Familiar Scrooge gives much to ‘A Christmas Carol’

You would think after playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge 19 times, Ken Stack would show signs of tedium. You might even think that those of us who have seen him do many of those performances could find him tedious in the role. But Stack proves himself an enticing and involving actor yet again in Penobscot Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol,” running through Dec. 23 at the Bangor Opera House.

It’s not that Stack has changed his performance drastically. Indeed, he uses familiar moves, but the man so completely embodies this role that it’s impossible not to be swept up in an entirely fresh experience. Stack builds toward Scrooge’s transformation so incrementally and carefully that in the final moments of the play when he tenderly sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” it floats like an operatic aria.

The rest of the production, directed by Mark Torres, doesn’t quite reflect the same gift for annual resuscitation. Torres has added holiday and incidental music, conceived and arranged spiritedly by Phil Burns, who is also music director, and Tina Cote, who performs smartly and sings authoritatively in the show. Otherwise, this “Carol” has essentially the same intonation it has had for a decade at Penobscot Theatre, and it’s tempting to want Torres to push this traditional piece to new imaginative levels.

That said, the current production, peopled primarily by community actors, does not fall short of relaying Charles Dickens’ heart-wrenching and hope-filled holiday tale. The seasonal charm is there – with falling snow, ringing bells and enough family style warmth to melt the meanness of even the stoniest theatergoer. In the audience the night of this review, children giggled deeply at the witty parts and held their breath during the scary bits. No other single element measures success as meaningfully.

Still, Lynne Chase’s lighting design creates an animated wintry feel of the piece, and Ginger Phelps’ vintage clothing and plain jewel-toned dresses are richly adaptable to character changes.

Andrew Lyons, as Bob Cratchitt, is particularly bright, and Amanda Mooney, as Belle, has the stature and grace of a Victorian poem. The other members of this cast – too numerous to list – do a fine ensemble job of depicting the despair and joy of this story. It’s true also that they should speak more loudly and enunciate more clearly because the vaulting space of the opera house has a way of swallowing thin voices, especially when the spoken word competes with accompanying music.

Penobscot Theatre will present “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 23 at the Bangor Opera House. For information and tickets, call 942-3333.