Metropolis stages classic 'Carol' that won't make you say 'Bah Humbug'

Posted November 30, 2009 10:00 pm

By Jamie Sotonoff

Scrooge (played by Steve Lehtman of Buffalo Grove) rejoices with Tiny Tim (Victoria Tchalakov of Kildeer) in "A Christmas Carol" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.

Staging "A Christmas Carol" is a Metropolis Performing Arts Centre tradition.

Every December, the downtown Arlington Heights theater presents this feel-good Charles Dickens' story which reminds people to focus on the positive and love those around them during the holiday season.

That reminder is never a bad thing. And neither is this production.

Metropolis does a fine job with this year's version, which is highlighted by an impressive set, a great grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Steve Lehtman) and a comfortable run time - roughly 90 minutes, including an intermission. There's also a fun little special effect at the end that sends you off in a holiday mood.

The story itself is a well-paced, solid adaptation of the classic story. The mean, friendless Scrooge is taken by different spirits and ghosts, including The Ghost of Christmas Past (the graceful Amy Rapp), to glimpse past and future scenes of his life.

A smoke machine is frequently used to denote these dream sequences as Scrooge observes from the sidelines. Eventually, he sees the error of his ways and has a change of attitude.

Lehtman, a Buffalo Grove resident who has spent the last four years playing the ghost of Jacob Marley, makes a great Scrooge. His Grinch-like, Christmas-hating attitude provides a few chuckles, but he's at his best when he transforms into the giddy, generous Scrooge.

The cast contains strong singers and actors, including a chorus of local children. While "A Christmas Carol" is not a musical, it's interspersed with short songs sung with lovely harmonies. The Tiny Tim character (played by a rotation of child actors) also does a short solo.

"A Christmas Carol" is billed as an all-ages show, and the ghosts and spirits aren't particularly frightening. But it's not really for younger children, because the English accents combined with the dream sequences make the story a little hard for those under 10 to grasp.

The Metropolis continues to prove it's a serious player in the suburban theater circuit. For a fraction of the price of a downtown production, fans will find this "Christmas Carol" to be an adept version of the classic.

Scrooge (Steve Lehtman) looks back in time with The Ghost of Christmas Past (Amy Rapp) in the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's production of "A Christmas Carol."

Bob Cratchit (David Tibble) holds up Tiny Tim (Victoria Tchalakov) while Steve Lehtman (Scrooge) looks on during the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's production of "A Christmas Carol." It runs through Dec. 24.

Scrooge (Steve Lehtman) gets a sobering lesson from The Ghost of Christmas Present (Glenn Stanton) in the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's production of "A Christmas Carol."

Buffalo Grove resident Steve Lehtman stars as Scrooge in the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's production of "A Christmas Carol."

"A Christmas Carol" Three stars Location: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-5982, <a href="http://www.metropolisarts.com" target="new">www.metropolisarts.com</a> Showtimes: varying schedule of matinees and evening performances through Dec. 24 Running time: About 1 hour, 30 minutes, with intermission Tickets: $28.50, or $15.50 for ages 12 and under Parking: Free, both on-street and at nearby garage Rating: Billed as an all-ages show, but we recommend it for ages 10 and up

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.