By special arrangement, the Magic Circle Theatre is co-producing
Northern California's favorite holiday musical, Rodger
Hoopman's SCROOGE, a musical version of Dicken's classic Christmas
story. This will be the 29th year, this musical adaptation of Charles
Dickens' immortal A Christmas Carol has put
audiences in the Christmas spirit! This tale of rebirth and redemption
uses music, comedy and drama - providing the perfect holiday
entertainment for the whole family!
The original production of SCROOGE opened in 1978 in Cal Expo's Golden Bear Playhouse,
directed by Gary McFadyen and featuring Rodger Hoopman as Scrooge. Since then, SCROOGE
has played each holiday season to enthusiastic audiences throughout Northern California.
SCROOGE will play for the 8th consecutive year at Magic Circle, featuring a company of
local favorites including long time SCROOGE veterans Warren Harrison and Chris Lamb, as
well as Lindsay Grimes, Boots Martin, Richanne Baldridge, Brad Bingham and Perry Vargas
with Rodger Hoopman in the title role. Sacramento Bee Arts Critic Robert Masullo wrote:
"His Scrooge is singular. He's irascible, inarticulate and mean. Nevertheless and remarkably,
he creates something close to sympathy for Scrooge.”
Bee Arts critic Alfred Kay scribed...”like Carol Channing as Dolly Levi or Yul Brynner
as the King of Siam, the local director and actor has made the role his own. He handles
it with a depth of fury and bitterness that makes you wonder how Bob Cratchit ever
showed up for work." Sacramento Union critic Richard Simon wrote: "Hoopman has polished
his conception of Scrooge so the character glows with a patina akin to that of rubbed
mahogany. He makes his points both as the misanthrope and miser of Christmas eve and
the philanthropist of Christmas day with utmost simplicity and directness of speech and gesture.”
Patricia Beach Smith, Bee Arts Critic, said: "Rodger Hoopman, as the unlikable yet redeemable
title character, was a convincing Scrooge in a tour de force part, honed over many years of
practice. His transformation from a persnickety old money-grabber to a generous, almost
giddy everybody's uncle, proved his mettle."
The production includes an original musical score by Hoopman and Rob Knable which "weaves
about a dozen clever songs through the threads of the original story...making the holiday
musical a delight." (Joanne Burkett, Roseville Press Tribune). “The set captures Dickens'
time, place and ambiance. The narrow houses line a narrow street, and though they are
rendered on flat canvas, the scene evokes the comforting feeling of an advent calendar
and makes one want to open the small windows for the prizes within" (Alfred Kay, Sacramento Bee)
