What the Dickens! My evening at the theater

I would like to fancy myself a literary aficionado...a lady of letters...a "candide" countess of the classics. But I must confess, dearest friends, that I am a freud. In fact, when it comes to literature, I have no idea what I'm tolkein about.

So when I discovered that we'd be going to the theater to see a performance of "A Dickens Christmas Carol" in an auspicious Austin venue, I was understandably intimidated. Fortunately, I have an extensive background in the Muppet version and can quote most of the movie so I was hopeful that I wouldn't thoreau-ly embarrass my family by riding out on my short biblio-pony.

Thank you, Brian Henson, because most of Gonzo's narration is taken verbatim from Dickens! That blue-beaked bard saved my life!

I can say, with 100% authenticity, that Austin's ZACH theater's performance of "A Christmas Carol" is my second favorite version of the timeless classic...following, of course, The Muppets, but edging out that outdated version originally penned by Charles Dickens.

And it's not because they gave me a fancy foam light-up wand to wave around during the multiple audience interaction scenes.

And it's not because of the revolving circular stage in-set, a-la Hamilton...I do love a staged Lazy-Susan!

Speaking of stage theatrics, it's also not because of Marley-the-miser, rising, amid scream and smoke, chains a'rattling, before our eyes from his mausoleum...Lisa and I were terrified until our toes started  tapping to time to Marley's version of "The Man in the Mirror."

Wait. What?

This was a MUSICAL? With songs we KNEW?

Oh, yes.

Who would have ever predicted that Whitney's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" could bring an audience to their knees as a wistfully, mournful ballad as Belle regretfully (but rightly) kicks Scrooge to the curb? And, following the predicted death of little Tiny Tina, one of Bob Cratchit's kids cranks out Beyonce's "Halo" with such heartbreaking soul that the Queen B herself would have bestowed a royal title upon the talented performer.

I was delighted!

I was in familiar territory. I knew this place. I was well-acquainted with these people and their problems. But this time...I was a part of the story and the solution. Poor Scrooge was never going to be redeemed without a wave of my magical wand. Tiny Tina would not live to see another Christmas without my voice added to the heavenly choir of adapted pop hits. To the naysayers who claimed that this adaptation lacked depth? Well...cue up "Shallow" and let's sing! I admit that I went to the theater with low expectations. I was wrong. It was great. And you didn't have to be a literary genius to recognize it.