For the delight of audiences aged 5 to 105, this toy-puppet theater extravaganza is a new take on Charles Dickens’ classic with Old World accents and New World inclusiveness. Into the familiar story are woven a surprising and delightful blend of English, Jewish, African, American and Czech winter rituals, customs and holiday songs, all performed by over three dozen marionettes ranging in size from four to twenty-four inches as well as found objects and toys.
Vit Horejs operates the whole cast of puppets, backed up by a live chorus: Czech, English, Hebrew, Slovak, Spanish & Swahili songs are performed by an “a capella monumentale” choir of Valois Mickens (West African/Celtic/Native American origin) and Katarina Vizina (a transplant from Slovakia).
The scenic design uses elements of a made-in-Prague 1920’s toy marionette theater donated recently by Madeleine Albright and a smaller set that Vit Horejs and his mother played with in their respective childhood years.
The production made its live TNC debut in 2019. In 2021 when theaters were closed due to the pandemic, it was offered as a virtual fantasy tour. Now playing again for live audiences, the show will be updated to contemporary sensibilities and restaged for this new TNC production.
