Since its introduction as a novella in 1843, Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of greed, ghosts and growth has become a holiday classic. From Ebenezer Scrooge to Tiny Tim, its characters remain firmly in the zeitgeist every year, an indication of the universal appeal and the enduring popularity of the tale. Creatives continue to adapt the story, bringing it to life with animation, Muppets, movement and more. Specifically, the story has become a holiday theatrical tradition, whether performed with Dickensian costume and dialogue or in a contemporary context made anew.
Concord Theatricals proudly licenses dozens of adaptations of Scrooge’s story, ranging from period ensemble dramas that follow the original story closely to irreverent comedic spins featuring its characters. This resource is your own personal ghostly guide to all of our versions and variations on A Christmas Carol, whether you seek a faithful adaptation or a creative reinvention.
Classic Carols – These tried-and-trues stay the closest to the original in terms of characters, context and language.
A Christmas Carol (DeLaurier) by Peter DeLaurier (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 6w, 10m)
Faithful to Dickens’ beautiful language, this flexible adaptation of the beloved Christmas classic tells the heartwarming story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr. Scrooge is always cold-hearted, and Christmas is no exception – that is, until the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, comes to warn him about the consequences of living a life of greed and materialism. Is the visit of the four spirits enough to make the selfish old miser change his ways?
A Christmas Carol (Elwell) by Jeffery Scott Elwell (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 9w, 13m, 6 any gender)
This adaptation of the Dickens holiday classic follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas – with a twist at the end of the journey. Breathing new life into a classic Christmas tale, Elwell’s version of the story speaks to the heart of Dickens’ text.
A Christmas Carol (Goldfinger) by Jacqueline Goldfinger (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 6m, 1 girl, 1 boy)
This swift adaptation of the Christmas classic remains true to the original story by incorporating portions of the Dickens novella not usually seen on the stage or screen. Infused with a myriad of popular Christmas carols and a subtle twist of contemporary humor, the morality tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is brought to life with holiday spirit.
A Christmas Carol (Greenwood) by Cora Wilson Greenwood (US)
(Short Play, Drama / 6w, 8m, 1 any gender)
Told through nine informal scenes connected by the voice of a commentator, this condensed version of the tale keeps all the heart of the original. As miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge falls asleep in his dingy quarters on Christmas Eve, three ghosts appear, each revealing to Scrooge the wrong doings of his life and what will happen if he continues in his evil ways.
A Christmas Carol (Linney) by Romulus Linney (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2m, 2 boys + ensemble)
An adaptation of Dickens’ classic story by an an acclaimed American playwright. Of his new stage version of the story, Linney writes, “When the Milwaukee Repertory asked me about adapting for them, I did not remember actually reading the book… So when I read [it], I was of course amazed, not only at its beauty and durability, but at its blazing theatricality. It is part Hamlet… part Everyman… and part Charlie Chaplin. I vowed to stick to the bones of the story as closely as I could to take the evolution of Scrooge seriously, and to try and find, as he does, the child within him that slowly emerges from his ordeal to such bountiful happiness.”
A Christmas Carol (Ludlam) by Charles Ludlam (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 14w, 17m)
A ridiculous but surprisingly faithful rendition of the Dickens classic; Ludlam finds the humor as well as the pathos in this Victorian melodrama, making for an adaptation that is both Dickensian and stageworthy. In it, Scrooge is haunted by the four ghosts of the original. Once faced with his own mortality and the evil results of his misanthropic, miserly ways, Scrooge finds redemption, reconciles with all, and becomes a second father to his assistant’s son, Tiny Tim.
A Christmas Carol (Monk) by Ed Monk (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 7w, 9m, 9 any)
A lean, entertaining and faithful adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Told with clarity of heart and message, Ed Monk’s adaptation condenses the holiday classic into something simple yet incredibly stylistic.
A Christmas Carol (Paller) by Michael Paller (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 5m, 3 any gender youth)
This fresh approach to the classic tale faithfully conveys the magic of Dickens. On Christmas Eve in 1843, friends and family gathered at Dickens’ home ask him to tell a story, but he refuses to work on Christmas Eve. If there is going to be a story, each must take a part in its telling. And so the story of A Christmas Carol unfolds – with the cast of 10 playing over 40 parts!
A Christmas Carol (Stevens) by Lynn Stevens (US)
(Full-Length Play with Music, Dramatic Comedy / 9w, 9m)
This telling of the classic holiday tale incorporates traditional Christmas carols to give Dickens’ words new musicality and verve by suggesting period-appropriate Christmas carols to accompany the original story. An inspiring adaptation that captures the essence of the great tale and of the meaning of Christmas.
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley by Israel Horovitz (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5w, 10m, 3 girls, 5 boys)
Famous the world over, the often bizarre and ultimately heart-warming story of Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and the others needs no detailing here. Commissioned by Center Stage in Baltimore and produced to great critical and popular success, Horovitz’s adaptation follows the Dickens original scrupulously but, in bringing it to life on the stage, adds elements of inventiveness and brilliant theatricality that enhance and strengthen its timeless virtues.
Comedic Infusions – The bah humbug turns into a ba-ha-ha-ha-humbug with these humor-forward versions.
