A Christmas Carol is on stage now!
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By Thomas Connors
Acclaimed Chicago actor Penelope Walker has graced the A Christmas Carol stage in a variety of roles since 2005. We caught up with her on a break from rehearsals, where she’s preparing to play Mrs. Fezziwig and Ms. Crumb this year.
THOMAS CONNORS: You have been with the show in various roles for so long. Can you speak to your affection for story and the characters?
PENELOPE WALKER: I have great affection for Ebenezer Scrooge; he gets the gift a lifetime! The chance of redemption is so lucky. There are probably signs and opportunities all the time—but in today’s world of easy distractions, the signs are often missed. And Larry Yando makes it so personal, the audience ends up feeling so moved by being part of his journey. We can’t help but think of ourselves and our own desire for change. Each character has obstacles to move through/overcome, and each actor creates an arc that makes that journey feel specific, unique and authentic. The reward is feeling that it was all made just for you.
TC: Some years back, the production got a bit more high tech and spooky. Can you share memories of working in the various iterations?
PW: To me, my first season was so super scary. Kate Buck¬ley was directing then, and there was a sequence called, ‘The Requiem‘, in the future of Christmas yet to come. It was literally dimly lit, yes—but there was a particular darkness in that scene that went deeper. There was a chanting mob that circled Scrooge as he ascended into the night sky. I actually asked not to be in the scene; I was THAT afraid.
TC: The show is especially appealing to young people, who can really get lost in the action. Any instances where the audience reaction perhaps made you break character? Any on-stage mishaps?
PW: Children are honest. The kids can enjoy themselves in ways that may be expressed with screams or physical jolts, but I’ve never broken character because of that. When children are in the house, we simply hold for their reactions. We want them to get every bit of the story. A Christmas Carol is a very fast-moving train. Everyone on stage has to be ready, because anything can happen and often does. There was a season where Tiny Tim vomited. I heard Mrs. Cratchit had to carry him off stage, in character!
Thomas Connors is a Chicago-based freelance writer and the Chicago Editor of Playbill.
