A CHARLES DICKENS CHRISTMAS Music by Douglas J. Cohen, Lyrics by Tome Toce, Book by Robert Owens Scott: Conceived and originally directed by Bruce Colville cdx This is a humorous and sentimental show aimed at family entertainment. It blends fact, fantasy and a rich musical score telling of Dickens as a young man, unable to find much joy in life. But with the intervention of a magical muse, the elements of his famous A Christmas Carol begin to take shape and Dickens discover peace within himself, learning the true meaning of Christmas. STORY It is London, and its citizens are celebrating most festively. As they disperse, a 31-year-old Charles Dickens is discovered in the sitting room of Furnival's Inn scribbling furiously. Mrs. Furnival enters calling for Mr. Dickens. The young author, however, is too engrossed in his work to notice. He finally sees that she has arrived, and happily announces to her that he just completed the next chapter of his latest novel, Oliver Twist. The manuscripts are already late and need to get to the publisher. He asks her to take them there. Mrs. Furnival is concerned that Charles has written for days without taking a break. She tries to convince him to just go for a stroll through the city and take in the Christmas season; however, Charles doesn't appear to be the least bit interested in this holiday. They both leave the inn and go off in different directions. Out on the snowy London street, two peddlers are selling their wares. The two men notice Charles, the famous author. Finally, a boy emerges carrying a sign which reads "A Christmas Story By Charles Dickens." Charles sees this sign and stops dead in his tracks. He panics even more when he hears the boy cry out "At the booksellers this Friday!" Chapman, Dickens’s publisher enters and walks over to the young author with a very determined stride. He chastises Charles for being overdue with his revisions and further reminds him about the Christmas story. Dickens tells Chapman that the Oliver Twist revisions are on their way to his office (which is true) and that the Christmas story is at home awaiting to be recopied (which is a lie). Chapman suspects that Dickens is lying, but Charles assures him that he will meet the deadline. Chapman then further warns the young author that he better have that story on time and that it better be brilliant! Dickens darts away as soon as Chapman isn't looking. As Dickens leaves, he runs into a Young Woman who is taking care of a group of orphan children. She asks him for a donation and he gladly obliges. However, when she presses him to pay a Christmas visit to the Orphan House down the street and see how the children suffer, he explodes. He's not angry at the woman and the orphans - rather at the fact that he must meet a deadline and write a Christmas story which he hasn't even started. Hearing the woman mention "Christmas" only reminds him of this. Charles exits. Charles' father, John Dickens, enters and goes to a tailor who measures him for a coat. He has come to town to see his famous son and get a new expensive suit at the same time. Upon being presented with a bill, he promptly tells the tailor that Charles will pay it. The tailor scurries through the streets, locates Charles and gives him the bill. Meanwhile, in another part of London, John enters a barbershop, and is groomed immaculately (also having this bill sent to Charles), and finally dines at a wonderful cafe where he informs all the patrons that the dinner will be paid for by his famous son. Back at Furnival's Inn, Charles returns from his walk - not only disturbed about writing a new Christmas story, but also angry at his father and all the unpaid bills that have been thrown his way. Mrs. Furnival informs Charles that his father is indeed waiting for him in his room. Charles goes to his room only to find his father asleep at Charles' writing desk. In his father's ear, Charles pretends to be a waiter asking if everything is to his liking. The half asleep man tells him that everything is
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