A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol by Paul and Phil Olson (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2w, 3m)
This smash-hit sequel to the award-winning musical Don’t Hug Me (US) is a hilarious spoof of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It’s Christmas Eve in Bunyan Bay, Minnesota and cantankerous bar owner Gunner Johnson has a holiday-themed opportunity to find redemption. This zany musical comedy requires only a simple set and five actors to bring its 17 original songs to life, including “The Wheel is Turnin’ but the Hamster is Dead,” “What Would Barbra Streisand Do?” and “I’d Rather be Naughty.”
A Krampus Carol by Brent Holland (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 5m)
On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus’s oft-forgotten demon partner, Krampus, is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley, who hopes to get him to see the error of his ways. But the joke’s on Marley: Krampus loves his life! So what if his method for punishing kids who misbehave lost him the respect of his family, friends and the elves who work for him? Spying on the past, present and future isn’t going to change his mind! This hilarious and irreverent comedy pits Dickens’ classic redemption tale against a stubborn holiday fiend who doesn’t think he needs to be saved.
Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big [Your Town Here] Christmas Show! by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5 any gender)
A streamlined, freewheeling American adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that sends Scrooge from his childhood in England (at the Burberry Academy for Unloved Boys) to America to make his fortune after being spurned by the love of his life. This Scrooge riffs on the classic story with local references, irreverent humor, homemade magic and lightning-fast quick changes that astound and delight. The joy of the show is watching a talented, funny cast of five navigate all the lunacy.
Eb Scrooge: A Southern Fried Carol by Ian Mairs (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 20w, 15m)
Cast out your cockneys and leave that stale fruit cake at home – enter a world of grits and gravy, red velvet cake and the occasional glass of sweet tea. This modern spin on a timeless classic captures the sights and sounds of contemporary life in today’s South, while maintaining the spirit of Dickens’ beloved tale of greed and redemption.
I’m Not Ebenezer Scrooge! by Tim Kochenderfer (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 9w, 7m)
The famous tale of Ebenezer Scrooge haunts an unsuspecting, slightly dimwitted, modern-day penny pincher in this hilarious spoof of the quintessential Christmas classic. After getting dumped on Christmas Eve, Carter’s holiday goes from bad to worse when the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future mistake him for Scrooge. After being dragged kicking and screaming through the legendary miser’s life, Carter realizes he may share a similar fate!
Scrooge in Rouge by Ricky Graham, Yvette Hargis, Jeffery Roberson and Jefferson Turner (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 4 any gender adult)
This quick-change, cross-dressing version of the Charles Dickens classic is set in a Victorian music hall. The Royal Music Hall Twenty-Member Variety Players are beset with a widespread case of food poisoning, leaving only three surviving members to soldier on through a performance of A Christmas Carol. The undaunted trio gamely faces missed cues, ill-fitting costumes and solving the problem of having no one to play Tiny Tim. Done in the style of British Music Hall, this raucous holiday treat abounds in bad puns, bawdy malapropisms, naughty double-entendres and witty songs.
The Bullies’ Christmas Carol by Roz Mihalko and Donna Swift (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 10w, 11m)
Terrible twins Ebbie and Neezer bully their classmates, steal toys from homeless children and do everything they can to ruin the school’s annual All-Inclusive, Non-Specific Holiday Celebration. But when three goofy ghosts show the siblings the past, present and future consequences of their awful deeds, they take another look at their choices. Will the badly-behaved duo change their ways in time to save the big show – and themselves? A twist on a classic holiday tale sure to delight naughty and nice kids alike.
Times Square Angel by Charles Busch (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 7m)
Charles Busch’s hilarious and heartwarming spoof of early Hollywood’s brand of holiday fare continues to delight audiences year after year. In New York, 1948, Irish O’Flanagan is the tough-as-nails redheaded headliner of the Club Intimé. A lifetime of hard knocks has left her bitter and with a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Rushmore. In the spirit of film fantasies like A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life and The Bishop’s Wife, an angel in the form of a sexy vaudeville magician named Albert comes down to show Irish the error of her ways.
Twisting Carol by Jonathan Dorf (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 3w, 7m, 3 any gender youth)
In this twisted riff on the holiday classic, Scrooge is so miserly and self-centered that he hasn’t even noticed his dead partner Marley’s corpse is stuck on the roof and causing a stink. But then Marley’s ghost arrives (mistaking himself for the reggae icon, dreadlocks and all) to warn Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits – but doesn’t mention that they’ll be an aerobics instructor, a guy named Bob and a flasher. Along with Short Tim (he was tired of the “tiny” label), the spirits warm Scrooge’s heart and he embraces the true meaning of Christmas. Too bad Marley’s still stranded on the roof…
Contemporary Interpretations – These adaptations bring the beloved story forward into the present day.
A Carol Christmas by Doug Haverty and Bruce Kimmel (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 9w, 5m)
Carol, the workaholic head of a home shopping network, is haunted by the ghost of a former business partner. During one fateful night, she must confront the very things that pushed her away from people to finally appreciate the true meaning of Christmas. With catchy songs and a clever script, A Carol Christmas is the perfect family-friendly musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens holiday classic.
