The Ancoats-based theatre company will produce a musical version of A Christmas Carol at The Lowry from 6 December 2024 to 4 January 2025, directed by Hope Mill founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton with Whelton choreographing.
Based on Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens and was an annual New York festive staple from 1994 to 2003 at The Theater At Madison Square Garden. In 2004, it was adapted for television by Hallmark Entertainment for NBC starring Kelsey Grammer as Ebeneezer Scrooge.
Whelton said, “while we will continue to produce work at our wonderful home venue, it has become increasingly challenging for us to stage ambitious, large-scale musicals at Hope Mill so we have been exploring new ways to work in the future—which includes staging our work at other theatres.”
Houston added, “while A Christmas Carol is a story we are all familiar with—especially at this time of year—when I was introduced to this musical version, I was instantly drawn in anew thanks to the legendary Alan Menken’s stunning music and Lynn Ahrens's wonderful lyrics. It has everything you’d expect—from soaring tunes to full Broadway dance numbers.
"Myself and Will loved collaborating on Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella in 2022 and we are delighted to be bringing this very special musical to The Lowry for Christmas 2024.”