The many versions of ‘A Christmas Carol’ that you can watch in the Philadelphia region this season

A story about ghosts is barely holiday season fare but since Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol first published on Dec. 19, 1843, it has remained a holiday classic.

The story of wealthy Ebenezer Scrooge being haunted by three ghosts (four if you’re counting Jacob Marley) in an effort to change his ways and save his soul, was so popular that the first printing sold out before Christmas Eve.

The haunting narrative was almost immediately adapted for the stage, having its first production in 1844. Since then, there have been countless adaptations in just about every artistic medium. Every holiday season, theaters around the country take this wintry ghost story and add their own theatrical spin to it.

The Philadelphia region is no different, with four productions currently underway at in the area.

Most audiences have seen some version of this story before. While there are many direct adaptations of Dickens’ work, some take the plot and translate it into a different time and place. Such is the case with A Levittown Christmas Carol.

This production at the New Hope Arts Center ditches the Victorian England setting in exchange for Levittown, with a healthy dose of 80s and 90s nostalgia thrown in for good measure.

This adaptation, written by New Hope native Righteous Jolly, uses the story of Scrooge and spirits to explore more nuanced topics regarding the community’s history of racial segregation, and the complexities of growing up amongst it.

So what is it about the Dickens story that still grabs audiences as it celebrates its 182nd anniversary?

“Mercy, grace, forgiveness. The want to be more whole, and the subsequent excavation that sends a person to discover, what was doesn’t mean what will be, and what can be, may be even more joyous and wholesome than we could imagine,” said Jolly on the enduring strength of Dickens’ novella. $33-39. newhopearts.org

For some local theaters, this show has become a seasonal tradition. America’s oldest theater, the Walnut Street Theatre, puts up an annual production as part of its WST for Kids Series. It’s been around since 2001, and while there are slight changes every year, the core intention of their production is to honor Dickens’ original text.

“For many, it is their first experience with live theater,” remarks Jessica Doheny, Walnut’s general manager, “which is a wonderful gift for us to share!” $24-29. walnutstreettheatre.org

The Lantern Theater’s version is slightly more alternative than the Walnut’s. Here, longtime Lantern Theater collaborator Anthony Lawton revives the show and performs all the characters in the story. Originally presented in this form in 2018, the production, now in its seventh year, has become a bit of a Philadelphia tradition. “When a great story is told effectively, we want to experience that story over and over again because it moves us.” says Stacy Dutton, executive director of Lantern Theater Company. $32-40. lanterntheater.org

Another theater looking to create an annual holiday tradition is People’s Light in Malvern. “Rituals are what make holidays so special. Nothing competes with being with loved ones and doing the same thing together each season,” said Zak Berkman, artistic director of People’s Light. “Our holiday musical pantos at People’s Light, and now this new version of A Christmas Carol, offer a similar opportunity for families and friends to enjoy something together year after year.”

This production takes the original Dickens narrative and puts it through the lens of a child sitting in their attic, using things around them to create the world of the story and live it out anew. The production’s original music is inspired by 19th Century carols (with a folk spin) and aids in elevating the storytelling of this production. $64-94. peopleslight.org