Sun Nov 7
Theater Reviews - Variety 
By: Chris Jones, STAFF 
Oriental Theater, Chicago; 1,500 Seats; $73 Top 

A Bill Kenwright production of a musical in two acts with book, music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Directed by Bob Tomson. Choreography, Lisa Kent. 
 

America's perverse annual flirtation with seasonal socialism is like a weird flipside to the Republican revolution. But in most markets, the cash-cow known as "A Christmas Carol" is the province of regional reps, which tend to do earnest, weighty productions of the Charles Dickens anti-capitalist screed. Those are a far cry from the toe-tapping, easily underrated Leslie Bricusse tuner, now on the road and happily full of ghosts, turkeys, ditties and cute kiddies. 

"Scrooge" is well known in the United Kingdom but under-exposed Stateside. But thanks in part to better-than-anticipated production values and a stellar lead performance from the seemingly indefatigable Richard Chamberlain (news), this short seasonal tour of a perfectly decent family musical should do better-than-average business -- once we get past Thanksgiving, at least. 

Peppy, perky and user-friendly, this is a "Scrooge" that even the red states can love. Hell, even monetarism needs a holiday. And there are plenty of people who think "A Christmas Carol" was penned as a tuner by Dickens in the first place. "Scrooge" merely ensures they are not disappointed. 

This is a show where the magic gets more emphasis than the tricky themes of the rich finding it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. But who wants guilt for Christmas, anyway? Expect to see "Scrooge" become an annual road fixture. 

Best known in its celluloid version (with Albert Finney (news) as the titular skinflint) "Scrooge" was beefed up some years ago for a U.K. stage production. It's a cheerfully anachronistic kind of score -- the Bricusse style here is a mix of Broadway and Mersey Beat, with shadings of pub drinking songs. Once Bricusse gets the lush strings going (here rendered in electronic form), you sometimes would swear you can hear echoes of 007 behind the melodic hooks. 

This isn't exactly one for Victorian purists, or Dickens purists. The show fiddles in all kinds of ways with the original novel, changing names, plot points and even turning the Ghost of Christmas Past into Scrooge's dead sister. But, hey. That's why they have the public domain. 

Anyway, fans of Bricusse music get a treat. Aside from "Thank You Very Much," a tune that latches into the skull with the same ferocity that Tiny Tim clings to his crutches, this show is full of catchy melodies and lush harmonies. Songs like "I'll Begin Again" (once a Sammy Davis (news) Jr. perennial) and "Happiness" may not be fonts of musical innovation, but they are darn good numbers for the musical theater, full of heart and zest and lyrical logic. And where his numbers are concerned, Chamberlain sinks his teeth right into their heart. 

Indeed, it's hard to find anything wrong with the lead. He might speak his way through the odd line of music (shades of "My Fair Lady") but his acting technique remains as clean and accessible as ever. His Hollywood good looks don't entirely jar with our usual view of the moneylender, but at least we sense that he gives a damn. And he even manages in spots to bring a lump to the throat. 

Chamberlain is backed up by a largely Chicago-originating company that generally hits the right buttons. This is not a show for the shy or the understated, and performers like George Keating and Jennifer Chada oblige with large, cheerful interpretations that are both likable and well sung. 

Production values aren't exactly Radio City-sized, but they work fine, with Paul Kieve earning his paycheck as the designer of the transportable sight gags. 

"Scrooge," of course, is what it is, and auds will self-select in or out. This is strictly for the wholesome family crowd with a big nod toward the light and frothy. But those who buy this traditional product won't find any coal in their stocking. 

Illusions, Peter Kieve; settings, Paul Farnsworth; lighting, Nick Richings; sound, Mick Potter; musical direction, Edward G. Robinson. Opened Oct. 28, 2004; reviewed Oct. 31. Running time: 2 HOURS, 25 MIN. 

With: Lauren Bishop, Jane Blass, Scott Calcagno, Jennifer Chada, Michael Elhers, George Keating, Peter Kevoian, Mark LaRocca, Regina Leslie, Liz Palik, Abigail Sparrow, Amy Sparrow, Stephen Wallem, Audrey Yeck, Peter James Zielinski. 

