A sparkling orchestral-theatrical holiday event From Peabody Award–winning producer/director Elliott Forrest, Grammy-nominated composer John Forster, and Caldecott Medalist author Arthur Yorinks comes a fresh, symphonic take on Dickens’ classic tale of greed and redemption. Originally a beloved WQXR holiday tradition in New York City—featuring celebrity Scrooges like David Hyde Pierce, Brian Cox, Kathleen Turner, Mark Linn-Baker and F. Murray Abraham—this imaginative hybrid of theater and orchestra premiered in its expanded 45-piece version with the Louisville Orchestra in 2023.
Fast-paced and family-friendly, the 75-minute adaptation unfolds with nine actors performing in front of the orchestra, scripts in hand, while the orchestra becomes a full character in the drama: setting moods, underscoring action, and often stealing the spotlight.
John Forster’s mischievous score transforms familiar carols into witty, emotionally charged symphonic episodes: a spooky “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen,” “Deck the Halls” as a Scottish dance, a tonally unmoored “Joy to the World,” an eerie polytonal “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” à la Stravinsky, and triumphant fanfares from “We Three Kings.” Interwoven throughout are vibrant original themes.
Available for orchestras large and small, A Christmas Carol in Concert can be licensed as a turnkey touring production or produced in-house. Forrest can provide direction, lighting, projections, and casting support—or you can feature your own local talent (including a celebrity Scrooge).
For programmers, this is a playful, musically rich, and theatrically engaging way to give audiences a holiday concert they’ll remember.
Programming Notes
Fast-paced and family-friendly, the 75-minute adaptation unfolds with nine actors performing in front of the orchestra, scripts in hand, while the orchestra becomes a full character in the drama: setting moods, underscoring action, and often stealing the spotlight.
John Forster’s mischievous score transforms familiar carols into witty, emotionally charged symphonic episodes: a spooky “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen,” “Deck the Halls” as a Scottish dance, a tonally unmoored “Joy to the World,” an eerie polytonal “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” à la Stravinsky, and triumphant fanfares from “We Three Kings.” Interwoven throughout are vibrant original themes.
Available for orchestras large and small, A Christmas Carol in Concert can be licensed as a turnkey touring production or produced in-house. Forrest can provide direction, lighting, projections, and casting support—or you can feature your own local talent (including a celebrity Scrooge).
For programmers, this is a playful, musically rich, and theatrically engaging way to give audiences a holiday concert they’ll remember.
Programming Notes
- Duration: Full evening (approx. 75)
- Forces: Full orchestra, 9 actors playing multiple roles, possibility of celebrity Scrooge, celebrity narrator.
- Audience: Ideal for holiday subscription concerts, family series, or theatrical specials
- Highlights: Familiar carols reimagined through inventive orchestration; seamless integration of narrative and music; strong emotional arc from humor to pathos to celebration.
- Instrumentation: 2 Flutes (Piccolo), Oboe (English Horn), 2 Clarinets (Bass Cl.), French horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Strings, Harp, Keyboard, 2 Percussionists, Timpani.
