A Christmas Carol - The Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Directed by Kyle Hatley
November 16 th —December 26 th , 2012
Student Matinee Series Learning Guide
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
From Top: Mark Robbins (Marley, 2011); Cast of
A Christmas Carol (2010); Gary Neal Johnson
(Scrooge, 2011); photos by Don Ipcock
A LETTER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 3
THE CHARACTERS 4
PLOT SYNOPSIS 5
THE AUTHOR: CHARLES DICKENS 7
A DICKENS LITERARY CHRONOLOGY 10
VOCABULARY 11
DICKENS AS A SOCIAL REFORMER 13
CHARLES DICKENS AND THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT 15
LONDON IN THE VICTORIAN AGE 16
LONDON’S YOUNG POOR 17
WORLD EVENTS 1837—1901 18
GHOST’S OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS PAST 19
THE DIRECTOR: KYLE HATLEY 21
THOUGHTS FROM THE DIRECTOR 22
PRE‐SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 24
POST‐SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 25
SCROOGE’S ALPHABET 31
HELP THE CRATCHITS MAKE ENDS MEET 32
THE CLASSROOM AND THE COMMUNITY 34
TALES FROM EBENEZER’S LIBRARY 35
THE WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS 36
RESOURCES 37
STATE & NATIONAL STANDARDS 39
TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT 41
REP ON THE ROAD 45
IN CLASS POST SHOW DISCUSSIONS 46
2012—2013 STUDENT MATINEE SERIES 47
EDUCATION PARTNER: UMKC 51
OUR SPONSORS 52
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 2

A LETTER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Rep and our 32nd season of our beloved production of A Christmas Carol.
In the theatre, we love our traditions, and gathering together our family of artists to tell this story is
among our favorites. I’ve been a fan of the Dickens classic since I was a kid, and am as proud as ever that
our telling of it has become such a beloved part of the holidays in Kansas City.
Many of you might remember the year without A Christmas Carol. I joke that my decision to launch the
world premiere of A Christmas Story, The Musical! in 2009 was front page news under the head‐line:
“Rep Artistic Director Kills Christmas.” But happily, Christmas 37 survived, and in fact, we launched a
production that has delighted audiences around the country. We’re even happier to share that the Rep
makes Kansas City history when A Christmas Story has its Broadway premiere in November 2012.
It’s amazing to think that while we’re enjoying the performance tonight, audiences in New York are
enjoying the show we launched three years ago. Our horizons broaden, but like we do this time of year,
we return to a timeless tradition that will be a part of Kansas City’s holidays for years to come.
Thank you for being a part of this magical holiday experience, and we wish you all the best for a joyous
New Year.
Yours,
Eric Rosen
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 3

THE CHARACTERS
Charles Dickens—Narrator (and author) of the story; a popular 19th‐century English novelist whose
works frequently addressed social injustice and the plight of England’s lower classes.
Ebenezer Scrooge—A wealthy moneylender who is known to be selfish and greedy.
Jacob Marley—Scrooge’s former best friend and business partner, dead seven years, who appears as a
ghost filled with guilt, remorse and warnings.
Fred—Scrooge’s cheerful nephew, who believes in the goodness of others and in celebrating the holiday
season.
Bob Cratchit—Scrooge’s clerk, a devoted and hardworking
family man with little money.
Mrs. Cratchit—Bob Cratchit’s wife, who dislikes Scrooge and
struggles to hold her family together.
Tiny Tim—Youngest of the Cratchit children, made disabled by
illness.
Martha, Peter, and Belinda—The older Cratchit children.
Martha, the eldest, works to help support the family.
Fan—Scrooge’s beloved sister who died while giving birth to
her son, Fred.
Mr. & Mrs. Fezziwig—Scrooge’s first employer, a kind and
generous man, and his wife.
Belle—Scrooge’s fiancée.
The Ghost of Christmas Past—A magical spirit who takes
Scrooge into the past to revisit his childhood days.
The Ghost of Christmas Present—A jovial, kindly ghost who
forces Scrooge to examine the current state of his affairs.
2010: Gary Neal Johnson (Ebenezer
Scrooge), Whittaker Hoar (Tiny Tim),
Walter Coppage (Bob Cratchit);
photo by Don Ipcock
Want and Ignorance—Ghastly children hidden under the rich robes of The Ghost of Christmas Present.
Their gaunt faces and impoverished condition are a symbol of London’s poor.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come—A phantom whose eerie silence foreshadows Scrooge’s potential
doom.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 4

PLOT SYNOPSIS
Act I
On Christmas Eve the streets of London are bustling with revelry as people are making last minute
purchases and rushing home to celebrate the holiday. But, for Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy
businessman noted for his miserly ways, it is business as usual. He is occupied with reconciling his
accounts and complaining about having his pocket picked every December 25th. He is keeping an eye on
Bob Cratchit, his office clerk who wants to add another piece of coal to the fire, but instead warms his
half‐frozen fingers on the flame of a solitary candle. Into this grim setting comes Scrooge’s nephew,
Fred, who invites his uncle to Christmas dinner the next day. “Bah! Humbug!” scolds Scrooge, who
admonishes Fred to “keep Christmas in your own way…and let me keep it in mine.” A man and woman
seeking Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s former
business partner who died on
Christmas Eve seven years earlier,
arrive at Scrooge’s office. They are
soliciting donations to help the
destitute, unaware of Scrooge’s
heartless contempt for the poor and of
his willingness to “decrease the surplus
population” by letting the poor suffer
prison or death. Holiday demands on
Scrooge’s time and money leave him
feeling even more miserly than usual
toward Bob Cratchit, who doesn’t want
to work on Christmas Day, preferring to 2008: Jim Gall (Ghost of Christmas Present) photo by Don Ipcock
celebrate the holiday at home with his
family. Begrudgingly, Scrooge gives him the day off, but he demands Cratchit arrive at the office even
earlier than usual the day after Christmas. Scrooge leaves his workplace and takes his evening meal
alone. Then, dodging carolers and shoppers, he makes his way home. The holiday mood of the streets
disappears as Scrooge approaches the dark, forbidding entrance to his house. For a moment, Scrooge
thinks he sees Marley’s haunting face in his doorknocker. Inside, Scrooge secures his home for the night
and, while preparing for bed, reflects on his life, appreciating the cold, which keeps his heart from
overheating, the dark, which is cheap, and the solitude, which makes him self‐reliant. “No one can do
me injury,” says Scrooge. Suddenly, with a clanking of chains, the ghost of Jacob Marley appears wearing
heavy shackles forged from the equipment of his former profession—keys, padlocks, cashboxes, coins,
ledgers, and purses. Scrooge refuses to believe what is before his eyes, blaming the apparition on
indigestion. “I wear the chains I forged in life,” reveals Marley, explaining that he is paying a heavy price
for having turned his back on charity, mercy, and benevolence. He warns Scrooge that three more spirits
will visit him, and, “without their visits you cannot hope to shun the path I tread.” Marley disappears,
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 5

leaving Scrooge alone to await the fulfillment of his dead partner’s prophecy. Scrooge seeks refuge in his
bed, hiding behind the curtains. As he blows out his candle, the clock begins to strike and the Ghost of
Christmas Past appears. “I am your timekeeper, your diary, your memory,” the ghost explains as she
begins to lead the skinflint on a journey back to his lonely childhood, where Scrooge sees himself as a
boy at boarding school. His sister, Fan, is visiting and brings news that leaves the young Ebenezer heart‐
broken; their father will not allow him to return home for Christmas. Ebenezer tells the Ghost of
Christmas Past how his sister dies giving birth to his nephew, Fred, many years later. The ghostly journey
continues as Scrooge is taken to the home of Mr. Fezziwig, a good and generous man who was his first
employer. Scrooge watches himself as a happy young man who falls in love, at the Fezziwigs’ Christmas
party. He also witnesses the beginning of his transformation into a businessman valuing money over
people. His fiancée, Belle, releases him from their engagement, “with a heart full of love for the man you
once were.” As the Ghost of Christmas Past vanishes, Scrooge is filled with dread for what is to come
next.
INTERMISSION
Act II
The bell tolls once again and a second specter, The Ghost of Christmas Present, arrives to escort
Scrooge into the near future. It is now Christmas Day at Bob Cratchit’s where Scrooge sees a home that
is bare of amenities, but brimming with kindness and affection. Cratchit has just returned from church
with his youngest son, Tiny Tim, who is disabled by illness. With the family gathered around its sparse
holiday dinner, Cratchit proposes a toast to “Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!” As Scrooge and
the ghost depart, Scrooge asks if Tiny Tim will live to see another
Christmas. Scrooge wishes to stop his travels, but the ghost intones
that the time has come for Scrooge to look into the soul of
humanity, and so leads him to visit the “surplus population.” It is a
sobering moment for Scrooge when the Ghost reveals two pathetic
and abandoned children, Ignorance and Want, crying out for help as
2008: Walter Coppage (Bob
Cratchit); photo by Don Ipcock
the Ghost vanishes. Now, the clock rings out again and a third ghost
appears to Scrooge. This spirit, a tall figure shrouded in black, does
not speak, but Scrooge guesses correctly that it is the Ghost of
Christmas Yet to Come. Scrooge, beginning to understand his need for redemption, tells the ghost, “I am
prepared to follow you and do it with a thankful heart.” Their journey takes them to three locations. At
the first stop, they overhear a conversation about an old miser who lies dead and alone while his clothes
and household items, stolen by beggars, are being sold in a local pawnshop. Scrooge and the ghost
continue to move ahead and arrive at the graveyard where the family is mourning the death of Tiny Tim.
Finally, Scrooge faces his own tombstone; he realizes with horror that the lonely miser whose death he
sees being celebrated rather than mourned is himself. In agony, compelled to repent, Scrooge vows to
“honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” As Dickens, the play’s narrator, comments
at the end of A Christmas Carol, “Scrooge was better than his word.”
By Laura Muir
Director of Communications
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 6

THE AUTHOR: CHARLES DICKENS
Dickens has been acclaimed virtually unanimously since his lifetime as one of the greatest writers of the
English language. He also is one of the most widely‐read authors of all time whose books are
rediscovered generation after generation, not only in English but also in translations in scores of other
languages.
Dickens, who was obsessed with work, wrote and lectured tirelessly until he died of complications of a
stroke at the age of 58. During his exceptionally prolific career, he built a vast audience of readers with
18 novels (first published in serialized installments) and
many other stories and stage works. His major books are
“The theatre can be regarded as a
powerful and useful means toward the
education of the people. If there were
ever a time when the theatre could be
considered to have a strong claim to
consideration in that respect, it surely
is the present.”
—Charles Dickens, 1857
(a speech for the Royal Theatrical Fund)
considered by modern critics to include The Pickwick
Papers (1836‐37), Oliver Twist (1837‐39), A Christmas
Carol (1843), David Copperfield (1849‐50), Bleak House
(1852‐53), Little Dorrit (1855‐57), A Tale of Two Cities
(1859) and Great Expectations (1861).
Dickens had a difficult childhood. His early experiences
were reflected in his writing and Dickens himself
acknowledged the fact: “I know how all these things
have worked together to make me what I am.” He was
born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, a naval port in
the south of England, the second child of Naval Pay
Officer John Dickens. The family moved frequently
because of financial problems. Dickens was a bright child
and a voracious reader who as a young boy devoured
many famous novels including Roderick Random,
Robinson Crusoe, and Tom Jones.
When Dickens was 12, his family’s financial hardships made it necessary for him to be taken out of
school, and he was forced to work at Warren’s Blacking Factory. Unable to pay his debts, Dickens’ father
was arrested, and the family, excluding Charles and one sister, joined him in Marshalsea debtor’s prison.
At the time, it was a common practice for families in this situation to stay together and join the offender
in prison or the workhouse. Separated from his family at this young age, Dickens lived alone in a rented,
rat‐infested room.
After his father’s release from prison, the young Dickens resumed school at Wellington House Academy,
but his three years there would mark the end of his formal education. His experiences in the boot‐
blacking factory haunted Dickens throughout his life and would lead to a lifelong preoccupation with
themes of alienation. The identification Dickens developed with the poor and the lower classes of the
British industrial age were constantly a prime factor determining his art.
At fifteen, Dickens left school permanently in order to work as a clerk in the law firm of Ellis and
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 7

