A Christmas Carol

Study Guide and Program Notes

PDF: Study Guide
Get insights into Nineteenth-century London and SCR's production of A Christmas Carol.

PDF: Program
Learn more about the 40th Season production, cast & creative team.

PDF: A Christmas Carol Program Stories
Articles from A Christmas Carol past programs.

Stories

Don Took and Hal Landon in A Christmas Carol

SCR Founding Artist Don Took Reflects on A Christmas Carol
SCR Founding Artist Don Took played Jacob Marley’s Ghost in A Christmas Carol for 26 years. We asked him to share some of his favorite memories.

The Story Behind the Photo: A Christmas Carol (Scrooge)
Hal Landon Jr., who portrayed miser-turned-good-man of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, selected a photo and tells us why it's an important moment from the play.

Patch, Doyle, Landon, Keller and Koustik

Jerry Patch: On the Beach, a Victorian Christmas and Sunshine
Learn more about how the adaption of A Christmas Carol came to life.

The Story Behind the Photo: A Christmas Carol (Sally & Fred)
Actors Melody Butiu and Sol Castillo are SCR veterans. In 2018, they stepped into the theatre’s longest-running production, A Christmas Carol. Find out why this photo is important to them.

My Dad is Ebenezer Scrooge
Kate (Landon) Coogan grew up while her dad portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. She shares her memories of growing up as a ‘kid of Scrooge.’

Forty Years in Lights: Meet Tom & Donna Ruzika
In 2019, Donna and Tom Ruzika marked 40 years of creating the lights for A Christmas Carol. In this Q&A, they talked about what drew each of them to lighting design, to SCR and all about A Christmas Carol.

Art Koustik, Richard Doyle and the cast of A Christmas Carol

Meet Longtime Christmas Carol Actors Art Koustik and Richard Doyle
Actors Art Koustik and Richard Doyle portray some beloved characters in A Christmas Carol. Learn more about their combined 75 “years” in Orange County’s favorite holiday show.

A Conversation with John-David Keller, Longtime Director of A Christmas Carol
Keller stepped down from directing after being at the helm for 40 years. We caught up with him to find out what he will miss the most.

Hal Landon and Presley Coogan in A Christmas Carol

Family Affair: A Grandfather and Granddaughter Share the Stage
Learn more about veteran actor Hal Landon, Jr. and his granddaughter, Presley Coogan.

By the Numbers: A Christmas Carol at 40
In 2019, A Christmas Carol marked its 40th year, Orange County’s favorite (and longest-running) holiday show has delighted nearly 575,000 audience members. Here are some other fun facts.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry—Holiday Food For Thought
Charles Dickens celebrated Victorian cuisine in his writing including in the pages of A Christmas Carol. Get the lowdown on everything from kidney pie to punch to trifle.

From Audience Member to Acting Student
A first-time experience at A Christmas Carol inspired a teen to take acting classes at SCR. Meet Rachel Stossel and her mom.

Ghostly Encounters and a Life Transformed
Boo-humbug! Meet the four spirits who haunt Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.

From Humbug to Hope: Anybody Can Change
Hal Landon Jr. played Ebenezer Scrooge for 40 years at SCR. He shares his thoughts on portraying the iconic role.

Bringing the Spirits of Christmas to Life
The ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge’s partner, Jacob Marley, sets off a spooky and transforming series of nighttime visits for the miser of A Christmas Carol. Find out who’s haunting Scrooge.

Kids Learn the Audition Process for Roles in A Christmas Carol
SCR’s production of A Christmas Carol offers eight roles for children that are double cast, so 16 lucky kids have an opportunity to perform in this beloved holiday classic.

Tales of the Season–Favorite Holiday Films & TV Specials
Read on to learn more about some of our favorite holiday movies and TV specials!

"Was Ever A Scarf So Red?"
A 12-foot-long red scarf marks a transformative moment for Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Find out what it means.

Behind-the-Scenes: A Fascination for Detail Work
Assistant Technical Director John Gaddis IV keeps all the pieces in motion as the scenery comes together for plays. Learn more about him.

Inside the Scenic World of A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol has had a few changes in the last decade. Find out more about the scenic design and how it got a little update.

Politicians, Poets, Playwrights, Pundits: Other Voices at Christmas
The winter season may be a time of reflection—closing one chapter and starting a new one. We’ve gathered a collection of thoughts from a variety of artists, politicians and others.

Videos

Song and Dance from A Christmas Carol
Get into the holiday spirit with clips from A Christmas Carol.

A Christmas Carol: The Hat Trick
Hal Landon Jr. performs his famous hat trick.

The Human Power Behind A Christmas Carol
All of the scene changes in A Christmas Carol have been powered by humans backstage. Take a peek!

Christmas with the Cratchits
The Cratchits celebrate Christmas, from South Coast Repertory's 30th Anniversary production of A Christmas Carol.

How to Make Wassail
“Wassail” is a traditional hot drink served to carolers. A song celebrating wassail is a feature of SCR’s production of A Christmas Carol. SCR staffer Nicholas Pilapil teaches you how to make the drink.

A Christmas Carol: Scenes from the Past 35 Years
Gorgeous sets, beautiful costumes and a cast that includes more than a dozen local school children each year. This slideshow features scenes from the past 35 years.

A Christmas Carol Begins
From the 35th anniversary year of A Christmas Carol, hear music, see the cast celebrating behind the scenes and more!

SCR Audiences Taste Wassail
SCR’s production of A Christmas Carol opens with a song about the traditional wassail drink that carolers are served. But what is “wassail”? SCR made a batch and set up a taste-test for playgoers.

Bah Humbug!
A scene from South Coast Repertory's A Christmas Carol featuring Hal Landon Jr. as Ebenezer Scrooge, Daniel Blinkoff as Bob Cratchit and William Francis McGuire as Fred.

Marley's Warning
Jacob Marley (Tom Shelton) warns Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) about visiting spirits.

Podcasts

PODCAST: Hal Landon Jr. Talks A Christmas Carol
On his 40th and final year with the iconic Orange County production, Landon talked red scarves, somersaults and lessons learned from Ebenezer Scrooge.

Photos

The Solicitors (Richard Doyle and Kimberly Scott) surround Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

Oliver Shelley (Dane Bergman), Elizabeth Shelley (Monika Peña), Thomas Shelley (Nick Slimmer) get good news from Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.), watches himself as a young man (Alex Knox) woo Belle (Erika Schindele) in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) bring gifts for the Cratchit Family, Peter (Nicholas Brown), Bob (Daniel Blinkoff), Tiny Tim (Presley Coogan), Belinda (Lauren Lee), Martha (Olivia Drury) and Mrs. Cratchit (Jennifer Parsons) in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

The Spirit of Christmas Past (Richard Doyle), shows Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) a party at Mr. Fezziwig (William Francis McGuire) and Mrs. Fezziwig's (Kimberly Scott) store in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Hal Landon Jr.) and Tiny Tim (Presley Coogan) toast with the cast in A Christmas Carol (2018). Photo by Jordan Kubat.

Photo: James MacEwan, Hal Landon Jr., Timothy Landfield, Richard Doyle and Gregg Daniel in A Christmas Carol (2013) Photo by Jim Cox.

A Christmas Carol

Study Guide and Program Notes

Stories

​Videos

​​Podcasts

​Photos

Videos

Podcasts

Photos