviously moved when the ghosts show him how his life was, is and could be, making for a believable conversion.
Where: Pittsburgh CLO at Byham Theater, Downtown.
When: Today and Fri. 7:30 p.m.; Sat. noon, 4 and 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 and 6 p.m.; Mon.-Tues. 7:30 p.m.; Wed. 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $13.50-$44.50. 412-456-6666 or pgharts.org.
Jeff Howell radiates Bob Cratchit's kindness, generosity and love of family, while 6-year-old Eli Tokash captures the wide-eyed innocence of Tiny Tim. Daniel Krell creates a scary Marley -- dead and alive -- and Ted Watts Jr. brings out laughs as Mr. Fezziwig. Terry Wickline nearly steals the show from Scrooge and ghosts with her hilarious portrayals of Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge's housekeeper, and Mrs. Fezziwig. Many of the ensemble members play more than one role and do so ably, although the British accents could be more consistent throughout.
The ensemble players are in fine voice on the carols and songs that move the story forward. Tim Gregory's direction and choreography keep everyone moving at a brisk pace without being hurried, keeping the show at a two-hour running time. The special effects are fairly basic, although the entrance of Marley's ghost provides a good startle. Too much eerie smoke overcame the characters in a few spots.
The set, with scenery by D Martyn Bookwalter, is a star on its own, with a background consisting of odd items -- from instruments to a spinning wheel -- that could have been hoarded by five Ebenezers.
In the end, the same lesson is learned as it has been since the publication of "A Christmas Carol" in 1843. But isn't a lot of holiday cheer found in the comfort of what's traditional and familiar?
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