A Christmas for Carol by Michael Mitnick (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 5w, 4m, 4 any gender)
Carol is a selfless but lonely veterinarian who can easily reset a dog’s broken leg, yet can’t mend the broken ties with the people in her life. To compensate, she is cripplingly generous – allowing her employees to drain her wallet and her sister to run off with the love of her life. Alone in her office on Christmas Eve, Carol is visited by the ghosts of three animals who whisk her on a journey into her past, present and future to convince her to stand up for herself before it’s too late. A Christmas Carol is turned inside-out in this dark comedy with a light heart.
A Queer Carol by Joe Godfrey (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 7m)
A contemporary gay re-telling of the Dickens classic that delves into the downward spiral of Ben Scrooge and Jake Marley, who were partners in life as well as in their interior design business. With Marilyn Monroe as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Bob Cratchit’s partner Tim living with HIV, there are twists aplenty. And yet, this honest and moving adaptation remains surprisingly faithful to the spirit of the original with its sense of wonder and Christmas spirit.
Christmas Carol: The Remix by the Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax & Pos) (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4 any gender adult)
In this hip-hop remix of Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Hip-Hop Past, Present, and Future… and a Jamaican Jacob Marley. As Scrooge is shown the path of rhythm and redemption, will he throw off his selfish chains and join the beat? This refreshing musical mixes everything from reggae to rock, updating and funkifying this beloved tale of love, forgiveness and Christmas spirit.
Humbug by John Wooten (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 6w, 6m)
A non-musical Christmas Carol with a modern-day twist, Humbug follows the story of Eleanor Scrooge, a ruthlessly ambitious Wall Street executive who has an aversion to Christmas and an insatiable appetite for power. Locked in her office on a snowy Christmas Eve, Eleanor is determined to finish a corporate-takeover proposal until three “advisors” provide her with an eye-opening new appreciation for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. An upbeat and moving adaptation of Dickens’ holiday classic, Humbug is one for the ages. With a contemporary flair, it is a tale the whole family will enjoy!
Suzie Scrooge by Don Zolidis (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 2w, 6m, 6 any gender youth)
In this modern-day adaptation of the beloved Dickens classic, it’s one year after Scrooge’s miraculous transformation. Now everyone is out to take advantage of him, including the unscrupulous Cratchits. Scrooge’s niece, Suzie, tries to look out for him, but instead of saving her uncle, she’s visited by a series of well-meaning spirits: the ghost of her old lab partner, her dead driving instructor and other oddities who insist on teaching her the true meaning of Christmas. Will they get what they bargained for?
The Night Shift Before Christmas by Isaac Gómez (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1w)
Meet Margot, a 30-something Tejana who works at a beloved whata-sized Texas burger joint. The Christmas Eve overnight shift is her personal tradition – even if that means spending the holiday dealing with grumpy drive-thru customers and an equally grumpy robotic Santa. But when her dead best friend Jackie Marley drops by to warn her of impending late-night visits by spirits, Margot has no choice but to roll with the punches and confront the very Scrooge she’s become. It’s a Christmas Eve like none other in this brand-new holiday show filled with humor and heart set in H-town by Texan playwright Isaac Gómez.
Crafty Carols – These versions can be performed on any budget – even the most miserly – by featuring a small cast and/or scaled-down design.
A Christmas Carol (Barlow) by Patrick Barlow (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 3m)
Patrick Barlow, writer of the Broadway and West End hit The 39 Steps (US/UK), has retold Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. This thrilling adaptation uses only five actors to bring some of Dickens’ most beloved characters to life. From Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig, Barlow’s A Christmas Carol uses nothing more than some simple props, fresh physicality and the power of imagination to convey this timeless story of redemption.
A Christmas Carol (Bodine) by Greg Oliver Bodine (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1m)
Charles Dickens’ 1867 American Reading Tour is off to a rough start. Due to an inexplicable loss of his luggage, he regretfully announces that he will be unable to read from his beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. All is not lost however; Dickens delivers what he promised by performing from memory the magical story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from miserliness to redemption with warmth and humor. This one-man play is based on the condensed version Dickens himself used on his historic reading tours of the United States and offers a chance to tell the magic of the tale with just one dynamic actor.
A Christmas Carol (Garrigus) by Fred Garrigus (US)
(Radio Play, Drama / 18 any gender adult)
As a half hour radio broadcast including musical interludes, this variation is easy to perform (no costumes or set needed!) and yet still packed full of the thrill of the Mysterious Spirits’ warning, the hard-hearted Scrooge and all the Christmas joy in the Cratchit home. Radio broadcast licensing fees are determined upon application.
A Christmas Carol (Schario) by Christopher Schario (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 3m, 1 any gender youth)
Focusing on Dickens’ powerful language, humor and warmth, this charming version of A Christmas Carol simply and directly tells the story of the redemption of a human soul by telling it through the lens of a child reading the story for the first time. This version requires only a company of only six actors and a fiddler with minimal set, costumes and props to ignite the holiday spirit for young and old alike.
One Christmas Carol by Douglas H. Baker (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1m)
With one actor and over 35 distinct characters, this one-man tour de force is an intimate and spirited evening of theatre that everyone in the family will love! Utilizing only three unmatched chairs, Dickens’ famous story about selfishness and selflessness is stripped down to its bare essence, forgoing the usual opulence of the holidays and focusing on what is of utmost importance during the season. No scenery, no costumes – just one actor and a timeless story. God bless us, every one!
Crossover Carols – These stories combine the characters and/or plot of the original with other well-known stories.
A Sherlock Carol by Mark Shanahan (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 4m, flexible casting)
Moriarty is dead, to begin with, and Sherlock Holmes is a haunted man. But when a grown-up Tiny Tim asks Holmes to investigate the death of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Great Detective must use his gifts to solve a Dickens of a Christmas mystery! Six actors take on the beloved characters of Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens in this heartwarming and highly theatrical holiday treat for all ages.
A Seussified Christmas Carol by Peter Bloedel (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6w, 11m, 22 any gender)
A whimsical reinvention of Dickens’ most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymed couplets. With zoot fruited juices and binka bird geese, from Bed-Headed Fred to Timmy Loo Hoo, this tale of glorious holiday cheer is similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with – if he ever had his way with the story! Also available in a one-act version (US/UK).
A Wicked Christmas Carol by Bobby Keniston (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 14w, 10m, 7 any gender)
The Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t always that way. When a ghostly figure whisks her away on a journey through her past, present and future, she may find a second chance on Christmas Eve. Can familiar faces help to melt the Witch’s heart, or is she doomed to melt away herself? A Christmas classic gets a thrilling transformation set in the magical world of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books.
Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) by John K. Alvarez, Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald and Will Knapp (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 3 any gender adult)
A madcap romp through the holiday season, in which three overworked actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told and then some! A cast rebellion happens during a performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and the actors decide to present every Christmas story ever told instead. Over 90 minutes, these three comedic actors portray as many holiday stories and characters as they can remember. Using wild costumes, special effects and their comedy skills, they take a ride through well-known classics, from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas to Frosty the Snowman – and so much more.
Holiday of Errors by Frank Lawler and Daniel Flint (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 2w, 6m)
It’s nearly Christmas, and Will Shakespeare – haunted by writer’s block and the ghost of Christopher Marlowe – has 12 days to create the perfect holiday play for Her Majesty the Queen. Featuring laugh-out-loud parodies of your favorite Christmas melodies, this fun holiday romp is a merry, irreverent send-up that mashes Twelfth Night, Richard III and A Christmas Carol with historical inaccuracies and slanderous fabrications into an Elizabethan pudding that serves everyone!
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol by John Longenbaugh (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 16m)
In this ingenious meeting of two Victorian classics, Dr. Watson visits his old friend Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Eve, finding him planning to retire from the dull work of solving crimes. Soon, Holmes is visited by the ghost of his great enemy Moriarity, who warns Holmes that he is heading towards his own damnation and tells him of an upcoming visit by three spirits. During the visits that follow, we learn about Holmes’ childhood and his lost love, the chaos that his early retirement has caused his friends and associates throughout London, and finally a terrifying future.
The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge by Edd Key, Larry Larson and Levi Lee (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 12w, 16m)
A cross between Dickens and a trip down pop culture lane, this is a phantasmagorical evening of irreverent Christmas cheer. Ebenezer is a burned out misanthropic superstar who snarls through the holidays until a gaggle of ghosts shows up: rock legends Buddy Holly, Bob Marley and King Elvis. They cook up a jambalaya of reggae, Cajun, rockabilly and heavy metal numbers in this inventive Christmas offering that reverberates with saucy lampoonery, showstopping tunes and characters that never occurred to Dickens.
The Very Merry Xmas Carol Holiday Adventure Show by Justin Jain, Dave Johnson, Brian McCann, Tim Sawicki and Bradley Wrenn (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 1m, 3 any gender)
A retelling of Christmas tales quickly unravels into an action-packed adventure when the Xmas, a malicious force of holiday ruination, sweeps in. Classic holiday characters including reluctant Ebenezer Scrooge, intrepid Frosty the Snowman, and timid Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer are the only hope to stop it. This dream team embarks on a journey to restore the Spirit of Christmas to the mysterious Ice Palace – but can they do it before the Xmas demolishes every last candy cane, sugarplum and shred of cheer?
Tiny Tim Runs the Marathon by Jonathan Dorf (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 8w, 5m, 4 any gender youth)
Media darling Oliver Twist has gone from a lowly orphan to an anxiety-ridden corporate spokesperson, pitching everything from juicers to cereal and tofu by reenacting his adventures. But Oliver’s monopoly on the inspirational rags-to-riches story is threatened when Tiny Tim throws aside his crutches and decides to run the marathon. Also available in a shortened one-act version, Run Like the Dickens (US).
True Magic: An A Cappella Christmas Farce with Unoriginal Music for the Entire Family by Evan Guilford-Blake (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 3w, 2m, 1 any gender)
An elf-narrator leads the audience through this theatrical musical journey, where audiences encounter Santa, Tinkerbell, a man named Ebenezer, a mysterious young magician and a wonderful, stringless puppet. This original farce – which draws from many sources, including A Christmas Carol, The Comedy of Errors and Barrie’s Peter Pan – is full of mistaken identities, disguises and unexpected twists.
Emphasis on Carol – These musical variations add merriment tenfold!
A Christmas Carol (Harnick/Legrand) by Sheldon Harnick and Michel Legrand (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 6w, 9m, 3 girls, 3 boys)
Academy Award-winning composer Michel Legrand teamed up with Sheldon Harnick – a celebrated Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist – for a rebirth of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s prophetic Christmas Eve. From the pages of Dickens comes this scintillating musical adaptation of the Yuletide classic that continues to touch hearts and minds the world over.
A Christmas Carol (Musical) by Christopher Bedloe, Malcolm Shapcott and James Wood (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 39 any gender)
Pretty, singable music, witty lyrics and plenty of scope for dancing and colorful staging make this musical version of a well loved story a real piece of Christmas cheer. Tremble with Scrooge at the sight of Marley’s ghost and rejoice with him when he sees the errors of his ways, feel sorry for Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, and take comfort from the good spirits of Christmas who make everything right in the end.
A Christmas Carol: The New Musical by John Popa and Steve Parsons (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 8w, 12m + ensemble)
This musical retelling of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic follows the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve who take him on a tour of his past, present and future in order to change the man he is into the man he must become. The lushly orchestrated Broadway-style score by Steve Parsons and witty lyrics by John Popa breathe new life into the beloved tale for an even more epic, magical and joyous version of the story of Christmas redemption you thought you knew.
Scrooge! by Leslie Bricusse (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 10 any gender + ensemble)
In 1970, renowned writer/composer/lyricist Leslie Bricusse (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) adapted A Christmas Carol into a hit screen musical. Later adapted into a stage musical with six new songs, this sure-fire audience pleaser is also available as as a 55-minute adaptation (US/UK) that is ideal for small theatre groups and schools, where it can be performed as a short play or as part of a seasonal concert.
Flexible Fezziwigs – These options can be performed with different cast variations for ultimate flexibility in telling the timeless tale.
A Christmas Carol (Cox) by Constance Cox (UK)
(One-Act Play, Drama / Flexible Casting, 17 any gender + optional ensemble)
In this 1968 adaptation, options for casting are endless! The author herself writes, “Although the cast list includes several male characters an all-women group need not be afraid to tackle the play. The original cast was an all-woman one, and an excellent job they made of it. If wished, several of the characters can be doubled. Scrooge’s Niece and Fanny, for example. They are mother and daughter, and a strong family likeness is a natural thing.”
The Christmas Carol (Sliker) by Harold G. Sliker (US)
(Short Play, Dramatic Comedy / 50 any gender youth)
This is a truly exceptional one-act adaptation of the Dickens classic, suitable for all groups with its forty-minute playing time divided into three scenes with no waits. Speaking roles are deftly limited to a comparative few to make the perennial favorite flexible for all cast needs!
The Christmas Carol (Way) by Brian Way (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 20 any gender)
With a large and flexible cast, this version is a straightforward, faithful and theatrically stunning adaptation of the Dickens story that’s proven enormously popular in repertory, regional, school and community theatres. With his experience as a teacher and deep innovation in educational theatre at the Theatre Center in London, playwright Brian Way brings the classic tale to life in a way that makes this story of greed and change of heart accessible to student performers.
Our Christmas Carol by Patrick Greene and David Abbinanti (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 1w, 1m)
Dickens’ classic story comes to life in this two-character musical adaptation. On Christmas Day, widower and former actor Harold joins his grown daughter, Sylvia, in performing the adaptation of A Christmas Carol that Harold used to perform with his wife. A moving and faithful adaptation of this beloved holiday treasure.
Ghosts Galore – These adaptations up the ante on the spectral spirits of the classic tale.
A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas (Wilson) by Michael Wilson (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5w, 7m + ensemble)
This theatrical and spirited version of A Christmas Carol puts the phantasmagoric qualities of Charles Dickens’ classic tale center stage in the form of a swirling, dancing chorus of ghosts weave through this uplifting holiday story of redemption, magic and hope. As described by the Hartford Courant, this high-spirited and intelligent handling of the 1843 novella “brings series of sights, sounds and splendors that all but guarantee audiences leave bursting with a feeling of Christmas!”
A Christmas Scarol (Zolidis) by Don Zolidis (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 8w, 9m, 4 any gender youth)
When Tim can’t think of a Christmas gift to get his high-maintenance girlfriend, he’s visited by four terrifying spirits (actually five – they’ve been hiring) who whisk him away on a harrowing and hilarious journey into the past, present, future and an alternate timeline. This wild and free-spirited adaptation of the holiday classic is a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas (getting awesome presents).
Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story by Jerry R. Montoya (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 5m)
An inspired adaptation of the holiday classic, reimagined through highly theatrical storytelling. In it, actors whimsically transform from narrators into characters, and beloved carols are sung to alternately joyful and sinister effect, giving this familiar Christmas story a fresh and energetic feel that’s more spine-chilling than usual variations.
Metatheatrical Merriment – These shows-within-the-shows feature people staging their own carol – whether successfully or chaotically.
A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol by Walton Jones, David Wohl and Faye Greenberg (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 6m)
Seamlessly combining drama and comedy, heartbreak and hope, this charming show will sing its way into your heart. It’s Christmas Eve, 1943. The Feddington Players, broadcasting from a hole-in-the-wall studio in Newark, NJ, are set to present their contemporary “take” on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Whether it’s the noisy plumbing, missed cues, electrical blackouts or the over-the-top theatrics of a veteran actor, this crowd-pleasing musical captures the mayhem and madness of a live radio show.
A Christmas Carol…more or less (LoVerso, Irey) by Mary Irey, Stefano LoVerso (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 1w, 1m, 1 any gender)
Sarah and Charlie, a married couple, run a small theatre that’s presenting A Christmas Carol – until Charlie shows up backstage to say the cast and crew are snowed out and to split up with Sarah. Sarah, furious, capitalizes on Charlie’s remarkable memory and blackmails him into doing the play with her as a duo, relying on scripts when they need to. He plays Scrooge; she plays everyone else. Hilarity and chaos ensures from this comedic invasion of the Dickens tale by a couple’s personal gripes.
A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry and Kevin Connors (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 3m)
The Charles Dickens holiday classic comes to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast, complete with vintage commercials for fruitcake (extra-fancy) and the magic of live sound effects and musical underscoring. A handful of actors bring dozens of characters to the stage, as the familiar story unfolds: Three ghosts take Ebenezer Scrooge on a thrilling journey to teach him the true meaning of Christmas. A charming take on a family favorite that will leave no one saying “Bah Humbug!”
A Christmas Carol: The Radio Show (Alberts) by David Alberts (US)
(Short Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1 any gender)
It’s Christmas Eve, and with the actors snowed in and unable to make it to the studios of WXMS for the live radio performance of A Christmas Carol, the sound effects person decides to take the audience through the classic tale himself. In an impressive and amusing feat, this telling is performed as a 1940s radio play with one person providing all of the characters’ voices and sound effects. This rollicking, creative adaptation of Dickens’ classic work is sure to warm the hearts of even the chilliest audience members.
A Tuna Christmas by Ed Howard, Joe Sears and Jaston Williams (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2m or flexible casting)
In this hilarious sequel to Greater Tuna (US), it’s Christmas in the third-smallest town in Texas. Radio station news personalities report on various Yuletide activities as voracious Joe Bob Lipsey’s production of A Christmas Carol is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills. Many colorful Tuna denizens, some you will recognize and some appearing here for the first time, join in the holiday fun in this total delight for all seasons, whether performed by two quick-changing comedians as it was on Broadway or by twenty or more. Audiences who have and who have not seen Greater Tuna will enjoy this laugh-filled evening!
Dashing Through the Snow by Jones Hope Wooten (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6w, 2m)
It’s four days before Christmas in the tiny town of Tinsel, Texas, and a colorful parade of eccentric guests arrive at the Snowflake Inn, decking the halls with holiday hilarity. The harried yet upbeat innkeeper of this B&B has more than she can handle coping with these nuttier-than-a-fruitcake lodgers, including feuding aunts, self-involved actors from a touring production of A Christmas Carol and a romantically rendezvousing Mrs. Claus. All this Yuletide mayhem and a spur-of-the-moment Christmas Eve wedding brings leads to a laugh-’til-your-sides-ache climax, perfect for a night of theatrical holiday cheer!
Dickens’ Christmas Carol (Smith) by Mark Landon Smith (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 3w, 4m)
From the bonny shores of England comes the Styckes-Upon-Thump Repertory Theatre Company, a stuffy old travelling troupe embarking on their fifteenth annual farewell tour of the Dickens’ tale when Sweet Cynthia Imbry, the general understudy, suddenly finds herself thrust onstage to perform a role she’s ill-prepared for when the resident diva calls in sick! Roles are shuffled at the last minute and mayhem ensues as this professional company scrambles to keep the show going. Everything that could possibly go wrong does, to hilarious, ridiculous results!
Farndale Avenue… Christmas Carol by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin, Jr. (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4w, 1m)
In a festive mood, the ladies of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society mount another assault on the classics with their stage version of A Christmas Carol. They enthusiastically portray a dizzy array of characters from the Dickensian favorite (and a few which aren’t), engineer some novel audience participation while bravely contending with an intrusive PA system, and, in a real Farndale first, rap their vocal cords and feet around two original, showstopping songs.
Inspecting Carol by Daniel Sullivan (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4w, 8m)
A Christmas Carol meets The Government Inspector meets Noises Off in this hilarious hit from Seattle where a man who asks to audition at a small theatre is mistaken for an informer for the National Endowment for the Arts. Everyone caters to the bewildered wannabe actor, and he is given a role in the current production, A Christmas Carol. Everything goes wrong and hilarity is piled upon hilarity in this rollicking farce.
Tiny Tim is Dead by Barbara Lebow (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 3m, 1 boy)
On Christmas Eve, a sardonic army veteran must decides who is allowed to stay in the found “family” inhabiting a cardboard enclave and who must go. Discovering a worn-out copy of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the group responds to the pregnant Verna’s pleas to re-enact the old story as a gift for her eight-year-old son. She can’t wait to be Tiny Tim! Everyone slightly misunderstands the story and its characters in this dramatic, street-side misinterpretation of the classic holiday story.
Same Scrooge, New Setting – These versions set the story in a new country or century!
A Christmas Carol (Harris) by Alan Harris (UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 10 any gender)
It’s Christmas Eve, and Ebenezer Scrooge is miserable – will he ever get into the Christmas spirit? Set in North Wales, this version of Dickens’ festive classic tale explores a living, breathing Victorian community. This adaptation by Alan Harris is a funny, immersive family show filled with music and mystery that whisks away the audience to a dream world where anything can happen and ghosts are just around the corner.
A Mulholland Christmas Carol by Bill Robens (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 7w, 11m)
Who knew the founders of the LADWP were so gosh darn musical?! This Dickensian account of the life of William Mulholland, the man who brought water to Los Angeles County, is bursting with catchy tunes about dams, county lines and duplicitous legal documents. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future – as well as the singing ghost of Teddy Roosevelt – audiences and Mulholland himself gain insight on how he went from being an honest employee of the L.A. City Water Company to the great Scrooge of the West. If you think a historical musical about the birth of this sprawling desert city sounds a bit dry… you’re in for a surprise!
A Twisted Christmas Carol by Phil Olson (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 3m)
It’s Christmas Eve in a small west Texas town, and cantankerous barbecue joint owner Buford Johnson gets hit by a twister, setting off a Dickensian adventure with a Texas twist. Buford Johnson’s ex-business partner Hank takes Buford on a journey similar to Scrooge’s in this Texas spoof of Charles Dickens’ classic.
Christmas Is Comin’ Uptown by Phillip Rose, Garry Sherman and Peter Udell (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 10w, 10m)
All those Dickensian characters dancing, jiving and swinging to a Harlem beat? Right on! In this musical adaptation, Scrooge is a Harlem slumlord about to foreclose multiple properties when his late partner and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future take him on their rounds. He comes upon his own grave after watching Tiny Tim’s burial procession, which inspires him to order Chinese food and Jewish deli (the only food available this Christmas morn) for the Cratchits. This ebullient retelling of the classic tale features an all-Black cast and concludes with a rousing gospel number in a Baptist church.
Coyote’s Christmas Carol by Malcolm MacDonald (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 8w, 11m, 15 any gender + ensemble)
What if Ebenezer Scrooge lived in New Mexico today? In this folklore-infused New Mexican adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story, Scrooge is visited in the hospital by the great Native American folk hero Coyote, who sends him off to rediscover his humble Christmas Past in a Mexican village. Scrooge must reconcile this past – and his choice to forsake his love and immigrate to America – with his present and future happiness. This large-cast holiday comedy features three original songs by Diego Flores.
Dublin Carol by Conor McPherson (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w, 2m)
Acclaimed Irish playwright Conor McPherson brings the sentiments of a miserly older man and his journey to change to present-day Dublin in this loose adaptation of the classic. This version focuses on the character of John Plunkett, an undertaker in his late fifties, and follows three scenes of his life in his office in Dublin on Christmas Eve as he must reconcile with his twenty-something new hire, ailing boss, estranged daughter, and his wife, Mary, whom he abandoned alongside his daughter by following his inclination to overwork. The dramatic question: Will Mary return when the bells chime five o’clock?
The Christmas Carol Rag by Norman Allen (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 6w, 3m)
In a spunky take on the Dickens classic, the story of Scrooge’s redemption is set in the exciting, ragtime world of New York, circa 1911. Evelyn Scrooge runs her sweatshop with an iron fist but slowly opens her heart when visited by a Yiddish-spouting Ghost of Christmas Past and a gospel-wailing Ghost of Christmas Present. The score, which includes work by Victor Herbert and George M. Cohan, brings the age-old Christmas story to life with rousing production numbers set to familiar songs, from “Hello, My Baby” to “The Streets of New York.” Wildly funny and deeply moving, this musical brings a new twist to an old chestnut.
Side-Quests – These versions explore the lives of the featured characters, from Belle to Marley to Mrs. Cratchit to Tiny Tim.
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (Mula) by Tom Mula (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1w, 3m)
What happens to Ebenezer Scrooge’s mean, sour, pruney old business partner after the original story ends? Chained and shackled, Jacob Marley is condemned to a hellish eternity. He’s even given his own private tormentor: a malicious little hell-sprite who thoroughly enjoys his work. Desperate, Marley accepts his one chance to free himself: To escape his own chains, he must first redeem Scrooge. So begins a journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal, during which Scrooge’s heart, indeed, is opened, but not before Marley – in this irreverent, funny and deeply moving story – discovers his own.
Marley’s Ghost by Don Nigro (US)
(Short Play, Dark Comedy / 1m)
In this darkly funny monologue play, the dead Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge’s deceased partner, shares with us his adventures as a highly theatrical chain rattling Dickensian ghost. Published in Europe After The Rain & Other Plays (US).
Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge by Christopher Durang (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6w, 4m, 1 girl, 1 boy)
In this high-spirited and irreverent romp, Mrs. Bob Cratchit, a minor character in the Dickens original, takes center stage. No longer loving and long suffering, Mrs. Bob is in a rage: She’s sick of Tiny Tim, she hates her 20 other children, and she wants to get drunk and jump off London Bridge. As the Ghost loses control, the plot morphs into parodies of well-known tales. To make matters worse, Scrooge and Mrs. Bob seem to be kindred souls falling in love. With a dénouement that is two parts Touched by an Angel and one part The Queen of Mean, Scrooge’s tale of redemption and gentle grace is placed squarely on its head.
Scrooge In Love! by Duane Poole, Larry Grossman and Kellen Blair (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 6w, 9m)
The perfect sequel! A year after the events of A Christmas Carol, the four ghosts (Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future) return with a new goal: to reunite the new and improved Ebenezer Scrooge with his long-lost first love, Belle. All of Dickens’ familiar characters return in this romantic and festive musical follow-up to the perennial classic.
