User:Missus.Sparrow/Scrooge : A New Musical

Scrooge: A New Musical is a 2009 stage adaptation by Ray Burton and Steve Catchpole of Middlesbrough Youth Theatre. It is based on the book "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

Synopsis
ACT 1

Our story begins on a Christmas Eve night with a church clock striking 6 O'clock. It is 1843 and we soon observe trades people, merchants and shoppers in the street of Cheapside, London, engaged in their final frenzied activities before Christmas Day. Much jollity is enjoyed by all.

In stark contrast, a mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his counting house. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivers in the anteroom because Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire. After being disturbed by some urchins singing a carol at his door, Scrooge is then paid a visit by his nephew, Harry. As he had done for several Christmases earlier, he invites his uncle to his annual Christmas party. Scrooge reacts with contempt, but despite this, his nephew leaves in good spirit. Soon, Alderman Godfrey Goodheart and his wife also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacts with bitterness and venom at the thought of contributing funds to support the "surplus population". Hearing the chimes of 7 O'clock in the distance, Bob nervously requests his wages and a day off for Christmas. Scrooge reluctantly agrees.

Bob rushes out onto the street to meet his waiting children. Timothy, the youngest of the Cratchit family, is a cripple and known to all as "Tiny Tim". They buy what meagre provisions they can for their Christmas feast from various street traders and stare with envy at foods which Bob's salary could not ever afford. Scrooge arrives on the scene and despite being Christmas Eve, continues with his debt collections from the helpless trades people and merchants.

Later that evening, after returning to his cold, dark apartment, Scrooge recieves a chilling Visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley had died seven Christmases ago. Looking haggard and pallid, he relates his unfortunate story. Marley informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during each of the next three hours.

He wakes moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a strange but very caring phantom. The spirit escorts Scrooge into a journey of his previous Christmases. Invisible to those he watches, Scrooge revisits his old childhood school days where we see his sister, Fan (his nephews mother), his apprenticeship with a jolly merchant named Fezziwig and his best friend, Dick Wilkins, and his engagement to the beautiful Isabel. Finally we observe a scene where Isabel decides to leave the young Scrooge because of his lust for money.

The next phantom reveals the larger than "life" Ghost of Christmas Present. After filling Scrooge with a few swigs of "The milk of human kindness", he takes the now near-drunken Scrooge through London, to unveil Christmas, as it will happen that year.

ACT 2

A ballet of toyshop toys commences the start of Act 2. The spirit then takes Scrooge to watch the large, bustling Cratchit family prepare a miniature feast in its meagre home. Scrooge observes Tiny Tim, a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warms his heart. The spectre then zips Scrooge to his Nephew's to witness the Christmas party with Mr and Mrs Goodheart, the Nephew's wife, Helen, Topper and a young lady called Mary. Scrooge finds the jovial gathering delightful and reluctantly observes its conclusion.

The final spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come leads Scrooge to a busy street scene where traders and merchants seem to be celebrating. Jack Tomkins and his wife Martha address tge cheerful crowds and Scrooge soon understands that they are celebrating him. Joyful at being so well liked by his debtors, he joins in the celebration unknown that his coffin is being taken out of his house and indeed, the celebration was over Scrooge's demise.

The phantom takes the happy Scrooge to a sadder scene. The Cratchit's seem not to be celebrating Christmas with so much cheer this time. Tiny Tim's stool in the corner is vacant and his crutch stands against the fireplace. Scrooge is then taken to a graveyard, where we see a grieving Bob standing over the grave of Tiny Tim. Taken back by this, the phantom then reveals to Scrooge another gravestone, this time it reads "Ebenezer Scrooge"! Scrooge is then plunged down into hell by the phamtom.

Waiting in hell, his partner Jacob Marley explains that Scrooge's vast chain would be arriving soon and that Lucifer had decided to make him his personal clerk and acquit him with a freezing cold office, so he is not to be drowzy. The chain begins to arrive. Scrooge is horrified by the sheer size of it and panics into a dizzy frenzy. He awakes tucked in his bed safely in his own house.

Overwhelmed with joy at the chance to redeem himself, and grateful that he has been returned to christmas day, Scrooge rushes out onto the street hoping to share his newfound Christmas spirit. He sends a giant Christmas Turkey and toys to the Cratchit household, donates to the shocked Goodhearts and plans to attend his Nephew's christmas party. He also offers Bob Cratchit a partnership in the hop that Bob's now increased wealth would help him pay for the medical needs of Tiny Tim. The street erupts into musical Jollity - including Ebenezer Scrooge!!

