PORTLAND, Maine — Has there ever been a literary work that was written faster and has endured longer than “A Christmas Carol?" Charles Dickens, scratching the words on paper with a pen, finished the story in just six weeks.
That was 180 years ago, and it may be more popular now than ever.
From Dec. 8 through 10, The Public Theatre in Lewiston is presenting an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" written by Christopher Schario, its executive/artistic director. Its one of hundreds, perhaps thousands of retellings the original story has inspired.
Which raises the question: How does a theatrical production stage the story in a way that’s fresh and compelling?
We asked two of the actors, Dale Place, who plays Ebenezer Scrooge, and Sheila Stasack, who plays the Ghost of Christmas Past and a couple of other roles. Watch our conversation to see how a couple of seasoned pros make this classic come alive nearly two centuries after it first captivated the public.