Blackstone. Determined not to let his disadvantages in fortune hold him back, Dickens studied
shorthand, a skill that soon allowed him to begin a career in journalism. In 1829, he became a reporter
at Doctors’ Commons Court, and three years later took a position as a reporter in the House of
Commons and also found work as a reporter for a London news‐paper. His first story was published in
1833 and was followed shortly thereafter by several other stories and sketches. During this time,
Dickens met Maria Beadnell, the daughter of a wealthy banker, and fell in love. Soon after, the Beadnells
sent their daughter to a Paris boarding school, thus ending her relationship with the 21‐year‐old
Dickens.
In 1836, Dickens married Catherine Hogarth, daughter of his friend George Hogarth, an editor. That
same year, Dickens won success for himself, under the pseudonym “Boz,” when Sketches of Boz, a series
about London life, was published. That same year, The Pickwick Papers were published. The Pickwick
Papers started out as short texts to accompany a series of humorous sporting illustrations by Robert
Seymour, a popular artist.
Dickens convinced the publishers to let The Pickwick Papers represent wider interests than the sporting
club. This led to a bitter quarrel with Seymour, who resented the fact that suddenly his drawings would
be accompanying Dickens’ writings instead of the other way around. However, The Pickwick Papers
quickly won extraordinary popularity.
By the end of 1836, Dickens had committed
himself full‐time to writing fiction and had also
become editor of the magazine Bentley’s
Miscellany. His reputation and popularity
continued to grow with the publication of Oliver
Twist (1837‐39) and Nicholas Nickleby (1838‐39).
The economic depression, which occurred in
England between 1836 and 1843, sharpened
Dickens’ social conscience. When Dickens wrote
A Christmas Carol (1843), the work affected him
so much that he later reported that he “walked about the black streets of London 15 or 20 miles many a
night when all sober folks had gone to bed.” About this time Dickens first visited the United States,
where he offended audiences at his lectures by advocating the abolition of slavery. Following his
return to England, he published Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), a satiric novel that includes sections about
the narrow‐minded hypocrisy he encountered in the U.S.
Dickens’ fame continued to grow rapidly with the tremendous successes of his following novels. In the
late 1840s and through the 1850s, Dickens produced The Chimes (1844), Cricket on the Hearth (1845),
Dombey and Son (1846‐48), David Copperfield (1849‐50), Bleak House (1852), Hard Times (1854), and
Little Dorrit (1855‐57). Dickens’ literary success gave him the means to support a growing family which
eventually included ten children, and it afforded him the opportunity to travel with his family to
Switzerland, Italy, and France.
The years between 1856 and 1858 were significant for Dickens. In 1856, he bought a country house,
Gad’s Hill, on an estate that he had admired since childhood. That same year he collaborated with Wilkie
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 8

Collins on the play The Frozen Deep, which was performed in 1857 for Queen Victoria. A young actress
named Ellen Ternan was in the cast. Ternan and Dickens fell in love and shortly thereafter Dickens
separated from his wife.
Throughout the 1860s, Dickens’ health worsened due largely to the extremely intense work schedule
he maintained. He and Ternan were involved in a train accident in 1865 while returning from a holiday in
Paris. Dickens was badly shaken by the accident;
he wrote in the postscript to his novel Our
Mutual Friend (1864): “I remember with devout
thankfulness that I can never be much nearer
parting company with my readers than I was
then, until there shall be written against my life
the two words with which I have today closed
this book —The End.”
In 1869, Dickens collapsed from a stroke during a
reading tour through England, Scotland, and
Ireland and was forced to cancel a scheduled
series of public appearances. He would not,
however, stop writing and within weeks began
working on The Mystery of Edwin Drood. He
suffered another stroke on June 8, 1870, and
died the following day. He was buried on June 14
at Westminster Abbey, London.
By the time of his death, Charles Dickens had written eighteen novels, traveled the world, and lectured
strongly for social reform of many types. The Times of London wrote in its eulogy published June 11,
1870: “He was of the people, and lived among them . . . and [his stories] caught, with an intuitive force
and fullness, their daily life.”
Laura Muir
Director of Communications
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 9

A DICKENS LITERARY CHRONOLOGY
1812 Charles Dickens born February 7 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
1815 Family moves to London.
1824 Father is imprisoned for debt in the Marshalsea Prison.
1833 First short story is published in Monthly Magazine.
1836 Sketches by Boz, a collection of previously published stories. Marries Katherine (Kate)
Hogarth, with whom he will have ten children.
1837 The Pickwick Papers.
1838 Oliver Twist.
1839 Nicholas Nickleby.
1841 The Old Curiosity Shop, Barnaby Rudge.
1842 American Notes, a book of essays and observations
from his visit to the United States.
1843 A Christmas Carol, a Christmas book.
1844 Martin Chuzzlewit; The Chimes, a Christmas book. 2011: Gary Neal Johnson (Scrooge) photo by
1845 The Cricket on the Hearth, a Christmas book.
Don Ipcock
1846 Pictures from Italy, a book of essays and observations; Battle of Life, a Christmas book.
1848 Dombey and Son; The Haunted Man, a Christmas book.
1850 David Copperfield; Household Words, a weekly magazine (editor until 1859).
1853 Bleak House; gives first public reading of A
Christmas Carol.
1854 Hard Times.
1857 Little Dorrit.
1858 Separates from his wife.
1859 A Tale of Two Cities; All the Year Round, a
weekly magazine (editor until 1870).
1861 Great Expectations.
1862 Our Mutual Friend.
2011: Cast of A Christmas Carol; photo by
1867‐68 Public readings in the United States.
Don Ipcock
1870 The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished). Dies on June 9 at Gad’s Hill Place,
Rochester, England and is buried in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey.
The day of his burial was made a day of national mourning in England.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 10

VOCABULARY
The following terms below can be found in Charles Dickens’ novel, A Christmas Carol.
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) can also be found in the Rep’s version of the play.
Ancient Prophet’s Rod: The rod of Aaron
(Moses’ older brother) that swallowed up the
serpents conjured by Pharaoh’s magicians.
Assign: One to whom the property and affairs
of a deceased person are transferred.
Bedlam: A London hospital for the insane; the
name is a corruption of the word “Bethlehem.”
Beetling shop: A shop projecting out into the
street; the business conducted in such an
establishment was commonly called “the
rag‐and‐bottle trade” (not to be confused with
“beetling,” which was a respectable trade
concerned with the processing of linen and
other fabrics).
*Blindman’s Bluff: A popular English parlor
game in which one person is blindfolded and
then must catch another person and guess who
it is.
Brazier: An open pan used for holding live coals.
*“Buried with a stake of holly through his
heart”: An expression from medieval times,
when murderers were sometimes buried at
crossroads with stakes driven through their
hearts.
*Camden Town: A suburb of London, north of
the main part of the city; Charles Dickens
moved to Camden Town with his family when
he was ten years old.
Chaise: A two‐wheeled
vehicle with a folding
top, drawn by a single
horse.
*Charwoman: A woman, most typically hired by
the day, to do housework.
Coach‐and‐Six: A coach driven by six horses.
Comforter: A scarf.
*Copper: A large pot used for washing or
cooking.
*Counting house: An office in which a
commercial company carries on bookkeeping,
correspondence, etc.
Dog‐days: July 3rd though August 11th, often
the hottest, sultriest days of summer, when the
dog star, Sirius, rises and sets with the sun.
Evil eye: Magical power thought to be
possessed by some people to cause destruction
at a glance.
Farthing: A quarter of a penny.
Fathom: A measurement of six feet used for
calculating depths at sea or in mines.
Filberts: Hazelnuts.
“[For] daws to peck at”: A quote from
Shakespeare’s Othello; a popular phrase
meaning “for folks to find fault with.”
*Forfeits: A parlor game similar to charades.
Furge: A spiny evergreen shrub.
Garret: A room or set of rooms in an attic.
Gold seals: Official signs of status.
Gratis: Freely, without expense.
Gruel: Broth or soup of oatmeal and chopped
meat.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 11

*Half a crown: Thirty English pence.
Hob: A shelf within a fireplace, used for
keeping things warm.
Kenned: Scottish expression for “knew.”
Lace tucker: A cloth covering a woman’s
shoulders and neck.
Laocoön: A priest of the Greek God Apollo who
tried to warn the Trojans not to breach their
walls to admit the Greek horse.
Norfolk biffins: Cooking apples grown in
Norfolk, England.
Old screw: Slang for “miser,” hence possibly the
name “Scrooge.”
Poor Law: Passed in 1834, this British law was
designed to provide support for the destitute at
public expense. However, the funds provided
were low subsistence; the paupers’ diet was
barely enough to keep them alive; often the
children of the poor in Dickens’ time were sold
to employers at the age of five or six to work as
chimney sweeps or factory workers.
Porter: A dark brown English beer.
Ragged schools: Part of 19th‐century British
workhouses, these schools were set up by the
government so that the children of the poor
could become educated. When Dickens visited
ragged schools in the early 1840s, he was
horrified by the living conditions he saw.
Repeater: A watch or clock fitted with a device
that causes the repetition of the last hour
struck.
Saint Dunstan: An English monk (924‐988) who
influenced kings and became Archbishop of
Canterbury; he is said to have once seized the
devil by the nose with a red‐hot poker.
Saint Paul’s Churchyard: A narrow burial
ground surrounding St. Paul’s Cathedral,
London. In his early years, Dickens rented an
office nearby.
*Shilling: Twelve English pence.
Skaiter: Skater.
Smoking bishop: A sweet drink composed of
wine, orange, lemon, and sugar.
Straight‐waistcoat: Straitjacket.
*Surplus population: A term of the prevailing
economic theory of Dickens’ day, proposed by
Thomas Robert Malthus who believed that all
means possible should be found to reduce the
population of cities. The effects of this
philosophy included encouraging passive
acceptance of disease, poverty, famine, and
violent crime.
*Treadmill: A form of criminal punishment used
in some prisons, involving a horizontal cylinder
made to revolve by the weight of persons
treading on boards arranged as steps around it.
Twelfth cake: A large cake used at the
festivities of Twelfth Night (the twelfth day
after Christmas). Such cakes are usually
elaborately frosted and decorated and by
tradition contain a bean or coin. The honored
guest fortunate enough to find the bean or coin
in his or her piece of cake becomes “king” or
“queen” of the feast at which the twelfth cake
is served.
United States Security: A worthless
document.
Walk‐er: A cockney expression of
surprise or amazement.
*Wassail: A hot, mulled punch
associated with Yuletide. In
Victorian England, the drink was a
mulled cider made with sugar,
cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
and topped with slices of toast.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 12

DICKENS AS A SOCIAL REFORMER
Charles Dickens (1812‐1870) was one of Victorian England's most popular novelists and outspoken social
critics. His articles, novels and lectures were infused with social commentary, which shocked readers
with images of grinding poverty and the effect it had on families, especially children. He was also a
severe critic of the Victorian legal and penal systems and the human cost of imprisonment for debt, a
subject he knew well. When Dickens was 12, his family's financial hardships made it necessary for him to
leave school and work in a factory, living on his own in a small, rat‐infested room. His father, unable to
pay the family's bills, was arrested and sentenced to a debtor's prison, where he was joined by his wife
and younger children, a common practice of the time.
During Dickens' lifetime, London's population increased 450 percent, from one million people at the
turn of the 18th century to four and a half million in 1881. At this time, Britain was the major economic
and political power of the world. The Industrial Revolution with its newly built factories and improved
transportation attracted droves of people to urban areas with the promise of jobs, albeit jobs with
miserable working conditions, gruelingly
long hours and little pay. With few social
programs and organizations available to
assist the growing number of poor, slums
proliferated and many women and
children were also forced to work in the
factories, for even lower wages.
Dickens' childhood experiences informed
his writing and enlightened his readers
about the forgotten poor and
disadvantaged at the heart of the British
Empire. Although he championed a wide
range of social issues, his works are most
remembered for their ability to change
public opinion about class inequalities and
the exploitation and repression of the
underprivileged. He strongly and publicly
condemned the public officials and
institutions that not only allowed such
abuses to exist, but flourished as a result.
Couched as a holiday story, Dickens' novel
A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, was a
forceful reaction to the British
It has been 165 years since
A Christmas Carol was first
published; yet the story continues
to be among the best known works
of literature in the world. Dickens
called it "a most prodigious
success — the greatest, I think, I
have ever achieved."
government's Poor Laws, which required welfare recipients to work on treadmills, as his now‐famous
character Ebenezer Scrooge points out early in the story.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 13

Dickens crafted Scrooge as a "miserly...covetous old sinner" who "embodies all the selfishness and
indifference of the prosperous classes who parrot phrases about the 'surplus population' and think their
social responsibilities fully discharged when they have paid their taxes." Scrooge's indifference to the
wretched state of the poor suggests a man, who is beyond reformation, but Dickens believed in
mankind's ability to change; he used A Christmas Carol as a parable about redemption and salvation.
Throughout his professional life, Dickens was a popular speaker in Britain and on the Continent. He
toured America in 1867, just after the Civil War, where he offended audiences by addressing the topic
of slavery. On December 27, 1852, he gave his first public reading of A Christmas Carol to the Industrial
and Literary Institute in Birmingham, England. He repeated the reading three days later to an audience
of working people and it was deemed a great success by Dickens' own account and that of newspapers
of the time. Over the years, Dickens edited the piece and adapted it for a listening, rather than reading,
audience. Excerpts from A Christmas Carol remained part of Dickens' public readings until his death.
It has been 165 years since A Christmas Carol was first published; yet the story continues to be among
the best known works of literature in the world. Dickens called it "a most prodigious success—the
greatest, I think, I have ever achieved."
2010: Gary Neal Johnson (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Katie Kalahurka (Ghost
of Christmas Past); photo by Don Ipcock
Ed Matheny
Manager of Institutional Giving
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 14

CHARLES DICKENS AND THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Have you ever wondered why we say “Merry Christmas”? Few realize that Scrooge’s nephew Fred in A
Christmas Carol was the first to use what is now a standard holiday greeting worldwide when he
initially cried out, “Merry Christmas, uncle!”
As Dickens’ great‐granddaughter Monica Dickens once pointed out, “When you say ‘Merry Christmas,’
you are quoting Charles Dickens.” Christmas was Dickens’ favorite time of the year and it filled him with
renewed hope for the salvation of humankind. “There
seems a magic in the very name Christmas,” he wrote in
1836 in Sketches by Boz. “Petty jealousies and discords
are forgotten; social feelings are awakened in bosoms to
which they have long been strangers… Would that
Christmas lasted the whole year through.”
2010: Austin Zollars (Simon) and Gary
Neal Johnson (Ebenezer Scrooge); photo
by Don Ipcock
Each December, Dickens looked forward to joining his
family in holiday festivities. Although he embraced the
season with playful enthusiasm, he also believed it was a
time to reflect on the true meaning of life and on the
problems of the most unfortunate members of society. In
many ways, A Christmas Carol is a reflection of the
philosophy and practice of Dickens’ own family Christmas.
Dickens enjoyed an extravagant holiday feast of stuffed goose, mince pies and pudding, followed by the
traditional punch. After the meal, when good spirits were at their heights, he would serve the wassail
and lead his family in a round of toasts and speeches. Dickens himself would raise his glass and as if to
quote his own creation, Tiny Tim, he would say: “Here’s to us all. God bless us.”
For all the joy he felt during the holiday season, Dickens believed that Christmas spirit should be used to
bring about social change. In his view, the world needed to be improved and this could not be achieved
merely through social theory or political action, but required the transformation of individual spirits and
attitudes.
The message of hope and redemption in A Christmas Carol is a cautionary tale for our time as well, as
the gap between rich and poor in the modern world widens, and the number of hungry continues to
climb.
Dickens’ eldest daughter, Mary, recalled of her father when she was growing up: “Christmas was always
a time which in our home was looked forward to with eagerness and delight, and to my father it was a
time dearer than any other part of the year, I think. He loved Christmas for its deep significance as well.”
Laura Muir
Director of Communications
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 15

LONDON IN THE VICTORIAN AGE
Today we associate the nineteenth‐century with the Protestant work ethic, family values, religious
observations and institutional faith. While those did contribute to the Victorian Age (1837 to 1901),
there were also rapid social changes, literary superstars, and developments in nearly every scientific
sphere. While Britain was experiencing the Industrial Revolution, its capital was both reaping the
benefits and suffering the consequences. In
1800, the population of London was around a
million people. By 1880, that number would
swell to 4.5 million. The price of this explosive
growth was that while London was one of the
first large industrial cities, it quickly became
so polluted and unhealthy that disease spread
rampantly.
The Thames River was one of the major water
sources for drinking, washing and cooking. It
was not only polluted by all of the ship
Children working in London mines.
traffic of its flourishing docks, but it also had
over two hundred open sewers that ran straight into it at various points up and down London’s shores.
Several outbreaks of cholera in the mid‐19th century, along with The Great Stink of 1858, when the
stench of the Thames caused Parliament to recess, brought a cry for action. It was not until 1855 that
Victorians discovered the cause of cholera and began to have a town medical officer, main drainage, a
proper trash collection service and an organized water system.
The streets were also dirty, filled with manure from the thousands of horse‐drawn vehicles. In fact,
some streets were so dirty that many children worked as “crossing sweepers,” sweeping a path in front
of people as they crossed the street.
Thousands of chimney pots belched coal smoke, resulting in soot which settled everywhere. The streets
were also filled with pick‐pockets, drunks, beggars, and vagabonds. At night, only the major streets
were lit with feeble gas lamps. Side and secondary streets may not be lit at all and link bearers could be
hired to guide travelers to their destinations.
In his excellent biography, Dickens, Peter Ackroyd notes that “If a late twentieth‐century person were
suddenly to find himself in a tavern or house of the period, he would be literally sick ‐ sick with the
smells, sick with the food, sick with the atmosphere around him.” Dickens himself wrote about it in
Little Dorrit where he describes a London rain storm: "In the country, the rain would have developed a
thousand fresh scents, and every drop would have had its bright association with some beautiful form of
growth or life. In the city, it developed only foul stale smells, and was a sickly, lukewarm, dirt‐stained,
wretched addition to the gutters."
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 16

LONDON’S YOUNG POOR
Many children in London were poor, even homeless. Most spent their days earning money for their
families, instead of going to school, as does Martha Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. Children had to share
beds: four people in the same bed. They often had to take turns to sleep in the beds or on mattresses.
Many families owned tin baths which they filled with water, usually once a week. The family members
all used the same water, one after the other. Houses were warmed by coal fires, which made the area
smelly and smoky in the winter.
Because of the poor living conditions and
lack of proper nourishment, there were
thousands of children, like Tiny Tim, who
were sickly or had ailments and died
young. Many people were too poor to
buy medicine or go to doctors and there
were no vaccines to prevent diseases like
measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria,
whooping cough, and polio. As a result, a
large percentage of children died from
these illnesses. In 1839, nearly half of the
funerals were for children under the age
of ten.
Child laborers in London, circa 1900.
Since many parents did not allow their children to work in the new textile factories, factory owners
bought children from orphanages and workhouses, making them virtual slaves, housed in crowded and
filthy buildings. The children, who usually began work at age ten to thirteen, were forced to sign
contracts indebting them until age twenty‐one. By the beginning of the nineteenth century these
“pauper apprentices” made up about a third of the cotton industry workers.
In needlework factories in London, teenage girls worked twelve to eighteen hour days, six days a week.
In the coal mines, boys and girls as young as five were put to work in the shafts because of their small
bodies. Stripped of most of their clothes, chained to coal carts, they performed dangerous and grueling
work underneath the earth.
Many children grew up without education and virtually no chance to escape the cycle of poverty.
Dickens felt that this cycle of poverty could be broken by education and became interested in the
“Ragged Schools” in London. Ragged Schools were for poor children in the cities who could not afford
the tuition of the more common private schools. These schools were not well attended, however,
because many of the children had to work to support their families.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 17