Tiny Tim: A Christmas Carol Revisited by Steve A. Rowell (US)
(Short Play, Dramatic Comedy / 7w, 14m)
Tiny Tim Cratchit has grown up, emigrated to America, and set up shop in New York City. Along the way, though, he lost his Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve of 1899, it is up to his dear departed Uncle Scrooge to help him find it again – with assistance from the Ghost of Christmas Past (Lady Liberty), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Teddy Roosevelt) and the Ghost of Christmas Future (a mysterious gunslinger). Here, Tiny Tim faithfully retells Dickens’ classic with a distinctive American twist, exploring social issues and icons of the time.
Unbreakable Timmy Cratchit by Tyler Dwiggins and Kathryn Funkhouser (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 5w, 5m, 15 any gender adult)
There are people who are excited about Christmas, and then there’s Tiny Tim Cratchit – he’s never met a seasonal sweater he didn’t love. When he discovers his overworked parents could use some extra cheer this year, the oddball optimist drafts his skeptical sister Belinda into a last-minute quest to make enough money to buy the perfect gifts. The entitled customers, pushy elves and ruthless carolers shopping on Christmas Eve are enough to test the most festive soul, but generosity comes from unlikely places in this galloping, joyful reversal of A Christmas Carol.
Theatrical Twists – Each of these versions especially utilize an aspect of theatre (be it actors, movement or design) to add a new layer to the old tale.
A Christmas Carol (Allard, Dixon) by Janet Allard and Michael Bigelow Dixon (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 4m, 1 girl, 1 boy)
This timeless holiday classic is creatively retold with a unique twist by having every actor – any gender, young and old – take turns playing Scrooge. Jacob Marley’s ghost and three other spirits take Scrooge on a journey through time and space, as Scrooge confronts his misdeeds and awakens to a deeper purpose in life. All of the dialogue is taken directly from Charles Dickens’ novella in this interpretation of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from a cruel and miserly curmudgeon to a joyous and generous soul.
A Christmas Carol (Baizley) by Doris Baizley (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 5m, 1 boy)
A highly inventive adaptation of the classic Dickens story where a company of traveling players enacts the story through clown and mime work and inventive visual effects! In this version, the players are about to enact the Dickens story. As the on-stage trunk of supplies opens, actors and clowns spill out and roll on. The gruff stage manager and prop boy check the show’s props, which are shabby and third rate, but the troupe improvises by creating a magical world of make-believe and proceeds to make their way through the tale, creating fog, snow, fire and ghosts through mime, imagination and wonderful visual effects.
A Commedia Christmas Carol by Matthew Wilson (US)
(Short Play, Comedy / 1w, 4m, 4 any gender adult + ensemble)
Ebenezer Scrooge gets a Commedia dell’Arte makeover in this zany take on the classic Dickensian tale of redemption. On Christmas Eve, a Pantalone Scrooge receives a visit from his old friend Dottore Marley, launching a series of quirky visitors and unforeseen capers. Masks, acrobatics and holiday cheer abound in this madcap physical romp!
Tiny-Tim Approved – These adaptations are especially geared toward audiences of all ages to be able to access the joys of Christmas!
Christmas Carol High School by Mark Landon Smith (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 13w, 8m)
The classic story of A Christmas Carol is given a modern twist and set at West End High School, where the campus “Scrooge” is Meredith Priestly, the most beautiful, most popular, meanest, nastiest girl in school! With uninterested globe-trotting parents, the lead in the school production of Romeo and Juliet and Queen Bee of campus (or so she thinks!) is in need of a reminder of what Christmas and friendship are about. Visited by five ghosts – two of which are Patty and Patrick Prince, two former West End Cheerleaders from the 1950s – Meredith is taken on a life-changing journey in this show with age-appropriate roles for teens.
Emmalina Scrooge by Steph DeFerie (US)
(Short Play, Drama / 2w, 4m, 7 girls, 15 any gender youth)
Tired of the same old show each Christmas? How about a new modern adaptation of the classic that’s perfect for young actors in a large or small school, religious or community groups! Why is young Emmy Scrooge such a… well… scrooge? Perhaps a visit from Charles Dickens and two ghostly sisters can persuade her to have a change of heart. But when even the spirit of her thrice-great-grandfather gives up on her, things don’t look promising. Take a theatrical adventure with this new twist on an old tale.
Ken Ludwig’s and Jack Ludwig’s Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol by Jack and Ken Ludwig (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 3w, 5m)
Tiny Tim is determined to have his father home for Christmas day even if it means teaching Ebenezer Scrooge a lesson in Christmas cheer! Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens’ novel, Tony Award winner Ken Ludwig writes a heartwarming Christmas tale full of family fun!
Scrooge by Dailey Paskman (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 10m + optional ensemble)
This excellent adaptation of Dickens’ beloved story has all the humor and spirit of the Christmas season. The Narrator, who appears as Charles Dickens, takes us along each scene as the characters speak, linking all of the scenes as the story unfolds. Most beautifully, the play musically framed by a choir of young people who sing Christmas carols to bridge the connecting scenes and underscore the Narrator’s storytelling.
To continue to explore our versions of A Christmas Carol (and use our Advanced Search filters to suit your needs), visit Concord Theatricals in the US or the UK.
Newly Available for Licensing – June 2026 (UK)
Just because it’s June, here are some new plays and musicals to license! Check out these titles, newly available as of June from Concord Theatricals in the UK.
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