A Christmas Carol Through the Years
A complete look at the Goodman's holiday classic!
1978
Celebrated Chicago actor and director Tony Mockus directs the Goodman's first production of A Christmas Carol, which sold out before it opened, breaking all box office records held until that point. William J. Norris stars as the very first Ebenezer Scrooge, a role he played for twelve years.
1984
For the first and only time the Goodman's A Christmas Carol moves off campus and into the Auditorium Theatre. The following year the show returns home where it remains a perennial favorite of the Goodman season.
1986
William Brown begins his A Christmas Carol career as Scrooge's nephew, Fred. He will go on to play Scrooge for four years and will become the director in 2006.
1987
Then Associate Director Larry Sloan's adaptation of A Christmas Carol is directed by former Artistic Associate Michael Maggio. Proceeds from the first performance are collected to benefit Season of Concern, the Chicago theater community's fund-raising effort to provide direct care to persons living with AIDS (for which Sloan was executive director.) This tradition of fundraising and activism is extended with each season; currently cast members collect donations after every performance.
1989
The Goodman commissions Dramaturg Tom Creamer to write a new adaptation of the tale. This version is used to this day.
1990
Noted playwright and actor Tom Mula succeeds William J. Norris as the second of six actors who will assume the role of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Mula plays the role for seven years, during which time he writes his best-selling novel Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol-that he later performs as a one-man-show in the Studio Theatre at the old Goodman Theatre.
1996
Resident Artistic Associate Henry Godinez directs his first of six productions of A Christmas Carol-making him the only director to stage the show in both the old and new Goodman spaces. Godinez is not the only member of the Goodman artistic staff to helm this classic work: Resident Director Chuck Smith directed from 1993 to 1995 and Associate Producer Steve Scott directed in 1992.
1996
Tony Award-nominee Felicia Fields portrays the Ghost of Christmas Present. She is among many renowned Chicago actors to perform in A Christmas Carol at the Goodman over the years, including Raul Esparza, Scott Lowell, Del Close, E. Fay Butler, Sandra Delgado, Ora Jones, Karen Janes Woditsch, Anish Jethmalani, Patrick Clear and Sandra Marquez.
1998
Rick Snyder, Steppenwolf ensemble member and director, makes his debut as Ebenezer Scrooge-while the original Goodman curmudgeon, William J. Norris, takes his turn as the most joyous character on stage, Mr. Fezziwig!
2000
After 1,129 performances, A Christmas Carol has its final night in the old Goodman Theatre on December 30, making it the final production to grace the stage of the historic space.
2001
A Christmas Carol gets a face-lift when Todd Rosenthal elaborately redesigns the set for the new Goodman space. New innovations including trap doors and improved fly and wing space enhance the production's already stunning effects.
2002
Kate Buckley directs the 25th Anniversary production and will return for four years.
2006
William Norris reaches his 1,000th performance in his A Christmas Carol career; Jonathan Wier makes his debut as Scrooge.
2007
A Christmas Carol celebrates its 30th Season at the Goodman-and the one millionth ticket is sold! Larry Yando makes his debut as Scrooge.
2009
There are a host of new surprises in store for you this year, but we don't want to give it all away!