Chamberlain holds his own in charming 'Scrooge' 
October 31, 2004
BY HEDY WEISS Theater Critic 

Talk about rushing the season. The Candy Corn and Hershey's Kisses of Halloween had not even been deposited into the pockets of trick-or-treaters when, on Thursday night, the American premiere of "Scrooge" -- a musical version of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol" -- arrived on the stage of the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre, with Richard Chamberlain in the title role.

Of course, Dickens' story needs no seasonal hook: Its look at a man whose value system extends no further than his tax bill, his accounting ledgers and his money box, and whose idea of compassionate conservatism means simply that the workhouses and prisons of Victorian London might pick up any slack, is sadly evergreen. And it applies to every calendar page and era. So does the tale's reminder of the possibility of redemption; in this version, Scrooge literally drinks a glass of "the milk of human kindness" and, beguiled by its sweetness, begins to see the error of his ways.

"Scrooge" [which has already toured Great Britain, and is booked for a number of midsize cities beyond Chicago] is a stage version of the popular 1970 film that starred Albert Finney. And like the film, it features a book, lyrics and music by Leslie Bricusse (whose credits range from the 1961 hit "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off" to his more recent collaboration with Henry Mancini on "Victor/Victoria"). 

Overall, it hovers between that somewhat artificially warm glow that tends to envelope Hallmark's holiday television specials, and the considerably darker Dickensian quality of the Goodman Theatre's non-musical version of "A Christmas Carol" or that other glorious musical inspired by a Dickens classic, "Oliver!"

Bricusse's score has long stretches of blandness, yet there are moments of real delight, too -- whether in the lovely anthem, "Happiness," or the verbally charming game of "The Minister's Cat" or the high-spirited "Thank You Very Much." And throughout it is superbly sung by a cast of predominantly Chicago-bred actors who form a clarion vocal ensemble second to none.

Of course any version of this story depends heavily on the actor playing old Ebenezer Scrooge. And you've got to hand it to Chamberlain: While he is certainly not a force of nature as an actor, nor anything approaching a vocal master (he intones his songs rather than fully singing them), he has persisted in working at the form with undiminished passion -- first in "My Fair Lady" and then in "The Sound of Music" -- and he clearly loves it. His tall, rather gaunt frame fits this character well. And he gathers strength from Bricusse's book, which is formulated so that Scrooge's transformation is gradual. Each encounter with the three ghosts -- of Christmas Past (a radiant, strong-voiced Roberta Duchak), Christmas Yet To Come (Scott Calcagno as a towering Grim Reaper) and, most notably, Christmas Present (a richly expressive Larry Adams who, as a result of both the writing and playing of the role, finally makes full sense of this simultaneously hedonistic and cautionary character) -- visibly carries him another step along the path to transformation.

Chamberlain's interaction with a slew of other supporting characters is winning, too -- whether with his lost true love, Isabel (Rebecka Reeve, a charming actress with a meltingly lovely soprano); the eternally upbeat Bob Cratchit (very sensitive work by Todd Gross) and his more discerning wife (the perfectly edgy Jennifer Chada); his endlessly forgiving nephew, Harry (David New, all warmth and understanding); the continually debt-ridden soup-peddler, Tom Jenkins (an enchanting turn by George Keating); the crippled Tiny Tim (the impressively realistic and affecting Ben Ratskoff), or the big-hearted Mr. Fezziwig (an ebullient Adam Kozlowski). 

And there are other nice little touches throughout, including a Punch and Judy puppet show that echoes the action and a street scene in which every pushcart vendor begs Scrooge for an extension on a loan or rent due.

The direction (by Bob Tomson) and choreography (by Lisa Kent) are serviceable, with a few clever illusions created by Paul Kieve that probably work better if you are seated at least 15 rows from the stage. And while there is no scrimping on design, Paul Farnsworth's sets, which conjure the slums of London in a way that makes them look like molten wax, are not half as appealing as his costumes, constructed of lavish period textiles.

All in all, a solidly produced family entertainment happily shot through with moments of inspiration.

Ghosts appear and disappear into thin air. Objects just fly about. Eerie things go bump in the night along London's wintry streets.

This is the stuff of Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol, which was adapted and renamed "Scrooge" for the stage musical now playing through Nov. 7 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre.

Starring Richard Chamberlain in the title role, there is much that is magical about the show. And while Chamberlain and the rest of the cast operate within a world of ghosts and various other spirits, there is one man responsible for bringing it all to life nightly on stage.

Enter Paul Kieve, a British illusionist, whose specialty is physical magic. Kieve is no stranger to creating literary magic -- he was the magic consultant for the film "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," based on J.K. Rowling's book.

It was Kieve's job to create many of the special magical illusions for the film, and teach its stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, how to do some of the illusions.

"The director of 'Azkaban' [Alfonso Cuaron] was very keen to include the idea of real magic happening live in front of the camera in addition to computerized effects," Kieve said. "This adds an enormous amount of layers to a scene, so that there are things going on in the background, foreground and everywhere in between. It gives a scene much more depth."

Among Kieve's favorite creations for the film is the magical marauder's map that folds itself up, which he created and operated on screen (though he is not visible, of course). He also created all the floating spheres in the astrology room at Hogwarts.

For "Scrooge," which Kieve has been a part of since its 1993 London premiere, creating magic on the stage posed one major problem.

"The only truly difficult thing about creating these kinds of illusions for a stage production is that it has to happen perfectly every night," Kieve said.

"I create things for live theater that in a film the special effects people might execute through editing. On film, you can do the most complicated thing -- as long as it works once, and it's captured on film once. In theater, you don't have the luxury of a second take during a performance."

Some of the show's magical moments occur as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future make their entrances and exits. Other times, characters "disappear" through set pieces. Objects appear out of nowhere.

"True to the Dickens novel, there is a great element of spookiness to the play," Kieve said. "The ghosts appear out of thin air in quite unexpected ways, which simply astound Scrooge. And Scrooge has to be just as astounded as the audience, or it doesn't play well. This is perhaps the greatest ghost story ever told, but it's all a story of joy and happiness, so it's not frightening."

Kieve worked closely with the production's set and costume designers to incorporate the illusions seamlessly into their grand plan. He also had to work with the technical crews so that the timing, critical to the success of any illusion, would become second nature.

"People may have seen great magicians like [David] Copperfield and their amazing shows, but there's something else to seeing magic in the context of a story. It makes it somewhat more difficult to do because you can't just suddenly see a ghost disappear. You have to make it happen using the set, the props, the story."

Then Kieve had to teach the American cast of "Scrooge" how to do magic.

"They've been fantastic," Kieve said. "Richard [Chamberlain] has to literally become a magician at certain moments during the story, and he has to physically control the illusion, yet look like he's not doing anything. He has this incredible sense of theater, so he got the whole performance element of doing magic very quickly. And the kids, they've been lots of fun. Of course, I don't teach anyone every part of every illusion," he adds, laughing. "A magician has to have his secrets."

Chamberlain uncorks holiday spirit early 
By Pam DeFiglio Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Saturday, October 30, 2004 
 

It's fascinating to watch Richard Chamberlain transform from a cruel, loathsome miser to a generous spirit in "Scrooge, the Musical." 

As Scrooge's hateful persona begins to crack, revealing human vulnerability, everything about Chamberlain changes. The veteran stage and screen actor transforms his stance, his face, his expression and movement as the character wakes from his cold, hard-bargaining existence. Even his voice becomes open and full as he warms to the possibility of becoming a kinder human being.

Chamberlain may not be a strong singer -- he recites many lyrics instead of singing them -- but his expression of the character is so nuanced and articulate we never want for more. 

He's a delight to watch, ranging from condemning to elated to, in one scene in which he reunites with the ghost of his dearly loved and long-dead sister, quite moving. 

Many highlights in the cast round out this solid musical, including Todd Gross as Bob Cratchit and Chicago actors George Keating as a lively Tom Jenkins, Larry Adams as a robust, booming Ghost of Christmas Present and Roberta Duchak as a charming Ghost of Christmas Past. 

All of them have beautiful voices, which lend vigor to the music and the chorus scenes. The 27-strong cast filled the stage and the audience's ears in every big musical number. 

One such scene, set in a marketplace, was as fun to watch as to listen to because of the groupings and goings-on of the vendors, buyers and children watching a puppet show. That's a credit to director Bob Tomson.

A few flaws marred the musical, including shaky singing during some solos and a set that, though massive, had a drab palette and slightly cartoonish feel that didn't serve the play well. 

The lighting went from darker to brighter as Scrooge's gloom lifted, but some scenes at the beginning were a little too dark for comfortable viewing. And lighting in Scrooge's office meant to simulate the sun coming through windowpanes was distracting. 

Those aside, "Scrooge" packs a wallop of soul-searching, hope and Dickensian jollity. Even though it's barely Halloween, it makes you long for the Christmas season.
 

"Scrooge, the Musical"

three stars out of four

What I love about Richard Chamberlain playing Ebenezer Scrooge is the idea that Charles Dickens' grasping, covetous old skinflint looks as if he just popped back to London after three weeks at a spa in Aruba. I'm not saying he looks fabulous. I'm saying he looks faaaaaaaaaaaaabulous.
 

When Jacob Marley wraps his menacing chains around Scrooge's neck, you expect the miser to respond with a steely: "Mind the hair." When Chamberlain acts the dastard and wags his Scrooged-up eyebrows in this pushy musical version of "A Christmas Carol" — and aren't the Scrooges falling early this year? — you can't help but notice that it is eyebrow-wagging of a particular, geographically limited sort. Rarely has eyebrow-wagging led to so little movement in the region of the forehead.

The actor last seen on national tour as Captain Von Trapp in "The Sound of Music" became famous as dashing Dr. Kildare and a Catholic mini-series love object in "The Thorn Birds." Now 70, this elegant leading man is a paradox: a hard-working, easygoing veteran of the show business. He is not a lazy performer, and he does not dog this unenviable assignment. He has to work hard, all night, in composer/lyricist/librettist Leslie Bricusse's coy "Christmas Carol" adaptation. Chamberlain tends to sing his lines and speak his songs, saving his pleasantly skillful vocal stuff for a few key ballads. This Scrooge is no mugging comedian, but Chamberlain's emotional investment goes only so far. On the whole, he'd rather be doing "The Philadelphia Story."

The Chamberlain "Scrooge" opened its national tour Thursday at the Oriental Theatre, with an all-Chicago cast below the title. It's the American premiere of a property well-loved in England, for reasons that have something to do with a popular audience's apparently inexhaustible ardor for "A Christmas Carol," and something to do, I suppose, with the songs, which are nothing if not hummable. "Thank You Very Much" repeats its title phrase so often, in fact, you may find yourself mulling a word other than "thank."

The musical started out as a 1970 movie starring Albert Finney. Bricusse then added several tunes for a 1992 stage production, starring Anthony Newley. It traveled far and widely, as has a more recent edition starring Tommy Steele.

What's good about it? Some of the trickery's fun: Paul Kieve, who worked on the latest "Harry Potter" film, handled the illusions wherein ghosts walk through mirrors, spirits appear in armchairs out of nowhere, and Chamberlain's eyebrows wag up and down while his forehead remains absolutely still. To be fair, Chamberlain lands a few crucial, quiet moments when it counts, particularly in a late scene with his nephew inexplicably renamed Harry from the original Fred, just as Scrooge's sister is now Jenny, not Fan.

Of the supporting cast, there are impressive contributions from Roberta Duchak (Christmas Past), Rebecka Reeve (Isabel, or Belle in the original), Karla L. Beard (Bess) and Stephen Wallem (Dick Wilkins). Many of the larger roles are getting less secure, more fake-hearty interpretations, the chief offender being Todd Gross' Bob Cratchit. He and George Keating's Tom Jenkins are perky enough to test even Tiny Tim's patience.

The actors won't have it easy, even after the sound people remedy the most glaring amplification and feedback issues. It would be helpful, too, if they brought the general volume levels down south from the neighborhood of Way Too Loud. (The opening carol, the score's nicest bit, was miked so shrilly opening night, you wanted to yell back: "HEY. We're RIGHT HERE.") Bricusse wrote the "Goldfinger" theme song lyrics, and no one will ever be able to take that away from him. But the "Scrooge" score is all about dull generalities signified by song titles such as "I Hate People" or "I Like Life," and couplets with the worst kind of lyric inevitability: "You were good for me. … Did all you could for me." Expressive as wood to me.

Chamberlain survives, barely, with dignity intact. Dignity, however, tends to play better on camera than onstage.