The Cast
In approximate order of appearance:

Scrooge - Matthew Ball Bob Cratchit - Tim Shackles Harry, Scrooge's Nephew - Tomas Oliver Alderman Godfrey Goodheart - Joe Rutter Mrs Goodheart, His Wife - Abigail Brown Kathy Cratchit - Helena Stainthorpe Tiny Tim (Timothy Cratchit) - Robbie Brack Belinda Cratchit - Holly Laverick Martha Cratchit - Francesca Kavanagh Peter Cratchit - Peter Hewitson Mrs Potts, Toyshop Owner - Hannah Sowerby Mr Beal, Butcher - Sam Marron Bett, fruit seller - Laura Summerfield Mr Frank, a wine seller - Cayvan Coates Mr Richards, a wealthy gentleman - Jamie Richards Beggar woman - Leanne Johnson Mrs Cupps - Olivia Hannan Mrs Fletcher - Claire Stockdale Jack Tomkins, soup seller - Josh Learwood Martha Tomkins, his wife - Eleanor McGlade Mr Simpson - Alex Krstin Jacob Marley - Craig Clements Ghost of Christmas Past - Samantha Haley Miss Bride, schoolteacher - Chloe Suffell Fan, Ebenezer's sister - Laura Summerfield Mr Fezziwig - Aiden Andrews Mrs Fezziwig - Georgina Sanderson Dick Wilkins - Ben Griffiths Ebenezer, as a young man - Alex Krstin Isabel - Georgi Hunt Ghost of Christmas Past - Jack Petch Mrs Cratchit - Grace Winspear Helen, Harry's wife - Hannah Sowerby Topper - Ben Griffiths Mary - Georgina Ramsden Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come - Ben Griffiths Young Boy - Zach Kemp-Hall

Company

Emma Barron, Georgia Burrow, Sophie Bringloe, Vikkii Carmo, Emily Catchpole, Sarah Clayton, Hugh Davies, Alice Devitt, Catherine Drainsfield, Olivia Fearon, Amelia Forster, Anya Forster, Liam French, Megan Irvine, Daniel Jamison, Corey Johnson, Emily Knott, Jessica Lloyd, Helen Moule, Izaak Oliver, Alex Ramsden, Rebecca Rogers, Jake Smithson, Rebecca Tumelty, Charlie Wiseman, Chyna Wood.

Musical Numbers
ACT 1 Opening - Soloists and company Christmas Things - Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Kathy and company Scrooge's song - Scrooge Father Christmas - Jack Tomkins and company Marley's Warning - Jacob Marley and Phantoms A Christmas Carol - Schoolchildren December the 25th - Mr and Mrs Fezziwig, company Happiness - Isabel, Ebenezer, Scrooge and Christmas Past You - Ebenezer and Scrooge I Like Life - Christmas Present, Scrooge and company ACT 2 Toyshop Ballet On a Beautiful day - Tiny Tim and Cratchit Family Happiness (reprise) - Scrooge A Better Life - Scrooge Thank-You Very Much - Jack and Martha Tomkins, company On a Beautiful Day (reprise) - Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim I'll Begin Again - Scrooge I Like Life (reprise) - Scrooge Finale - Company

Production Team
Director - Ray Burton Musical Director - Steve Catchpole Choreographer - Wendy Lowe Assistant Choreographer - Katie Lowe Stage Manager - Chris Metcalfe Lighting Design/Operation - Mark Jackson Sound Equip.Operation - Alex Fitt ASM - Dave Bagshaw Stage Crew - MLT Crew Poster/Programme Design - KallKwik Publicity - Carole Narey & Team Wardrobe - MLT Wardrobe Department Staging Support - Andy Charlesworth Properties - Celia McEwan Sound Hire Equipment - Sound Hire Set Cloths - The Border Studios Set Construction - MLT Crew/Friends Posters and Programme - KallKwik FOH Co-ordinator - Celia McEwan Additional Props Constr. - Jim Colwell

MBC Theatre Staff
Theatre Manager - David Lindsey Administrator - Louise Shaher Technical Manager - Andy Charlesworth Assistant Technical Manager - Chris Train Marketing Officer - David Kime Also Chaperones, set construction, costume support, David Kime, Ladies of MLT Wardrobe, MAcmillan Academy, Coop Funeral Care (For the donation of a coffin)