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Lakeview's Wit Theatre Brings a Modern Twist to 'A Christmas Carol'

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/12 .. -brings-a-modern-twist-to-a-christmas-carol.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 19:29 GMT by ABC 7 Chicago

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A New Twist on Dickens: “A Christmas Carol” Lights Up Lakeview’s Wit Theatre

When the holiday season rolls into Chicago, it’s hard to resist the familiar glow of festive lights and the promise of a good story. In Lakeview, a neighborhood that prides itself on eclectic culture and a vibrant arts scene, the local theater community has found a fresh way to bring Charles Dickens’ classic to life. The article from ABC 7 Chicago, published recently, chronicles the opening of a one‑night, one‑shot production of A Christmas Carol staged at the “Wit Theatre” (officially known as Wit Lakeview Theatre), and offers a snapshot of how a timeless tale can be reshaped for a contemporary audience.

The Production and Its Vision

The core of the story, of course, is Dickens’ beloved novella about the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his supernatural journey toward redemption. But in this iteration, director Sarah Miller (the article identifies her as a longtime resident of Lakeview and a veteran of the region’s off‑beat theater scene) chooses to lean into the “begrudging” humor that Dickens himself often infused into his own narrative. “We want the audience to feel as if Scrooge is looking out from the back of a 1920s vaudeville theater, wryly acknowledging the absurdity of the story,” Miller explains. The production therefore blends traditional Dickensian dialogue with a modern soundtrack featuring a local jazz ensemble that layers period‑appropriate melodies with contemporary improvisation.

The cast, largely composed of community volunteers, brings a fresh dynamism to the roles. The article highlights Alex Reed in the title role, whose portrayal straddles Scrooge’s sternness and his eventual vulnerability. “Alex had to learn how to shift from a gruff miser to a man who cares about others in a matter of minutes,” Miller notes. The ghostly visitors—The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—are presented as “interactive projections” that move in tandem with the actors’ movements, a technical choice that the article credits to the theater’s recent upgrade of its lighting and projection system.

Audience Engagement and Community Roots

One of the unique aspects of this production is its participatory format. The article quotes a theater staffer, Jenna López, who explains that the audience is encouraged to “don’t just sit back; you’re part of the story.” For instance, at the end of the piece, the Ghost of Christmas Future reaches out to the audience, prompting them to write a single sentence about what kind of future they wish to live in. These notes are then projected onstage as a moving backdrop, providing a visual manifestation of the collective imagination.

Because the production is a community benefit, a portion of the ticket sales is earmarked for the Lakeview Food Bank. The article notes that the theater had partnered with the food bank earlier in the year, and that the Christmas Carol run is the culmination of a year‑long fundraising effort. “We’re hoping that by bringing people into the theater and having them reflect on what they truly need,” López says, “we can turn a classic into something that matters right here.”

Production Logistics and Reception

From a practical standpoint, the production is a limited engagement. Tickets are on sale for $18 and are expected to sell out quickly, the article warns. The event takes place on December 15th at 7 p.m. in the theater’s refurbished main hall, which now boasts a 360‑degree set design and a stage that can rotate to bring viewers closer to the action. The article offers a brief preview of the set design, noting that Scrooge’s office is set to look like a “frozen, snow‑clad Victorian parlor” with an actual fireplace that burns in a safe, controlled manner.

Early reviews are positive, and the ABC 7 piece cites an enthusiastic audience member who said, “It felt like I was there with the original readers in 1843, but with a fresh voice.” The article also references a local critic, Marcus Vaughn of the Chicago Tribune, who praised the production’s technical innovations, writing that “Miller’s vision brings a new life to Dickens without sacrificing the core of his moral message.”

Final Takeaway

At its heart, the ABC 7 article is a celebration of community, creativity, and holiday spirit. By reimagining A Christmas Carol through a local lens—mixing Dickensian storytelling with modern sound, interactive projection, and community engagement—the Wit Lakeview Theatre has not only given audiences a fresh narrative experience but has also opened the door for the city’s most underserved families to receive tangible support. The production serves as a reminder that classic literature can be a powerful tool for change when it is adapted with purpose, heart, and a touch of that begrudging wit that Dickens himself might have appreciated.