After the success of their summer production of Cabaret, Montana Theatre Works and The Ellen Theatre will be reprising A Christmas Carol for the fourth time since 2008, with Mary Jo Ludin directing this year’s show.

A Christmas Carol was the first presentation after The Ellen Theatre reopened its doors, following years of renovation. Then, after over a year of no events, shows, or movie screenings due to the pandemic, The Ellen invited Bozeman back into its doors with A Christmas Carol. 



Since Montana Theatre Works obtained The Ellen in 2008, they have always put on a big Christmas show. John Ludin, Executive Director of Montana Theatre Works, shared, “We did A Christmas Story; we’ve done the White Christmas musical, but we’ve done A Christmas Carol more than any other show.” 

This is true not only of the Ellen Theatre, but of the rest of the theatrical world as well. A Christmas Carol is arguably the most adapted literary work in the English language, aside from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes. Between film, television, and stage productions, there are innumerable adaptations of the original text of A Christmas Carol. Aside from the numerous stage productions this year, yet another movie adaptation is being made with Johnny Depp in the lead role, projected to be released next November.

This is partially why choosing a specific script/adaptation is a complicated process: there are many versions to choose from, varying in authenticity, urbanity, and creative liberty. Ludin takes this script selection role very seriously, thinking about every detail. This role not only provides him with the task of finding a good script, but also with purchasing the rights. As someone who has read the original text seven or eight times, and who wrote his own adaptation for the 2008 production at The Ellen, John is quite familiar with the production and its many variations. 

After selecting the script, he and Managing Director Glenda Singer begin structuring who is doing what: directing, costuming, lighting, set designing, sound engineering, etc. “The ball starts rolling from there, and you just make sure that everybody is in place to do their job,” says John.

Auditions began in early October, followed by rehearsals in mid-late October. Roughly 50 individuals at Montana Theatre Works have been working hard to produce a unique stage adaptation that remains true to the text. 

“We’ve done three different versions of this show,” says John. “One was a little more comedic, another was a little more traditional; I think this one is probably one of my favorites.” This version is visually defined by the steampunk aesthetics of its stage design and costumes, which were also present in The Ellen’s 2021 version of the production. 

Though this version takes some aesthetic liberty, it still retains the bones of the original text: “It’s still extremely traditional in costume and in accent, and look and flavor,” says Ludin, who emphasizes how important he felt it was that the dialogue from the text remained the same. “Charles Dickens put a lot of dialogue in his books, and almost all of that gets used. We try to be as faithful to that as possible.” Much of the music used in scene transitions helped create this current version. “It keeps it very much alive, as opposed to being a stodgy kind of feel,” says John.

The casting of the production has mirrored the goal of blending new with old. Roughly 70-80% of the cast is new to The Ellen Theatre, as they like to get as many new people involved as possible. Though most of the cast is also new to Montana Theatre Works, John Hosking will be reprising his 2021 role as Ebenezer Scrooge. “He’s such a big part of the show—people come to see him, he’s such a great actor,” says Ludin. “It’s nice to have him as an anchor to the show.”

According to its website, “Montana Theatre Works is dedicated to presenting the Gallatin Valley the very best in the performing arts, with the goal to entertain, educate, and inspire the audience, while celebrating the human experience, providing cultural and social enrichment for all.”

John echoed these sentiments: “We always say it takes as much work to do something not so well as it is to do it well, so you might as well do it really well, do it as professionally as possible, and hold everyone to a very high standard. That’s always the goal.” 

Regardless of any member’s previous experience, Montana Theatre Works hopes to create an environment that helps people meet their own goals in acting. “You don’t need a long resume—you just audition, and if you make it, you make it,” says John, adding that, “the rehearsal process is long enough to get you to a comfortable place to perform as if you did have a long resume.”

Newcomers are always welcome, and are encouraged to participate if interested. The priority is to create entertainment. As John says, “If you buy a ticket, you are making an investment in being entertained, and so we owe that to the audience. You have to make sure it’s something worth seeing, that keeps their attention, and is done well and paced well.”

Due to its genius in pacing, symbolism, and modern application, the story of A Christmas Carol is still relevant after all this time. Despite the fact that John has read it so many times, he’s always inspired. “Every time I have read it, it hits me; even though I know it’s coming, it hits me right between the eyes. It’s just a beautiful piece of writing.”

At the end of the day, Montana Theatre Works and many others around the world continue to produce this play because it’s popular. “People like having the tradition,” says John.

The reinforcement of holiday traditions is significant to most families’ annual celebrations. Around 4-5,000 people usually attend The Ellen’s production, including many families that make an effort to go every year. The simplicity of the narrative allows it to be enjoyed by younger audience members, while the symbolism and densely complex writing deepen the significance of the piece profoundly, as you understand more and more of the dialogue with age. John states, “It hasn’t shown any signs of wear, it’s only become more and more popular. So there is really no reason to not do it.”

“It’s just so powerful; it always has a beautiful way of washing over you and making you feel good about being alive, and doing something nice for people, being kind to your fellow man. You get more when you give than when you hold onto or take.”

Asked if there was anyone this year whom he hoped would heed the message, or what a modern day Scrooge might look like, John answered; “Kind of anybody. Anybody who could just be cranky that day… you know, ‘why did I get so upset about that stupid thing?’ It doesn’t matter. If it’s not gonna matter a year from now, it doesn’t matter right now.”

What matters most in this life is kindness, no matter what we are feeling or going through. As John says; “You might help someone get through a bad day just by being nice, just by smiling or being cheerful. I think that message probably resonates with everybody. It’s just universal. We all want people to be kind to us, and it’s just a matter of taking the first step and being kind to begin with.” 

Performances of A Christmas Carol are every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and every Sunday at 3 pm, from December 5th to December 21st. Tickets are $25-$49. As this is a faithful adaptation and there will be ghosts and darker elements, it may be frightening for young children, and is not recommended for those below the age of four. The show runs roughly one hour and 45 minutes, with an intermission. Concessions include wine and beer, so make sure to bring a valid ID. Seating begins 30-60 minutes before curtain, so plan accordingly for parking. 

Though The Ellen staff is not sure what their next big stage production will be, they put on roughly 190 events each year, including movie screenings, touring acts, concerts, and more. “The opera will be here next year, The Shayne Lalani Center is doing Rent here next year, and the Bozeman Film Society is here 25 nights a year,” says John. 

Regardless of the event, The Ellen Theatre and Montana Theatre Works would be happy to host or allow you to participate in the creation of a space that the community can share. As John says: “We’re just really happy to be a community gathering
place for all these different things.”