WORLD EVENTS 1837—1901
1837 King William IV dies; succeeded by his niece, Victoria.
1840 Queen Victoria marries her cousin Albert, who becomes Prince Consort.
S.F.B. Morse invents the telegraph.
England’s Grammar Schools Act.
1845‐6 Potato Failure in Europe; starvation in Ireland.
1848 Revolutions in Europe.
Deaths of around 2,000 people a week in England in a cholera epidemic.
1849 Gold discovered in California and Australia.
1850 Telegraph cable laid under English Channel.
1851 The Great Exhibition (the first World’s Fair) was held at the Crystal Palace with great success and
international attention.
Population of United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland) at 21 million.
1853‐6 Crimean War. The United Kingdom declares war on Russia.
1857‐8 The Indian Mutiny, a widespread revolt in India against the rule of the British East India Company.
As a result, India comes under direct rule of the British Empire.
1858 First Transatlantic telegraph cable laid.
1860 Garibaldi takes Naples; unification of Italy.
1861 Albert dies; Victoria retires into mourning.
1861‐5 American Civil War.
1862 Bismarck becomes Prussian premier.
1866 Italy defeated by Austria.
Telegraph cable laid under the Atlantic.
1869 Suez Canal opened.
Union Pacific Railway completed in U.S.
1870 Forster’s Elementary Education Act establishes free State Education for every child under the age of
ten in Great Britain.
1870‐1 Franco‐Prussian War.
1873 Population of the United Kingdom at 26 million (France 36 million).
1875 Britain purchased Egypt’s shares in the Suez Canal as the African nation was forced to raise money
to pay off its debts.
1876 Victoria named Empress of India.
Edison invents the phonograph.
Compulsory school attendance in Great Britain.
1882 Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy, and Austira).
In Great Britain, the Married Women’s Property Act enables women to buy, own, and sell property,
and to keep their own earnings.
1887 Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee celebrates 50 years on the throne.
1889 London dock workers and match girls strike for six pence/hour.
1895 U.S. equals U.K.’s industrial output.
1897 Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 60 years on the throne.
1898‐9 Spanish‐American War.
1899‐1902 Boer War.
1901 Victoria dies and her son, Edward, Prince of Wales succeeds
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 18

GHOST’S OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS PAST
Read Dickens’ description of the Ghost of Christmas Past in the novel. Discuss the opportunity to
interpret the look of that character. Compare and contrast the many different visual interpretations of
The Ghost of Christmas Past as seen on the Rep’s stage. How similar (or different) are they from Dickens’
original description? Have students create their own version of The Ghost of Christmas Past.
1982
1986
From top: 1982 ‐ Elizabeth Robbins (The Ghost of Christmas Past) and
Peter Umbras (Scrooge); 1983 ‐ Michael LaGue (The Ghost of Christmas
Past) and Peter Umbras (Scrooge); 1986 ‐ Peter Byger (The Ghost of
Christmas Past) and Jim Birdsall (Scrooge); 1987 ‐ Peter Byger (The
Ghost of Christmas Past).
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 19
1983
1987

2007
1992
1996
From top: 1992 ‐ Peggy Friesen (The Ghost of Christmas Past) and Gary
Holcombe (Scrooge); 1993 ‐ Gary Holcombe (Scrooge) and Peggy Friesen
(The Ghost of Christmas Past); 1996 ‐ Richard James‐Greene (The Ghost of
Christmas Past) and Gary Holcombe (Scrooge); 2005 ‐ Peggy Friesen (The
Ghost of Christmas Past) and Gary Neal Johnson (Scrooge); 2007 ‐ Kathleen
Warfel (The Ghost of Christmas Past).
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 20
2005
1993

THE DIRECTOR: KYLE HATLEY
A Christmas Carol is directed by Kyle Hatley, the Associate Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory
Theatre. A Christmas Carol marks the eighth production Kyle has directed while at the Rep, including
Little Shop of Horrors, The Borderland, Broke‐ology, Circle Mirror Transformation, A Christmas Carol
(2010 & 2011); and August: Osage County (Associate Director). Kyle, who received his training from
Rhodes College, was also seen as The Gentleman Caller in the Rep’s acclaimed production of The Glass
Menagerie in 2009 and Caleb in The Whipping Man in 2012.
Other local directing credits include Carousel (The Living Room); Titus Andronicus (The Living Room); Ben
Franklin’s Apprentice (Coterie Theatre); and Hamlet (Two Thirds). Kyle has also written and directed
Head, The Death of Cupid, Six, and Watering The Grave for the Kansas City Fringe Festival.
Regional credits acting and directing credits include Take Me Out (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Last
Supper (World Premiere, InFusion Theatre Company); Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Twelfth Night (Noble
Fool Theatre); Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Romeo and Juliet, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Gross
Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Hamlet (title role), and The Woman In Black (Playhouse on
the Square). Additionally, he has been seen on television in “Prison Break” and “As the World Turns.”
In 2009, Kyle was named Best Director for The Pitch’s Best of Kansas City awards and in 2011 he was
named Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Artist Fellow. He is also the Artistic Director and a co‐
founder of Chatterbox Audio Theater, a non‐profit, web‐based theatre that produces fully soundscaped
audio plays for free streaming or download at www.chatterboxtheater.org.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 21

THOUGHTS FROM THE DIRECTOR
Kyle Hatley (left) with assistant scenic designer Gene Friedman and scenic designer John Ezell during one of many
production meetings for the Rep’s 30th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol in 2010.
Kyle Hatley, who is directing the Rep’s production of A Christmas Carol, took a moment out of the
rehearsal process to share his thoughts about the production.
Could you talk a bit about your personal connection to A Christmas Carol?
The first play I ever saw was A Christmas Carol at Playhouse On The Square in Memphis, TN. I was six
years old and it was TERRIFYING! But, because it was terrifying, I paid attention. It captivated me. It was
thrilling. It stayed with me all these years, which is not all that surprising because, despite the fact that it
is a ghost story, it is also inherently theatrical, which allows both the creators and the audience to use
their imaginations.
How does this year’s production build on what you created last year for the Rep’s 30 th anniversary
production?
The Rep always looked at our 30th anniversary production as a two‐year phase. However, we tackled
more last year (2010) than we anticipated we could, which allows us to spend time this year focusing on
the few remaining new ideas while refining all the rest. This year’s production should be more muscular,
faster and scarier.
What is something that you’ve learned during the rehearsal process?
The cast of A Christmas Carol is like a very close family. Some years it’s mostly the same actors, some
years it’s not. But the thread of who is in it or who is not runs off stage and onto the pages of our history
here at the Rep. We’ve all learned from what came before us. Last year I learned how to embrace the
iconic material that belonged to all those that have come before me while bringing to the table new
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 22

ideas that helped enhance that material. This year, I feel like I’m a part of the thread of this A Christmas
Carol family. Gary Neal Johnson [who plays Scrooge] gave me $5 the other day in rehearsal because I cut
a dumb joke I added last year. He secretly hated it and just waited for me to realize it would never get a
laugh. But he gave me the chance. So yeah… this year I feel a little more like part of the family.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show
that particularly resonates with you that you
could tell us about?
I have several favorite moments: when
Scrooge sees his childhood interaction with his
sister Fan, when Scrooge watches his young
adult self meet Belle for the first time, when
Belle leaves him and his transformation is
realized, and when the Ghost of Christmas
Present drops the apple. I’m a sucker for
exploding fruit.
Whether you’re a student, a child, a young
adult, a college professor, a soccer mom, a
politician, a movie star or a senior citizen, I
hope people leave the theatre taking away
what it is that Marley says to Scrooge: “We
are meant to walk among our fellow men
and if we do not do so in life we will be
condemned to do so in death.”
What do you want our student audiences to
take away from the production?
Kyle Hatley, Director
Whether you’re a student, a child, a young
adult, a college professor, a soccer mom, a
politician, a movie star or a senior citizen, I hope people leave the theatre taking away what it is that
Marley says to Scrooge: “We are meant to walk among our fellow men and if we do not do so in life we
will be condemned to do so in death.” We must understand our role in life is to participate in it. To be a
part of it. To get off the couch and do something. To contribute to the story of the world.
What advice do you have for young people who are interested in working in the theatre?
The theatre is not a place for people afraid to risk. Everything an artist does is risk. Without it you will
not ever truly understand your own boundaries and therefore you might never be able to truly realize
your own potential. I don’t mean risk for risk’s sake. I mean don’t be afraid to fail. If you’re driven, then
go for it. Risk. Fail. Risk again. But never be afraid to fail. So long as you’re always ready to learn from
your failures. The other thing I would recommend is to read as many plays as possible and to see as
many plays as possible. Start getting a sense of what kind of theatre you respond most to. And lastly,
don’t be a diva. Don’t be a difficult creative personality. You honestly don’t achieve anything by being a
jerk. Other than people secretly hating you and not wanting to work with you. Go the extra step, be the
better artist, and respect those that you’re collaborating with. Have patience with them; don’t become
the subject of your own insecurities.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 23

PRE‐SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Have students write down or discuss in a group what they know
about Dickens' A Christmas Carol before you see Kansas City
Repertory Theatre’s production.
What version(s) have they read or seen? Discuss those.
What do they think or feel about the story as have experienced it?
How do they think the experience of seeing live actors acting out
the story on stage will be different from previous versions they
have experienced?
What might be the challenges in bringing the A Christmas Carol
story to the stage?
What are their expectations of seeing A Christmas Carol at the Rep?
Have students make predictions about the scenery, costumes,
sound and lighting.
2008: Bruce Roach (Marley); photo by Don Ipcock
What is the role of the audience when they attend a live theatre performance?
Why do you think this story is important to tell?
2011: Charles Fugate (Charles
Dickens); photo by Don Ipcock
What distinguishes the experience
of live theater from the experience
of watching the same story told as a
film in a movie theater? From
watching the film on television?
From reading the story in a book?
A Christmas Carol was originally
written in 1843 and has since been
adapted into countless plays,
movies, children’s books, and
cartoons. This is the Rep’s 30 th
anniversary production of A
Christmas Carol. Why do you think
this story stands the test of time?
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 24

POST‐SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
TOPICS FOR THOUGHT: Use the following prompts as conversation starters with your students after
attending A Christmas Carol at the Rep. Following the discussion, you may want to have your students
write a review of the production. We’d love to hear from them! Please share student responses with
Melinda McCrary, Director of Education, at mccrarym@kcrep.org.
The Production
What did you think of the theatrical elements for
the Rep’s production of A Christmas Carol – such as
the set, props, costumes, music? What elements
did you find most effective? Was there anything
you would have done differently? If so, explain or
draw how you would to do it.
Some students may be surprised that Charles
Dickens is a character in the play. In many
contemporary plays, especially those adapted from
books, narrators are also central characters in the
action. The character of Charles Dickens as
narrator serves primarily as a storyteller in the play.
Barbara Field, who adapted Dickens’ novel for the
stage, has said, “I included Charles Dickens as a
character because I felt it would be unforgivable to
tell the story without including the narration. How
can you legitimately produce A Christmas Carol
which doesn’t start ‘Marley was dead, to begin
with.’? Narrative can set the scene and give us
factual detail, but more important, it can comment
upon the internal action and can quickly
communicate the feelings of the characters. And
while I feel it would be an inappropriate technique
to use for adaptations for most other writers, I believe that the unabashed theatricality and the sense of
actors sharing with the audience and each other—is apt. By this means they help to plunge us headlong
into the storytelling of Dickens.”
The Characters
Scrooge
2010: Cratchit Family Caroling—top right:
Walter Coppage (Bob Cratchit), center right:
Stephanie Roberts (Mrs. Cratchit), bottom
right: Katie Kalahurka (Martha). Children:
Whittaker Hoar (Tiny Tim), Anna Stastny
(Belinda), Nick Grant (Peter). Background:
Allan L. Boardman; photo by Don Ipcock
The name Scrooge has become part of our language. What does it mean to be a “Scrooge”? What is the
dictionary definition?
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 25

In what ways is Scrooge unusual? In what ways is he ordinary?
How does Scrooge behave when he awakens? How has he changed? Do you think it was a dream? What
was the first indication that Scrooge might have changed? What other behavior and actions seem to
show a “new Scrooge”? What does Scrooge do to try to make up for the way he has behaved?
Jacob Marley
Who is Jacob Marley to Scrooge? Why is Marley so miserable? Why is he weighed down by a massive
chain, made up of cashboxes, keys and padlocks? What does Marley tell Scrooge is going to happen to
him, and why? What would you do if you received a warning like Marley’s to Scrooge? Why does Marley
visit Scrooge?
Ghost of Christmas Past
What does Christmas Past show him? Why? What common thread runs through these scenes (besides
Christmas)? What effect does seeing his past have on Scrooge?
2010: The knocker on Scrooge’s front
door; photo by Don Ipcock
Ghost of Christmas Present
What does the Ghost of Christmas Present show Scrooge?
Why? How does Scrooge react to learning how people feel
about him?
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
What does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come show
Scrooge? What does Scrooge ask to see and what does the
Spirit show him? What does he see happening to himself,
in the future? What does he see happening to the
Cratchits? Why do you think this Spirit doesn’t speak?
What effect does this Ghost have on Scrooge? What if this
were the only ghost Scrooge met? How did each ghost
prepare the way for the final ghost?
The Ghosts
Which ghost do you think had the greatest effect on Scrooge? Why?
Why does each ghost look and behave so differently?
What does each ghost symbolize to Scrooge? Does the
ghost symbolize something different to you?
Do you believe the lessons from the Ghosts have any meaning in your own life? Did you learn or
discover anything from the play that might change your behavior or attitudes? If so, what?
Reflect and Connect
Why do you think Tiny Tim has the last words of the story?
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 26

What does “redemption” mean to you? Think of another story you have read or play or movie you have
seen that is about redemption. Compare that story and the characters’ journey to the story and
characters of A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol takes place during the Industrial Revolution in England. Of course societal and
economic conditions of the time had a strong effect on the characters, their attitudes about class,
money and what is truly important. Compare England’s Industrial Revolution to what society is like
today in America. What are some similarities and differences? Describe some examples of how we, as a
society, are still preoccupied with money and material objects. Do we need to change our attitudes
about the importance of money? If so, how can we do that?
Charles Dickens believed that education could end poverty and crime. Do you agree with this idea? Why
or why not?
Family is a central theme of this story. What are different examples of family Dickens provides? What is
your definition of family and who do you consider to be members of your family?
Christmas is a time when we think of gifts – both giving and receiving. Gifts can be material items that
are purchased or made or gifts can be non‐material items (for example‐ singing someone a song or
helping someone with their housework). Reflect on special gifts that you have received that meant a
great deal to you. Which gifts cost money? Which gifts were made or were non‐material? Explain why
each gift was special. Which gift
means the most to you and why?
What does the word “humbug”
mean? What words are the
modern day equivalents of
“humbug”? Thinking back on the
play, which aspects of the
Christmas celebrations does
Scrooge call “humbug”? When is
the first time in his life that
Scrooge uses the term? Why do
you think Scrooge has such a
negative outlook on these
celebrations? Are there any
aspects of the holiday season that
you believe are “humbug”?
Explain.
Lower left: Gary Neal Johnson (Scrooge), center: Jim Gall
(Ghost of Christmas Present); photo by Don Ipcock
Do you believe it is possible to enrich or understand your own life in a deeper way through seeing plays,
listening to music, reading books or experiencing other types of art? Can you think of an example of
visual art or a performance you have experienced that has made you think or feel differently about
yourself or some aspect of the world?
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 27

REFLECT & CONNECT
GHOST STORIES
A Christmas Carol is a ghost story. Victorian authors enjoyed ghost stories where it is uncertain whether
or not the person experiencing the visitation is "awake" or not. It was a prevalent belief among
Victorians that ghosts would visit people in their dreams or as they were just waking.
An early short story featured in Dickens’ first novel Pickwick Papers called The Story of the Goblins Who
Stole a Sexton is similar in events to A Christmas Carol, but has a different tone. It is also about a
grumpy man who experiences visions, this time by goblins. Most of these stories, such as The Haunted
Man and The Cricket on the Hearth were part of the Christmas Books, a yearly tradition in which Dickens
published a Christmas story.
Whether watching the story on the stage or screen,
or even reading the book itself, A Christmas Carol
communicates to us that friendship, generosity, and
love are well worth cultivating. Even the poorest of
the human race can benefit others with these
priceless qualities.
Classroom Activity:
Have students read the following article, The Three
Ghosts of Christmas (p. 31‐32) and have them answer the questions indicated in bold. Then, have them
review the photos of the various versions of The Ghost Christmas Past from previous Rep productions
(p. 33‐34). Additionally, have students evaluate the version of The Ghost of Christmas Past they saw at
the Rep this year. (See photo on page 31.) Have students describe how The Ghost of Christmas Past has
changed over the years. How similar (or different) are the versions from Dickens’ original description?
You may also want to have students create their own designs for each of the ghosts.
Select another of Charles Dickens’ short ghost stories. Provide copies of the story to students. Ask
students to compare and contrast Charles Dickens’ stories about ghosts. What themes are used in each
story? How might you structure it into a play?
The Three Ghosts of Christmas
Shorter Ghost Stories by Charles Dickens
(Available in several books and on the Internet)
The Chimes
The Signal‐Man
The Haunted House
The Trial For Murder
To Be Read at Dusk
To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt
Christmas ghost stories are nothing new. In the 18th century, oral ghost stories were very popular. In
the 19th century, periodicals grabbed onto this tradition to boost their sales during the holidays, so
ghosts and Christmas were together from early on. In fact, all but one of Charles Dickens' Christmas
stories has an element of the supernatural or spiritual realm.
In the year 274, December 25 was celebrated as the day when the sun reemerged after the winter
solstice by the Mithras’ state‐cult, Sol Invictus (the unconquerable sun), and sometime before the year
336, Pope Julius I designated December 25 as the birthday of Jesus. This date is not stated in the
scriptures and is likely inaccurate, because shepherds would not have been out with their flocks at night
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 28

in the winter. However, the Church was hoping to bring in new members by incorporating the major
pagan holiday into the Christian calendar.
This is how The Ghost of Christmas Past is depicted in the novel A Christmas Carol:
"It was a strange figure ‐ like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through
some supernatural medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded from the view,
and being diminished to a child's proportions. Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its
back, was white as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest bloom
was on the skin. The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were
of uncommon strength. Its legs and feet, most delicately formed, were, like those upper
members, bare. It wore a tunic of the purest white; and round its waist was bound a lustrous
belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and, in
singular contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed with summer flowers. But
the strangest thing about it was, that from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet
of light, by which all this was visible; and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its
duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm.
2008: Gary Neal Johnson (Scrooge); photo by Don Ipcock
Even this, though, when Scrooge looked at it with
increasing steadiness, was not its strangest
quality. For as its belt sparkled and glittered now
in one part and now in another, and what was
light one instant, at another time was dark, so the
figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness: being
now a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now
with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a
head, now a head without a body: of which
dissolving parts, no outline would be visible in
the dense gloom wherein they melted away. And
in the very wonder of this, it would be itself again;
distinct and clear as ever."
For years, directors and costume designers have had a great artistic opportunity in how to depict The
Ghost of Christmas Past. The prospect of creating a shape‐shifting, old‐man‐child on stage is nearly
impossible, so there have been many different incarnations of this ghost. At the Rep, and in other
productions, The Ghost of Christmas Past is often depicted as a woman, played by an actress.
Why do you suppose directors and costume designers have portrayed The Ghost of Christmas Past this
way?
Father Time and Death were often shown as one figure before the 16 th century. The sickle that was the
prominent symbol of Saturn‐Cronus (symbolic for the ‘harvesting’ of humans) became a scythe, which
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 29

we now associate with death. Father Time became a benevolent old man, restraining the arm of Death.
In an allegory of the time, Time was the father of Truth, rescuing her from a deep well, and thus became
the revealer of Truth. There is also a Saturnalia reference in Dickens’ description of The Ghost of
Christmas Past, with the greenery, although it is not as overt as The Ghost of Christmas Present. From
these correlations, it seems that The Ghost of Christmas Past is a version of Father Time.
Does the meaning of Dickens’ story change when the depiction of the ghost is changed?
The Ghost of Christmas Future is probably the most recognizable image of the whole story because it
looks like death, or what we have come to think that death looks like. However, Death was traditionally
depicted with a scythe, coming to harvest souls, similar to his predecessor, Saturn‐Cronus.
Is it more or less frightening to see Death in a cloak, as it is shown in A Christmas Carol, or without its
cloak? Why?
Because we cannot see beneath the cloak, does it mean that Death is necessarily Scrooge’s Christmas
Future, or does he have other options? Explain.
The Ghost of Christmas Present is the more boisterous and
also the ghost with the most identifiable and oldest ties. This
ghost is essentially Father Christmas and embodies the revelry
of the ancient pagan Saturnalia, one of the winter festivals
from which Christmas derives. Ancient Romans (and ancient
Greeks, in the case of Cronus) believed that during the reign of
Saturn, Zeus’s father, no one had to do hard work and could
enjoy themselves all day. They honored and remembered this
time by celebrating Saturnalia which was in the middle of
December, varying between one day and three weeks. It was
a time when slaves were allowed to leave their masters, the
2008: Grant Lorenzen (Ebenezer as a boy),
poor could demand food and drink from the rich, schools and
governments were closed, and everyone ate and drank and
Gary Neal Johnson (Ebenezer Scrooge),
celebrated. People also decorated with laurels, trees, shrubs,
Julane Havens (Fan); photo by Don Ipcock
lamps and candles, and gave each other small gifts, like clay dolls and wax fruit. We see some of these
traditions, like gift‐giving and decorating with trees and greens, continued in our Christmas today.
Father Christmas in England was originally less religious than in continental Europe, which was based on
St. Nicholas. The old St. Nicholas had a malevolent side as well as a benevolent side, whereas the
English Father Christmas embodied the season. In the 16 th and 17 th centuries, London was opposed to
Christmas because of its Catholic association and pagan roots and in the mid‐17 th century there was an
attempt to abolish Christmas in England which failed. In the 18 th century, Christmas was becoming more
geared to the spirit rather than the senses, and it is in this sentiment that Dickens tells A Christmas
Carol.
By Lara Mann
Communications Intern
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 30

REFLECT & CONNECT
SCROOGE’S ALPHABET
This alphabetical list of “Scroogish” advice first appeared in the satirical London periodical, Punch in
April, 1859. You can use this list to explore the character of Scrooge. Read Scrooge's advice aloud as a
class, each taking a turn, in the manner of Ebenezer Scrooge perhaps.
Avoid Clergymen. Borrow money.
Conceal your covetousness. Distrust the distressed.
Emulate the opulent. Favour fashionable frivolity.
Give nothing rashly. Help successful humbug.
Invite invitations. Judge poverty with severity.
Kick those who are down. Lend to the rich.
Make mercenary marriages. Never know the needy.
Order what you please. Pay what you must.
Quiz the quite helpless. Ruin rich relations.
Seldom believe anything. Tell only others' secrets.
Undermine antagonists. Vilify the unpopular.
Watch women warily. Xtol elegant xtravagance.
Yield your convictions readily. Zeal is very ridiculous.
1. Divide into groups and each take a portion of the alphabet and rework this primer to reflect the
changes in Scrooge after he has learned to "honor Christmas in my heart." Then read your new Primer
aloud (in the manner of the "new" Scrooge perhaps). For example:
"Act like a child.
Bring presents.
Conceal your generosity." (and so forth)
2. In groups or individually, use the alphabet primer to
describe your family holiday traditions and activities.
1983 ‐ Michael LaGue (The Ghost of Christmas Past)
and Peter Umbras (Scrooge); photo by Don Ipcock
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 31

REFLECT & CONNECT
HELP THE CRATCHITS MAKE ENDS MEET
Share the following information with your students:
Before the introduction of decimal currency, British money was written in the following order:
pounds/shilling/pence (or £/s/d). Prices less than one pound generally appeared as shilling/pence. A
pound was made up of 20 shillings. The British system of money was not converted to the decimal
system until 1971.
We know from the text of A Christmas Carol that
Bob Cratchit earned 15 shillings (or a “bob”) a
week. This would have been a typical wage for
many in Victorian England. For example, a
Metropolitan Police Officer earned 16 shillings a
week or just slightly more than Bob Cratchit.
Mrs. Cratchit was a “stay‐at‐home mom” but the
Cratchit family also earned income through two
of their six children. It was noted that Peter
would soon have a job where he would bring
home “5 shillings, 6 pence a week.” Martha, who
worked ten hours a day, six days a week, in a
millinery shop, would have earned approximately
3 shillings, 9 pence a week.
Large Group
With the whole class, discuss the difference between wants and needs.
Have students list on the board items in their daily life that are needs and those that are wants.
Is saving for the future a want or a need? Why?
Needs
Things you must have to survive.
Wants
Things you want, but don’t need, to survive.
Is donating to charity a want or a need? Why?
How can those with small incomes still afford
to be charitable? To save?
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 32

Pairs
The chart to the right lists the average weekly expenditures
for a typical family in Victorian England. Using this chart and
the information regarding the Cratchit family income, have
students work together in pairs to help the Cratchit family
make ends meet. Have each pair answer the following
questions:
Including Peter’s potential income, what was the total
weekly income of the Cratchit family?
What is the difference between the Cratchit family
income and the average weekly expenditures in 1888?
Which items on the list could be considered wants?
Which are considered needs?
Given Tiny Tim’s condition, is the listed amount for
medical attendance sufficient? If not, how much should
it be increased?
Which items could be omitted due to budgetary
reasons?
Provide reasons for why specific items were cut and how
the family could make do without them.
Should savings/charity be omitted? Why or why not?
Extension
Compare and contrast the weekly spending of the Cratchit
family with your own family.
Note that in the weekly expenditures for a Victorian family
there is no listing for toys, games, entertainment or
eating in restaurants. How is this different today? How
much of today’s weekly expenditures are spent on
these items? Are those items/activities “needs” or
“wants”?
**Remember, drinking water in Victorian
England was usually contaminated—and a good
way to get cholera. Drinking tea, which requires
the boiling of water, significantly cut the
incidence of some water‐borne diseases. Alcohol
also killed the bacteria, which is why the drinking
of beer and wine became so common‐place in
Victorian times.
Average Weekly Expenditures 1888*
Item Amount
Rent 5 shillings, 6 pence
Meat 4 shillings
Bread (10 loaves) 2 shillings, 3 pence
Flour 2 shillings
Vegetables
(18 pounds)
1 shilling, 4 pence
Butter 1 shilling
Fruit 1 shilling, 6 pence
Milk 10 pence
Tea 1 shilling
Cocoa 6 pence
Sugar 10 pence
Soap 6 pence
Starch 1 pence
Candles 1 pence
Kerosene 3 pence
Coal 1 shilling, 3 pence
Beer** 10 pence
Boots (for whole
family)
1 shilling, 8 pence
Clothes (for the
man)
1 shilling
Clothes (for wife
and children)
2 shillings
School Fees 4 pence
Savings/Charity 1 shilling, 6 pence
Medical
Attendance
(wife and children)
3 pence
Total 30 shillings,
6 pence
Compiled by Richard Patterson from an article
entitled Life on a Guinea a Week in The Nineteenth
Century (1888), p. 464.
For more lesson plans dealing with earning, saving and spending
download the Yes, You Can curriculum at:
www.yesyoucanonline.info. Yes, You Can is sponsored by
American Century Services Corporation.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 33

REFLECT & CONNECT
THE CLASSROOM AND THE COMMUNITY
By writing his books, Charles Dickens was able to bring attention to problems in the world. It was this
literary spotlight that helped create better conditions for children and the poor.
There are still people in this world who suffer because of poverty, war, famine, and disease. Where in
your community, or in the world, are there children or other people who are suffering? As a class think
of ways that you can help someone or a group of people during this holiday season. (A parent volunteer
might be helpful with this.) Perhaps the class could adopt a park; donate food to groups like
Harvesters; create and send cards for children or elders in hospitals and nursing homes – or organize a
visit; organize a holiday party and invite residents of elder care facilities to attend; or adopt a family for
the holiday through a social services organization.
Teacher Tip
Go to www.learningtogive.org and search
over 1,300 K‐12 lesson plans that teach
giving and volunteerism, civic engagement
and character through service learning. All
lesson plans are standards‐based.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 34

REFLECT & CONNECT
TALES FROM EBENEZER’S LIBRARY
In the novel A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Ebenezer Scrooge to earlier days when
his love for story books was not yet displaced by counting books and computations. Here are a few of
the references Scrooge makes to the beloved stories of his childhood. Many of these books can be
found in your school library.
“My Robinson Crusoe…” (Act I, scene 2) Robinson Crusoe, written in 1719 by Daniel Defoe, tells the
story of the solitary survivor of a shipwreck who, together with the native he calls “Friday,” lives on an
island for many years.
“Ah, The Arabian Nights’….Ali Baba…” (Act I, scene 2) A collection of folk tales from the Middle East.
The tales were first collected in Cairo in the mid‐15th century. English translations of the work became
available in the late 18th century. The well‐known story of Aladdin comes from this collection. Scrooge
mentions “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” This is the story of a poor wood‐cutter who discovers the
secret password (“Open Sesame!”) to unlock the door of the hideout of a gang of thieves. He and his
female slave, Morgiana, outwit the thieves and become rich on their hoarded treasure.
“...come to the Gate of Damascus…” (Act I, scene 2) A reference to “The Tale of the Three Apples,” one
of the tales from The Arabian Nights. In this story, a young man is magically transported from location
to location. He eventually falls asleep in Cairo, in the arms of a lover, and wakes up outside of Jerusalem
at the Damascus Gate.
“And Puss in Boots—Halloo!” (Act I, scene 2) A folk tale about a clever cat who wins fame and fortune
for his master. This story became popular in a French illustrated edition by Charles Perrault (1697).
Young Scrooge and Belle also allude to Cinderella as they dance when he asks, “And at midnight, does
your dress turn to rags?” (Act I, scene 2).
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 35

REFLECT & CONNECT
THE WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS
Novels
The Pickwick Papers
Oliver Twist
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
The Old Curiosity Shop
Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty
Martin Chuzzlewit
Dombey and Son
David Copperfield
Bleak House
Hard Times
Little Dorrit
A Tale of Two Cities
Great Expectations
Our Mutual Friend
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished)
Short Stories
A Message From the Sea
Doctor Marigold
George Silverman's Explanation
Going Into Society
Holiday Romance
Hunted Down
Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy
Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings
Mugby Junction
Somebody's Luggage
Some Short Christmas Stories
Sunday Under Three Heads
The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain
The Holly Tree Three Branches
The Lamplighter
The Perils of Certain English Prisoners
The Seven Poor Travellers
The Wreck of the Golden Mary
Tom Tiddler's Ground
Other books and works by Charles
Dickens
A Child's History of England
A Christmas Carol
A House to Let
American Notes for General Circulation
Master Humphrey's Clock
Miscellaneous Papers
Mudfog and Other Sketches
No Thoroughfare
Pictures from Italy
Reprinted Pieces
Sketches by Boz
Sketches of Young Couples
Sketches of Young Gentlemen
Speeches: Literary And Social by Charles Dickens
The Battle of Life
The Chimes
The Cricket on the Hearth
The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices
The Uncommercial Traveller
Three Ghost Stories: The Haunted House
Three Ghost Stories: The Signal‐Man
Three Ghost Stories: The Trial For Murder
To Be Read at Dusk
Did You Know?
In 1842, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in
just six weeks. His goal in writing the novel was to
alleviate the hardships and suffering of the poor.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 36

RESOURCES
BOOKS
Ackroyd, Peter. Dickens. London: Sinclair‐Stevenson, 1990.
Coker, Paul Jr. Yes, We Can! Understand Money, Stowers Innovations, 2002.
Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings, Penguin Classics, 2003.
Hearn, Michael Patrick. The Annotated Christmas Carol: a Christmas Carol in Prose / by Charles Dickens,
W. W. Norton and Co., 2004.
Kaplan, Fred. Dickens: A Biography, New York: William Morrow & Co., 1988.
Standiford, Les. The Man Who Invented Christmas, New York: Crown, 2008.
Warren, Andrea. Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Books for Children, 2011.
PLAYS
A Christmas Carol (1970) original stage adaptation written by Ira David Wood III. For the last 36 years it
has been performed on stage at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium. Theatre in the Park, in Raleigh NC, has
produced the show since its premiere. It is the longest running indoor show in North Carolina theatre
history.
A Christmas Carol (1991) Patrick Stewart's one‐man performance of the story. On stage he uses a table,
chair, stool, podium and a book with an over‐sized print cover to enact the entire story and portray all of
the characters.
WEBSITES
www.victorianweb.org ‐ Literature, history, and culture in the Age of Victoria.
www.bbc.co.uk/arts/multimedia/dickens/ ‐ A game where participants try to survive in Dickens’ London.
www.stormfax.com/1dickens.htm ‐ The text of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
www.charlesdickenspage.com ‐ Information on Dickens, on page, on stage and in life.
www.wwnorton.com/nael/victorian/welcome/htm ‐ Primary documents relating to British society in the
Victorian era.
www.ph.ucla/epi/snow/1859map ‐ Searchable map of London in 1859.
www.yesyoucanonline.info ‐ A personal finance educational program developed by American Century
Investments that puts students in real‐life situations where they can apply critical thinking and problem‐
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 37

solving skills when making financial decisions. Includes a downloadable classroom curriculum.
www.learningtogive.org ‐ Over 1,300 K‐12 lesson plans that teach giving and volunteerism, civic
engagement and character through service learning.
VIDEO
A Christmas Carol (1951). Starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge, this is commonly believed to be the definitive
film version. Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.
A Christmas Carol (1985). A made‐for‐TV version of the classic tale, starring George C. Scott as Scrooge.
Directed by Clive Donner.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). A retelling of A Christmas Carol featuring the various Muppet
characters, with Michael Caine as Scrooge. Directed by Brian Henson.
Scrooged (1988). An adaptation in a contemporary setting with Bill Murray as a misanthropic TV
producer who is haunted by the
ghosts of Christmas. Directed by
Richard Donner.
A Christmas Carol (1997). An
animated production featuring the
voice of Tim Curry as Scrooge as well
as the voices of Whoopi Goldberg,
Michael York and Ed Asner. Directed
by Stan Phillips.
A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000). An
adaptation of the Dickens’ classic, A
Christmas Carol, featuring a very
nasty pop singer (Vanessa Williams)
who gets a reality check by three
Christmas spirits. Directed by Richard
Schenkman.
2008: Charles Fugate (Fred), Vanessa Severo (Mrs. Fred); photo by
Don Ipcock
Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001). An animated version, produced by Illuminated Films, with the voices
of Simon Callow, Kate Winslet, Nicolas Cage, Jane Horrocks, Rhys Ifans, Michael Gambon, and Juliet
Stevenson. Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009). An animated version featuring the voices of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman,
and Colin Firth. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 38

