In Ford’s Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Cast Illuminates Brilliance of America’s Diversity

Since the publication of the novel, “A Christmas Carol,” written by Charles Dickens, on which today’s versions of the play are based and first released on December 17, 1843, the story has quickly become an intrinsic part of a traditional English Christmas.

Consider that in just New Jersey and New York, one can see “A Christmas Carol,” on stages from Princeton, NJ; East Brunswick, NJ; Old Bridge, NJ; Bloomfield, NJ; and Lambertville, NJ – to Staten Island, NY and more than a dozen other theaters in Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY. Sometimes, the play follows the traditional storyline. But in other cases, its directors have added music, lyrics and choreography to make the production a musical.

And then, there’s the music-infused production of “A Christmas Carol,” now on stage at the historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. through Dec. 31, which not only captures the magic and joy of Dickens’s Yuletide classic, with familiar characters and ghosts, but adds a children’s ensemble and a cast of actors of various, sizes and ethnicities – perfectly illuminating the brilliance of America’s diversity.

But what will be the audience’s first clue? Perhaps the fact that the mean-spirited Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed by a veteran actor of the stage – the acclaimed Craig Wallace – an African American. In fact, Wallace, with a list of credits that includes “Fences,” “Necessary Sacrifices,” “Death of a Salesman,” “The Guard” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” returns for his eighth year to reprise the role of Scrooge.

“It feels great to return to do the show and because we’ve had to rebuild our audience because of the pandemic, it’s even more fun and rewarding,” Wallace said. “As for playing a black Scrooge, there’s no more pressure than normal. It’s just wonderful that Ford’s Theatre has made such a commitment to presenting actors on stage who represent our community with different sizes, shapes, ages and colors.

“This show requires a village and a lot of hard work and those like me who are older, come back eager to do the hard work and to meet the new people – the younger actors – to tell this unforgettable story while also creating a comradery and love among the cast and crew that allows us to bring “A Christmas Carol to the stage in such a way that it creates lasting memories for every member of the audience.

“It’s such an honor to portray the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. But you know, this is my eighth year so trying to keep up is a bit more challenging. When I first took on this role, my knees and my back were much stronger. But I love it – and to have the people cheer for us this season makes it all worthwhile,” Wallace said.

José Carrasquillo, who leads the creative team, recreates Michael Baron’s original direction, assisted by associated directors Craig A. Horness and Erika Scott. He said coming from the islands (Puerto Rico), he grew up within a “rainbow of people,” so the diversity of the cast, for him, is nothing new.

“I believe we have a responsibility to reflect the kind of diversity that we see around us in our storytelling,” he said. When someone is in the house and they can see themselves on stage, it’s very powerful. Sometimes, it’s subtle but it matters.

“A few years ago, we did ‘Into the Woods’ and the actress portraying Little Red Riding Hood was Black. There was a little girl in the audience who had come dressed like Riding Hood and the moment she saw that character come on stage, she stood up. She looked at her mother and then back at the stage – as if in a moment of recognition. The humanity of the roles on stage is our humanity, so why not embrace that? ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Ford’s Theatre has become a family tradition for so many and we take special care of this product – it’s that important to all of us,” Carrasquillo said.

In addition to Wallace, the production also includes Stephen F. Schmidt as Jacob Marley, Kimberly Gilbert as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Justine “Icy” Moral as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jonathan Atkinson as Bob Cratchit and Emily Kester as Mrs. Cratchit. “A Christmas Carol”continues through Dec. 31. For more information, visit www.fords.org.

Ford’s Theatre, one of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, reopened its doors in 1968, more than 100 years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy.