Riverfront Playhouse to bring back its very own ‘Christmas Carol’ as a gift

For the 27th consecutive year, The Riverfront Playhouse at 11-13 South Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora will present its own original version of “A Christmas Carol.” This year’s performance will be a whittled down, virtual presentation available on the Riverfront’s YouTube channel on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, and Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, continuing for a limited run.

Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens story by a Riverfront veteran, the late Jack Schultz, this production of “A Christmas Carol” is an abbreviated version of the show and includes new topical content and song lyrics, written by Schultz’ children, Jackson Jackson-Schultz and Heidi Schultz. The Riverfront’s version has become a tradition for not only the playhouse, but for many of the actors who frequently revive their portrayals from year to year, as well as many area families who return time and again to relive the unique and sometimes heartwarming but always hilarious retelling of the Dickens classic, a news release stated.

For more than two decades, Sherry Winchester Schultz has directed, working closely with musical director Kathleen Dooley to produce the annual presentation.

“This year, I’ve turned over the directorial reins to Kathleen who among her many and varied talents, professionally records and edits video; the cast is as excited to see her finished cut as our audience.” Winchester Schultz stated in the release.

In his adaptation, playwright Jack Schultz has taken Dickens’ story and tells it in the traditional way, but with a nontraditional spin: Imagine that a traveling band of itinerant actors has come into town on a circus wagon to tell the story. This seemingly bizarre twist blends seamlessly into the action of the story, providing the audience with a frame of reference to explain the phenomena experienced by Ebeneezer Scrooge in the other-worldly visits he receives from his long-deceased partner, Jacob Marley, and the three spirits of Christmas, representing the past, the present and the dreaded future. Schultz’ son Jackson and daughter Heidi have squeezed the three-hour play down into a fast, fun, topical presentation that riffs on current events and pokes fun at itself.

This year’s presentation features veteran “A Christmas Carol” actors including John Vinopal as Ebeneezer Scrooge, Gary Puckett as The Ghost of Christmas Present, Jeff Pripusich as Bob Cratchit, and introduces Ellis Lanthrum of the TriCities as Tiny Tim in his acting debut. “Christmas Carol” favorites returning to reprise their roles are Jackson Jackson-Schultz, Heidi Schultz, Kathleen Dooley, Sherry Winchester Schultz and Shawn Dooley as an audience-favorite, Howard.

“Using a prerecorded video format allows us to include previous cast and accompanists in fresh, fun ways,” Kathleen Dooley stated in the release. Dooley and Eric Peter Schwartz (2017-2019) will accompany the cast on keyboards and guitar with additional guitarists Eric Prebys (2012-2016) and John D. Klatt (2016) rounding out this year’s Pit Band.

“Unlike the Riverfront’s stage, we have an infinite amount of video stage space, so mom reached out to as many cast members from the past 26 years as she could find to participate in the last song of the show. I can’t wait to see who all pops up in the video,” Jackson-Schultz said.

Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” are free this year.

“Performances of ‘A Christmas Carol’ sell out quickly in the Riverfront’s 90-seat theater every year,” Winchester Schultz said. We are thrilled that for the first time ever, we won’t have to turn any audience away since this is virtual. We also wanted to be able to include as many families as possible since 2020 has been extra tough on so many people, and thought the best way to do that would be a free show.”

The Riverfront also has been hit hard with rent and utility expenses but no income due to the pandemic, so tax-exempt donations to the nonprofit theater will be gratefully accepted, Winchester Schultz said.

More details are available on the theater’s website at www.riverfrontplayhouse.com.