STATE & NATIONAL STANDARDS
A Christmas Carol meets the following state and national standards:
KANSAS
Civics/Government
5 The student understands various systems of governments and how nations and
international organizations interact.
Geography
4 The student understands how economic, political, cultural, and social processes interact
to shape patterns of human populations, interdependence, cooperation, and conflict.
Economics
2 The student understands how limited resources require choices.
Reading
1 The student reads and comprehends text across the curriculum.
3 The student expands vocabulary.
4 The student comprehends a variety of texts (narrative, expository, technical, and
persuasive).
Literature
1 The student uses literary concepts to interpret and respond to text.
2 The student understands the significance of literature and its contributions to various
cultures.
Theatre
1 The student knows the basic elements of a story.
5 The student evaluates and reflects on the characteristics and merits of dramatic content
and theatrical forms in their work and that of others.
6 The student integrates theatre with other arts, disciplines, and the community.
Listening, Viewing Speaking
1 Learners will participate effectively as listeners in formal and informal groups.
2 Learners will demonstrate skills in viewing for a variety of purposes.
3 Learners speak effectively for a variety of audiences, purposes, occasions, and contexts.
4 The communicator will retrieve information from a variety of appropriate sources.
World History
6 The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups, ideas,
developments, and turning points of the Age of Revolutions (1650‐1920).
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 39

MISSOURI
GOAL 1: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze and
apply information and ideas.
5 comprehend and evaluate written, visual and oral presentations and works.
9 identify, analyze and compare the institutions, traditions and art forms of past and
present societies.
GOAL 2: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate
effectively within and beyond the classroom.
3 exchange information, questions and ideas while recognizing the perspectives of others.
4 present perceptions and ideas regarding works of the arts, humanities and sciences.
Communication Arts: In Communication Arts, students in Missouri public schools will acquire a solid
foundation which includes knowledge of and proficiency in:
2 reading and evaluating fiction, poetry and drama.
5 comprehending and evaluating the content and artistic aspects of oral and visual
presentations (such as story‐telling, debates, lectures, multi‐media productions).
6 participating in formal and informal presentations and discussions of issues and ideas.
7 identifying and evaluating relationships between language and culture.
Fine Arts: In Fine Arts, students in Missouri public schools will acquire a solid foundation which includes
knowledge of:
1 process and techniques for the production, exhibition or performance of one or more of
the visual or performed arts.
2 the principles and elements of different art forms.
3 the vocabulary to explain perceptions about and evaluations of works in dance, music,
theater and visual arts.
4 interrelationships of visual and performing arts and the relationships of the arts to other
disciplines.
5 visual and performing arts in historical and cultural contexts.
Social Studies: In Social Studies, students in Missouri public schools will acquire a solid foundation which
includes knowledge of:
2 continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world
3 principles and processes of governance systems
4 economic concepts (including productivity and the market system) and principles
(including the laws of supply and demand)
5 the major elements of geographical study and analysis (such as location, place,
movement, regions) and their relationships to changes in society and environment.
6 relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions.
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ARTS EDUCATION
6 Comparing and integrating art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music, visual arts,
and new art forms.
7 Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film,
television, and electronic media productions.
8 Understanding context by analyzing the role of theatre, film, television, and electronic media in
the past and the present.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 40

TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT
We want you to enjoy your time at the theatre, so here
are some tips to make your experience at the Rep
successful. Please take a moment to review these
pages prior to attending the performance.
Where are you located?
Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Copaken Stage is located at 13 th and Walnut, inside the H&R Block
Building, downtown. (The exact address is: One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, MO 64105.) It is best if
your bus approaches the H&R Block Building heading west on 13 th Street, which is a one way street. We
will have Kansas City Repertory Theatre staff members at this entrance to help make the loading and
unloading of buses go as smoothly as possible.
When should we arrive?
Please arrive at the theatre between 9:30‐9:45am. Performances begin promptly at 10:00am. We don’t
want you to miss anything!
Where should we go when we arrive?
When you arrive at the theatre, please stay on your buses! A staff member will greet your bus and let
you know how to proceed.
Where should the bus park?
There is no bus parking at the H&R Block Building. Buses may be able to find street parking around
Barney Allis Plaza for no charge.
What if we are late?
If you have an emergency after 9:00am on the day you are scheduled for performance, please call
Melinda McCrary, Director of Education, on her personal cell phone at (816) 309‐4439. This is the best
way to reach a staff person on performance days. Please also ensure that Amy has your cell phone
number prior to your visit in case of emergency! Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of House
Management staff.
How long is the performance?
The performance will last approximately two hours, including intermission.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 41

Can we take photos or videos of the performance?
The use of cameras and other recording devices is a violation of the actors’ contracts. We ask that you
refrain from taking photos or videos during the production. However, you are welcome to take photos
of students in the lobby or in the theatre before the performance begins. It is also important to
remember that electronic and recording devices should not be brought inside the theatre. This includes
pen lights, hand‐held games, virtual pets, cell phones, mp3 players, pagers, ipods and bright or noisy
jewelry.
What about cell phones?
The use of cell phones (including text messaging), cameras or any other recording device is not allowed
in the theater at any time! All cell phones should be completely turned off and put away during the
performance. Cell phones left on “vibrate” give off a glow that can distract actors and audience
members.
Where are the restrooms located?
Restrooms are located at the west end of the lobby. The best time to use the restroom is before the
show or during intermission. Once the show starts, we request that audience members do not leave
their seats. Water fountains are located near the restrooms.
Can we take food or drinks into the theatre?
No. There is no food, drinks or gum allowed in the theatre during the performance.
Can we bring sack lunches?
Sack lunches can be stored by the House Management staff until after the performance. They cannot be
consumed in the lobby before or during the production. If you plan on bringing lunches, please notify us
in advance and group them together in a large box or tub.
What about backpacks?
Please do not have your students bring backpacks or large bags as they are not allowed in the theatre
and there is no room for storage.
Is there a concession stand?
Snacks will be sold at intermission but cannot be taken into the theatre. Please alert students to this
policy so that they will not buy more than they can enjoy during intermission. Please let your students
know to bring one dollar bills if they would like to purchase concessions. This will insure the line
moves swiftly.
What nearby lunch options are available?
There are several restaurants near the theatre downtown. If you are planning to eat at a downtown
restaurant, it is advised that you contact them prior to your visit so that they can plan accordingly.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 42

I have a student with special needs. What should I do?
We require a minimum of two weeks notice in order to accommodate your student’s needs. This
includes accommodations for students who use wheelchairs as well as for students with hearing or
vision impairments. Please note that tickets for para‐professionals should be included in your ticket
count. Everyone entering the theatre will need a ticket.
How are we seated?
Theatre seating is assigned and based on sequence in which reservations and payments are received,
talkback attendance, disability considerations, and group size.
Where should teachers and chaperones sit?
We ask that the teacher/chaperones sit among their students in various areas in order to encourage
positive behavior. We ask that there be one adult seated between every ten students. You will be seated
in the order you are standing in line to enter the theatre; please ensure your chaperones are spaced
accordingly. Actors appreciate audience response that is appropriate to the play. By no means does the
Rep want to discourage laughter or applause during a performance. However, talking, whispering,
shouting or any inappropriate responses which are disruptive to the actors or to the rest of the audience
is not tolerated. If behavior problems arise, we ask that a teacher or chaperone accompany the
student to the theatre lobby and remain with the student until the end of the play.
What if there is bad weather?
Please note that Kansas City Repertory Theatre shall be under no liability for failure of the group to
attend in the event that such failure is caused by, or due to, inclement weather, interruption or delay of
transportation services, or any other similar or dissimilar cause beyond the control of the company. Due
to the nature of live theater, performances may be cancelled without notice. Should this occur, the
Education Department will make every effort to notify you and will attempt to move your group into
another student matinee performance whenever possible. Once final payment has been received, per
the Rep's ticket policy, we are unable to refund payment made for reservations.
Is it possible to talk with the cast?
There is a 20‐minute Q. & A. discussion with the actors following the performance. If your group needs
to leave after the play, we understand, and need to know beforehand. However, we encourage you to
stay for this unique learning experience.
My bus driver wants to see the show. Does she/he need a ticket?
Yes! Each person planning to see the play will need a ticket to give the ushers in order to enter the
theatre. This includes all students, chaperones, para‐professionals and drivers. If your bus driver will be
attending the performance, please remember to give them their ticket prior to entering the theatre.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 43

Are tickets available for purchase at the door?
Extra tickets will not be available on the day of performance. If you need to increase your seat count
prior to the performance day, please contact Melinda McCrary, Director of Education, at (816) 235‐5708
or mccrarym@kcrep.org., and she can let you know if additional seats are available for purchase.
I have chaperones arriving by car. Where are they allowed to park?
If your group is arriving in cars, please note that parking is NOT available at the H&R Block garage.
Parking is available at the Main Street parking garage located at 13th & Main. There may be a fee for
parking.
What should we wear?
Dress for the weather. You may wear dress clothes in order to make the theatre field trip a special one,
but it is not required. Please be advised that, at times, it may be chilly in the theatre.
How can we let the performers and artists know what we thought?
After your visit, take time to discuss and reflect with your students and tell us about your experiences.
We can share your feedback with the artists and funders who make these productions possible. Please
send your letters to: Melinda McCrary, Director of Education, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, 4825
Troost, #209, Kansas City, MO 64110 or mccrarym@kcrep.org.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 44