Richard Chamberlain in SCROOGE
October 10, 2004 

Speaking to Richard Chamberlain by phone from his Honolulu home, it’s a little difficult to picture the soft spoken, gracious actor as literature’s classic curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge.

Chamberlain, who made his career starring in phenomenally successful film and TV classics such as “Dr. Kildare,” “The Thorn Birds” and “Shogun,” has often been cast as Hollywood’s quintessential male protagonist.
However, within seconds of hearing the actor describe his upcoming role, it’s obvious that audiences are in for an unforgettable performance. “I’ve always been a character actor hiding behind a leading man,” he shared. When asked about the upcoming American premiere, Chamberlain’s excitement was infectious. “The show is just irresistible…with marvelous songs and dances. I think people will really enjoy it.” 

While best known for his work in front of the camera, Chamberlain is no stranger to the stage. He has received rave reviews in such theater favorites as Hamlet, Cyrano de Bergerac, My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music. And while he enjoys the honesty of film acting, the stage still holds a special allure. “You have that wonderful rapport with the audience,” he said. 

Based on “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge is a musical version of Charles Dickens’ most beloved novel. Adapted by Leslie Bricusse, it was first presented in 1970 as a movie starring Albert Finney and Alec Guinness, and has since enjoyed a successful run on stage in the United Kingdom. The show includes 19 musical numbers including “Father Christmas,” “December the Twenty-Fifth,” “I Like Life” and “Thank You Very Much.” 

Chamberlain, who fondly remembers watching Alistair Simm in the original black and white film version of the story, finds the musical extremely touching. “What happens to Scrooge is hopefully what happens to human beings in general,” he shared, in reference to the character’s journey from miser to philanthropist. “Scrooge finds this through a form of intimidation,” he said. However, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future are quick to show him, “the richness of life he’s been missing.” 

Unlike many actors, who wait until the first rehearsal to learn their role, Chamberlain has already been exploring how his character will come to life on stage. In addition to learning his lines and songs, he recently attended a photo shoot, complete with costumes and makeup. Within an hour, the handsome 70 year-old saw himself transformed into Ebenezer. “It told me a lot about him, and what I could do with him,” he shared. 

The national tour of Scrooge launches in Chicago on October 26, then travels to Minneapolis; Appleton, WI; Louisville; Wallingford, CT; Detroit; Baltimore and Philadelphia. 

Jonathan Weir (Jacob Marley), left, Roberta Duchak (Ghost of Christmas Past), Richard Chamberlain (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Larry Adams (Ghost of Christmas Present) will perform in "Scrooge".

Speaking with Richard Chamberlain 
October 22, 2004

To television audiences, he was simply gorgeous as the young physician on the hit series "Dr. Kildare" in the early 1960s. He was unforgettable as the Englishman John Blackthorne in feudal Japan in "Shogun" (1980). He was riveting as Raoul Wallenberg in "Wallenberg: A Hero's Story" (1985). He was, most recently, completely outrageous appearing in drag on "The Drew Carey Show" as department store maven Maggie Wick. Onstage, his credits include "Hamlet," "My Fair Lady," "The Sound of Music" and "Cyrano de Bergerac." On the big screen, he was dashing as the flamboyant Aramis in "The Three Musketeers" (1973) and madcap as an Indiana Jones-like adventurer in "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold" (1987). 

But perhaps the role that Richard Chamberlain will be identified with forever is that of the sexy and ultimately fallen priest Ralph de Bricassart in the critically acclaimed 1983 miniseries "The Thorn Birds." 

It's been a long and winding road for the 71-year-old actor, who after 40 years in the entertainment business, finally told the world last year that he was gay. His autobiography, Shattered Love, became a best seller, and the actor says he finally felt free of the lie he had been telling for so many years. Chamberlain is now starring as Ebenezer Scrooge in the U.S. premiere of the Leslie Bricusse musical "Scrooge," (based on the 1970 movie that starred Albert Finney). 

HERE'S WHAT CHAMBERLAIN HAD TO SAY:

Scrooge to you: He is mean, and he should be. He's totally closed off from life at the beginning and then he undergoes this incredible transformation at the end. So the differences in his character have to be enormous or it doesn't work. [Laughs] He has to be a real ass----.

