Press Release: A Christmas Carol

A HOLIDAY TRADITION RETURNS
CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL AT
SOUTH COAST REPERTORY

COSTA MESA, Calif. (Oct. 26, 2026)—South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel) welcomes audiences back to Victorian London for the 46th annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, running Nov. 28-Dec. 27 on the Segerstrom Stage. Adapted by Jerry Patch and directed by Hisa Takakuwa, the timeless tale of one man’s redemptive journey is one of Orange County’s longest-running holiday traditions.

“Some of us come for tradition or out of love for the story. Some come because they need a little light at the end of a long year. This play fulfills all this and more,” Ivers said. “It reminds us that community is a practice: feeding one another, noticing one another, forgiving where forgiveness is possible—and that refusing to confuse wealth with worth requires rehearsal. Dickens had it right, and Tiny Tim has been saying it for nearly two centuries: This is for everyone.”

SCR’s production of A Christmas Carol has resonated deeply with the Orange County community, becoming a multi-generational family tradition. BroadwayWorld described it as “wonderful … filled with enchanting theatrics and a timeless story told well.” Voice of OC summed up its connection by saying that it “brings us a soothing feeling of normalcy that we all crave right now.” And Fanboy Nation called it “the gold standard of holiday theatre.”

In connection with the beloved production, SCR is bringing back last year’s enormously popular hot chocolate bar with a variety of toppings and souvenir mugs, photo opportunities among the festive lobby décor, snowfall on Ela’s Terrace after each performance and pre-show photos with Santa Claus on select weeknights.

“A Christmas Carol has been an Orange County tradition for decades, and we love welcoming back

generation after generation of families,” Appel said. “And thanks to the Argyros Family Foundation, our popular audience engagement features, such as the hot chocolate bar, post-show snow and photos with Santa Claus, will enhance the theatre experience for a whole new generation. Whether it’s grandparents, kids, or friends who’ve made this a yearly ritual, we want every visit to feel like a celebration.”

SCR Founding Company Member Richard Doyle returns for his sixth year as Ebenezer Scrooge and his 41^st year in the production, where he’s played many different characters, including the Spirits of Christmas Past and Present, Mr. Fezziwig, Scrooge’s nephew Fred, and both solicitors. Doyle has also appeared in 131 SCR productions across its 63 seasons, including memorably The Tavern from SCR’s Third Step Theatre (1973), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (1989), A View From the Bridge (2005) and Kings (2018).

This is Takakuwa’s sixth season directing the holiday classic. She served as assistant director for 14 years after also appearing in the production for 14 more. Her experience and skill working with the large cast of 34 actors, including 16 children who alternate performances, enhance the storytelling and theatrical experience. As director of SCR’s Theatre Conservatory, Takakuwa has directed numerous Summer Players and Teen Players productions, including Matilda The Musical, Into the Woods, Seussical, SpongeBob The Musical, The Lightning Thief, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and the world premiere of Cursed, among others. She directed Henry V, Twelfth Night and Shooting Stars at the Actors Co-op in Hollywood.

“In this moment when our world often feels unstable and uncertain, when many are stressed with financial pressures, when people constantly struggle with disconnection and yearn for human and humane connection, Scrooge’s story is especially important and resonant,” Takakuwa said.

“In the end, Scrooge learns that real value, meaning and happiness lie in human connections—to family, to those who work alongside us and the community around us, and that the true Christmas spirit is rooted in our care of and openness to others. I hope that this year’s production can help inspire a generosity and kindness that can serve as a much-needed balm for us all.”

Joining Doyle in A Christmas Carol’s cast are Louis Lotorto (Bob Cratchit), Michael Manuel (Jacob Marley’s Ghost), Richard Soto (Spirit of Christmas Present), Jennifer Parsons (Spirit of Christmas Past), Diana Burbano (Mrs. Cratchit), Tommy Beck (Young Ebenezer Scrooge), Larry Bates (Fred/Gentleman), Rachel Bailey (Pursued Maiden/Fan), Eduardo Enrikez (Joe, Young Jacob Marley), ), Bo Foxworth (Mr. Fezziwig/Gentleman/Solicitor), Thomas Anawalt (Topper/Puppet Show), Erika Schindele (Sally/Scavenger/Toy Lady), Nick Slimmer (Thomas Shelley/Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come, Melody Butiu (Mrs. Fezziwig/Solicitor) and Awni Abdi-Bahri (Belle/Mrs. Shelley).

The understudies are Kaci Hamilton (Mrs. Fezziwig, Mrs. Cratchit, Spirit of Christmas Past and Sally), Michael Polak (Bob Cratchit, Spirit of Christmas Present, Fred, Jacob Marley’s Ghost) and David Nevell (Ebenezer Scrooge).

The adult cast is joined by 16 young performers, divided into two eight-person teams that alternate performances. The child actors are students in the SCR Theatre Conservatory who auditioned for their roles after completing at least two years of theatre training there.

The Red Team features Tessany Azizi (Martha Cratchit), Nathan Broxton (Peter Cratchit), Lucy Wilson (Belinda Cratchit), Finley Roberts (Tiny Tim), Kathrina Ware (Teen Girl About Town), Yunah Choi (Girl About Town), Ivy Granadino (Boy Scrooge/Oliver Shelley) and Matthew Cerdan Locks (Turkey Boy)

The Green Team features Sophia Gong (Martha Cratchit), Isaac Person (Peter Cratchit), Audrey Moorefield (Belinda Cratchit), Veda Chaudhary (Tiny Tim), Victoria Johnson (Teen Girl About Town), Seraphina Chantana (Girl About Town), Penelope Main (Boy Scrooge/Oliver Shelley) and Nathaniel Main (Turkey Boy).

The creative team includes Thomas Buderwitz, scenic design; Dwight Richard Odle, costume design; Amy Hutto, additional costume design; Donna & Tom Ruzika, lighting design; Drew Dalzell, sound design; Sylvia Turner and Kelly Todd, choreographers; David Nevell, dialect coach, Brent Schindele, choral director; Joanne DeNaut, CSA, casting and Talia Krispel, production stage manager.

A Christmas Carol is sponsored by Julianne and George Argyros/Argyros Family Foundation.

Tickets are now on sale and range in price from $45 to $118, with additional discounts available for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555. More information is available at www.scr.org.

Related Information for A Christmas Carol

Special Events

• Hot chocolate bar with toppings served in a souvenir mug, available for purchase at every performance. 
• Specialty Holiday Cocktails available at all performances include Marley’s Ghost and The SCROOGEdriver; patrons must be 21+ and are encouraged to enjoy responsibly.
• Special Sensory-Friendly/Relaxed Performance: Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
• American Sign Language-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2:30 p.m.

Location: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Boulevard.

2026-27 Upcoming Productions: Blind Runner, Oct. 18-Nov. 8, 2026; A Christmas Carol, Nov. 28-Dec. 27, 2026; Mother Russia, Jan. 22-March 20, 2027; The Importance of Being Earnest, Jan. 23-March 20, 2027; How I Became a Pirate, Feb. 19-March 7, 2027; Three-headed Monster, April 4-May 2, 2027; The Ingenue, April 18-May 9, 2027; Hamlet, May 8-June 5, 2027; Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along!, July 3, 2027; Hershey Felder, BEETHOVEN, July 6-18, 2027; Hershey Felder, Love Notes, July 21-Aug. 1, 2027.

SCR’s annual showcase of new works, the Pacific Playwrights Festival, runs April 30-May 2, 2027.