EDUCATION & OUTREACH PROGRAMS
REP ON THE ROAD
Students from Schlagle High School participate in Rep on the Road. Photo: Charles Stonewall.
Our team of teaching artists will visit your school each day for one week leading your students in the discovery of
classic and contemporary plays through the process of rehearsal and performance. The team can teach all day for
numerous classes in various disciplines or for an abbreviated day of fewer classes.
For students approaching these texts for the first or repeated times, Rep on the Road introduces and immerses
young scholars and performers in the process and skills used to make the words and the literary terms they study in
class come to life. This workshop is an ideal way to enliven and enhance a Literature, Arts, Speech, English, History,
or Drama class. We can customize the program content based on what you are exploring in any class or discipline or
you can choose from the texts we have prepared. Daily schedule correspond to teachers’ schedules within each
school—whether on block or regular schedule (including daily planning time).
NOTE: Each residency is custom designed with educators to meet students’ needs on a school‐specific basis and
includes 1‐2 advance planning sessions.
Location: Your school
Grades: 6‐8, 9‐12
Availability: Fall and Winter semesters
Fee: Fee varies with schedule. Call for more information!
Opportunities: Mix and Match from these workshops or choose one.
Shakespeare in the Wings: King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream. American Masterworks: The Crucible, The Glass Menagerie, Death of a Salesman, To Kill A
Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Raisin in the Sun, Our Town. Discoveries and Techniques: Acting Techniques,
Improvisation, Audition Skills, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Arts Marketing.
TO BOOK REP ON THE ROAD:
Contact Melinda McCrary, Director of Education & Community Programs, at
816‐235‐5708 or mccrarym@kcrep.org
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 45

EDUCATION & OUTREACH PROGRAMS
IN CLASS POST SHOW DISCUSSIONS
Students from Wyandotte High School participate in an in‐school arts residency program. Photo: David Riffel.
Let the learning continue after the curtain goes down. We are offering you the opportunity to have a
member of the Education staff lead a post‐show discussion in your classroom after attending a student
matinee performance at the Rep. This guided discussion will enable students to delve deeper into the
context and themes of the play, giving them a chance for their thoughts and opinions to be heard.
Engaging and collaborative, this discussion encourages students to utilize higher levels of thinking to
connect the central issues in the play to their own lives.
Location: Your school
Availability: All season, as scheduled, after attending a student matinee performance.
Length: 45 minutes
Maximum number of students: 40
Fee: $1 per student.
To book an In Class Post‐Show Discussion
Contact Melinda McCrary,
Director of Education & Community Programs, at
816‐235‐5708 or mccrarym@kcrep.org
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 46

2012—2013 STUDENT MATINEE SERIES
Pippin
All matinees include a learning guide and Q. & A. with the cast after the performance.
All matinees start at 10:00am with the exception of A Christmas Carol which starts at 10:30am.
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Book by Rodger O. Hirson
Directed by Eric Rosen
September 14‐ October 7, 2012
Student Matinees: Tuesday, Oct. 2 & Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Center for the Performing Arts, 4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO 64110,
on the campus of UMKC.
Recommended for high school and up.
Building upon Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s successfully reimagined and innovative productions of
Into the Woods and Cabaret, Artistic Director Eric Rosen directs Stephen Schwartz’s iconic musical
Pippin, the story of Prince Pippin's quest to find personal significance. Pippin traverses the trials of war,
love and politics before discovering his true self amongst the peasants, away from the wealth and
privilege of royal life. This musical theatre classic, originally directed by Bob Fosse, promises to be a
profound reinvention with new visual and musical twists to enjoy.
The Mystery of Irma Vep
Written by Charles Ludlam
Directed by Tom Aulino
October 19‐November 18, 2012
Student Matinees: Thursday, Nov 1, 2012 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Copaken Stage, 13 th & Walnut, One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, Missouri, 64105, located in the H&R
Block Building.
Recommended for high school and up.
With a dizzying array of lightning‐fast transformations and costume changes, two of Kansas City’s finest
actors, Mark Robbins and Ron McGee, portray multiple men, women and monsters in The Mystery of
Irma Vep. Cited as one of the best plays of 1984 by The New York Times and TIME magazine, Charles
Ludlam's farcical thriller/comedy is a gender‐bending tour‐de‐force that both celebrates and satirizes
horror movies, classic literature and the conventions of theatre itself. Set on a “dark and stormy night,”
Lady Enid arrives at an estate with her new husband, who is under the spell of his deceased first wife
and haunted by something prowling the grounds. Freely quoting from a range of literary, cinematic and
pop culture sources, The Mystery of Irma Vep is a fun madcap romp with a nod to Shakespeare, Ibsen
and Poe; werewolves, vampires and mummies!
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 47

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Directed by Kyle Hatley
November 16—December 26, 2012
Student Matinees: Friday, Nov. 16; Tuesday, Nov. 20; Tuesday, Nov. 27; Wednesday, Nov. 28; Thursday, Nov. 29;
Tuesday, Dec. 4; Wednesday, Dec. 5; Thursday, Dec. 6; Tuesday, Dec. 11; Wednesday, Dec. 12; Thursday, Dec. 13,
2012. Performances begin at 10:30am.
Cost: $15 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students; $100 deposit required to
hold tickets. Reservations received after Sept. 14, 2012 will be $16 per student.
Location: Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Center for the Performing Arts, 4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO 64110,
on the campus of UMKC.
Recommended for grades 4 and up.
Who doesn’t like a bit of Christmas cheer during the holidays? Join us for this Kansas City family holiday
tradition, a ripping good telling of the classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeonly businessman
who requires the intervention of a few spectral guides to understand the true meaning of Christmas and
life. Complete with lively musical numbers, ornate costuming, and dashing stagecraft, Dickens' timeless
tale of hope and redemption continues to remind us of what's really worth celebrating.
Death of a Salesman
Written by Arthur Miller
Directed by Eric Rosen
January 18—February 10, 2013
Student Matinees: Thursday, Jan. 31; Tuesday, Feb. 5 & Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Center for the Performing Arts, 4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO 64110,
on the campus of UMKC.
Recommended for high school and up.
Attention must be paid. Winner of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for best play, Arthur Miller’s classic
story of a down‐on‐his‐luck salesman searching for his American dream remains one of the most
profound dramas in American theatre. Directed by Artistic Director Eric Rosen, Death of a Salesman
draws on the exceptional talents of Kansas City’s own Gary Neal Johnson and Merle Moores as Willy and
Linda Loman. Working from Miller’s timeless resonant themes of family, dreams deferred, and
unfulfilled lives, Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s production of Death of a Salesman will be nothing short
of unforgettable.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 48

Waiting for You (On the Corner of 13th and Walnut)
A new work commissioned by Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Created in partnership with Sojourn Theatre Company (Portland, OR) and The TEAM (New York, NY).
Directed by Rachel Chavkin and Michael Rohd
February 15—March 17, 2013
Student Matinee: Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Copaken Stage, 13 th & Walnut, One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, Missouri, 64105, located in the H&R
Block Building.
Recommended for high school and up.
The Rep partners with two award‐winning theatre companies to premiere an original play about six
people who live in Kansas City, doing their best to talk, to listen and to survive in a country where the
distance between two people is less than a shout but more than a handshake. Based on interviews with
Kansas City residents, and rooted in the ideas, thoughts, and observations of our local communities, the
fictional narrative of Waiting for You on the Corner of 13 th and Walnut examines how we listen to one
another, finds the shared values of our unique communities, and asks if consensus can be found in the
midst of polarizing politics. Waiting for You on the Corner of 13 th and Walnut is a one‐of‐a‐kind
theatrical event commissioned by Kansas City Repertory Theatre, continuing our commitment to
excellent new theatre and investment in the stories of our community.
Carousel
Music by Richard Rodgers|Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents The Living Room’s production of Carousel
Directed by Kyle Hatley
March 15—April 7, 2013
Student Matinees: Tuesday, April 2 & Thursday April 4, 2013 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Center for the Performing Arts, 4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO 64110,
on the campus of UMKC.
Recommended for high school and up.
This is the musical theatre event that last year sparked delight in hearts of audience members and critics
alike. And now, the Rep’s Associate Artistic Director Kyle Hatley and The Living Room, one of Kansas
City’s most imaginative small theater companies, are bringing their beautiful production of Carousel to
Spencer Theatre, complete with “in‐the round” seating. Carousel tells a universal story of love, longing,
and doing our utmost for the people we care about, even if it leads to difficult choices with tragic
outcomes. Join us to experience this touching and inspiring musical theatre classic in a new and deeply
moving way. You won’t want to miss it this second time around.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 49

American Buffalo
Written by David Mamet
Directed by Jerry Genochio
April 19—May 19, 2013
Student Matinee: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 10:00am.
Cost: $10 per student ticket with one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students.
Location: Copaken Stage, 13 th & Walnut, One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, Missouri, 64105, located in the H&R
Block Building.
Recommended for high school and up.
Winner of the Obie Award and New York Drama Critic’s Best Play Award, American Buffalo tells the story
of Don, Teach and Bob’s struggle to get ahead. Centering on a scheme to recover a buffalo nickel
recently sold from Don’s Resale Shop, the three discover realities about business, leadership and ethics,
all told from the petty theft view of the pursuit of the American Dream. An almost unintentional
companion piece to Death of a Salesman, American Buffalo takes a modern look at the underbelly of
American capitalism in which every exchange including friendship has “business” written on it. Due to
strong language, The Rep encourages the fearless and adventurous to join us for this show.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Student Matinees meet the following standards:
Missouri: CA 2, 5‐7; FA 1‐ 5; SS 5; 6
Kansas: History; Literature Genre; Theatre 5, 6; Listening, Viewing, Speaking 1, 2, 3, 4
National: Theatre 6, 7, 8
Each play, depending on its themes, content and genre, meets various other standards of each state’s
curriculum.
For more information or to reserve seats please contact:
Melinda McCrary
Director of Education & Community Programs
816‐235‐5708
mccrarym@kcrep.org
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 50

EDUCATION PARTNER: UMKC
UMKC is a great place to get to start a new adventure and open your mind to knowledge,
diverse people and outstanding experiences. So what makes UMKC worth looking at?
· Over 120 degree programs including Art, Business, Biology, Education, Engineering, Medicine,
Music, Nursing, Pharmacy, Spanish, Theater and many more.
· Personal attention from faculty and staff. Average class size is 24 students and there is a 14:1
student to faculty ratio.
· Affordable! UMKC has great scholarships ranging from $250 to full paid expenses per year
based on academic performance and leadership.
· Great location! Based in the heart of the city of Kansas City, opportunities for internships,
jobs, community service are at a student’s fingertips.
· Find your fit at UMKC. There are over 300 student organizations for students ranging from
academics, religion, multicultural, intramurals and more.
Check us out!
For more information, contact
UMKC Office of Admissions
admit@umkc.edu
816‐235‐UMKC
www.umkcgetalife.com
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 51

OUR SPONSORS
Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s production of
A Christmas Carol is sponsored by
Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s educational programs receive generous support from the
following:
The ArtsKC Fund
Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Deluxe Corporation Foundation
Francis Family Foundation
Hall Family Foundation
Hallmark Corporate Foundation
The Jackson County Missouri Chapter of The Links, Inc.
Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation
Oppenstein Brothers Foundation
Theater League
William Randolph Hearst Foundation
Financial assistance for this project has been
provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state
agency. Also, this project is supported in part
by an award from the National Endowment for
the Arts, which believes that a great nation
deserves great art.
Special Thanks to Michael Mooney from
Papermill Playhouse for some of the
information found in this guide.
CONTACT US:
We invite you to direct any comments, questions, or ideas to Melinda McCrary, Director of Education at:
mccrarym@kcrep.org or 816‐235‐5708
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 52