The moral of the story: It's a wonderful story. It's deathless in a sense because it's what humanity is all about. It's what life is all about -- finding your heart, finding love for mankind. Scrooge ultimately finds compassion in his heart, and that is the greatest thing any of us can do. 

Finally coming out: I'd been so afraid of admitting that I was gay for all of my life because it wasn't something that was acceptable in Hollywood when I was coming up through the ranks. When I finally got to the point in my life where I felt completely unafraid to tell the world, I gained this incredible sense of freedom in my life. It was time.

Finding redemption: I was always quite frightened and self-conscious as a person, with no sense of worthiness, and needing this career as an actor as a form of self-affirmation. There was nobody that I wouldn't have left behind because my career was everything. I do feel a sense of redemption, of salvation, finally, because now I know what self-love is, what loving humanity is, what not being afraid is.

Being himself: I wouldn't say that coming out changed the the way I do my craft to any great extent, but I'm no longer trying to be somebody I'm not, playing somebody I'm not. That was so very exhausting when I think about it. [Laughs] I was pretending to be someone else who pretended for a living.

Do I not hear a song?: I loathe musicals as a rule. [Laughing] The longer I live, the less of a fan I become. The musicals I've chosen to do were ones that were incredibly written and not treacly in any sense. "Scrooge" afforded me the chance to do this wonderfully crafted character in a beautifully written show. I'd love to do nothing but character work at this stage of my career. It's so freeing.

Best advice you ever got: I did this dreadful film ["Bird of Prey"] in Bulgaria and the director told me, "Please stop acting and just be." That's the greatest thing any actor can do.

Scrooge
By TERRY LONCARIC
Normally, Richard Chamberlain's characters can do no wrong. 

Even when he broke all his vows as a priest and shattered a woman's heart in the stormy TV drama, "The Thornbirds," Chamberlain made us believe Father Ralph really was a good-hearted fellow with human struggles. 

As TV's Dr. Kildare, Chamberlain brought compassion to medicine. As Captain Von Trapp, in the Broadway revivial of "The Sound of Music," Chamberlain chipped through the stoic widower's rough veneer and brought out his softer qualities. 

This production of "Scrooge" is Leslie Bricusse's adaptation of "A Christmas Carol." 

Already a hit in London, "Scrooge" launches its American tour Tuesday at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. 

Chamberlain is thrilled to take a journey every night with Ebenezer Scrooge, a truly tormented soul. 

"Scrooge hordes money and he uses his power to hurt people," Chamberlain said. "He goes through a transformation that's amazing. Scrooge starts out the villain of all time. Then all of a sudden he's Santa Claus. What an arc! He goes from hell to heaven!" 

Chamberlain said he finds inspiration watching the classic 1935 movie with Alistair Sim, whom he feels made the quintessential Scrooge. 

"Alistair Sim was a brilliant, brilliant actor," Chamberlain said. "He was so funny, so real, and yet so quirky and good. And he brought a divine understanding to this role." 

Combining moments of pure spectacle with human drama, "Scrooge" paints a picture of a man who is clearly unhappy with the person he has become. 

Bricusse drops hints to show how Scrooge turned out the way he did. 

"I relate Scrooge's journey to my own journey in life," Chamberlain said. "I try to make him funny, real and wise." 

Chamberlain said we all have a little bit of Scrooge in us, especially when we drift away from our spiritual side. 

"When I was younger," he said, "I was intensely selfish and self-involved. I was very cut off. There was nobody I wouldn't have left behind for a good job." 

Like Scrooge, the ambitious actor had to slow down and rearrange his priorities. 

In "Scrooge," Chamberlain said, he has the chance to play the ultimate role model for human redemption. 

"Scrooge finds his own heart," Chamberlain said. "He finds love. It's the only journey there is." 

"Scrooge" boasts a large cast of Chicago actors. It has extravagant costumes, a storybook set and a sumptuous score – 19 original songs by the composer responsible for such Broadway hits as "Victor/Victoria," "Stop the World – I Want to Get Off" and "The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd." 

If Scrooge's encounters with the ghosts seem magical, it could be because Paul Kieve, who created the illusions for "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," also rigged the magic in "Scrooge."