A feminist take on an old holiday classic with 'Miss' Scrooge

A modern feminist reimagining of a Charles Dickens’ timeless classic is coming to Guelph later this week.

Miss Scrooge: A New Holdiay Musical offers audiences a fresh, feminist retelling of a woman who learns that her strength, resilience, and compassion can rewrite her future and transform her community.

Based on A Christmas Carol, it runs Thursday through at the Guelph Little Theatre.

The musical features an original score and lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel, Penny & Pound’s artistic director and composer behind Miss Scrooge.

“In a world where women in leadership are often judged more harshly than their male counterparts, we wanted to explore what it means for a woman to hold onto her convictions while opening herself up to change," Lori said.

Miss Scrooge explores the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a brilliant yet guarded businesswoman whose career has flourished while her personal life has withered. Facing Christmas Eve alone, Scrooge is haunted by a series of ghostly encounters that take her on a journey of personal discovery, revealing the impact of her choices and the ways in which her path can change.

Executive director and Miss Scrooge playwright Piper J. Distel said the aim was to bring new life into Dickens' beloved characters through humour, heart and insight into Scrooge’s journey.

"One of my main reasons for doing this was that I have always been a huge Christmas Carol fan and I love Charles Dickens. I did a bit of research on Dickens a few years ago, when I was in high school, and I found that a lot of what he said and did was incredibly misogynistic," said Piper, who also stars in the show.

"So, I thought, how would this story change if you put a woman in this position instead of a man?"

The character of Miss Scrooge grapples with her past and navigates her future. Audiences will witness her reckoning with the often-overlooked societal pressures and challenges faced by women in power.

Her transformation is one that resonates beyond her own life, 'reminding audiences of the collective strength needed to create a better world.'

"Audiences can expect an incredible cast of local talent. Our youngest performer is seven. And our oldest performer is 72. So, there is a huge age range. It is a large cast of 40, which is amazing," Piper said.

"Audiences will be able to resonate with the fact that this version of A Christmas Carol doesn't tell a story that is tries to scare Scrooge into submission or into behaving properly. This story focuses on the positive side, about all of the people who's lives Miss Scrooge has affected and that she did not even realize it."

Miss Scrooge offers a fresh take on a familiar tale, set against a vibrant backdrop that captures the energy and diversity of a jazz-era metropolis.

"Most of the characters we have feminized. Our Bob (Roberta) Cratchit is actually being played by Piper. We've made sure that the ghost of Christmas Past and present are both played by women as well. It's amazing how you can stay really true to the story, and when you skew it, just a little bit, the mood changes so much," Lori said.

"It was actually a lot of fun to write. It's set in the 1920s and '30s so I had a lot of fun writing the music and lyrics, with a little bit of jazz added. It was fun to put this together."

The musical does try to sway from old fashioned scare tactics.

"That's not to say we don't have scary ghosts in it. But the bottom line message for Miss Scrooge, is not so much about the negative impact she had on people, but the positive impact she had on them," Lori said.

Tickets are available via Eventbrite here or at the door prior to performances.

"We will also host a holiday food drive for the Guelph Food Bank in the spirit of the holidays," Piper said.

Patrons who bring in non-perishable food items or canned goods for the Guelph Food Bank will be entered to win a holiday raffle basket. 

"Miss Scrooge is a story of redemption, courage, and the true spirit of generosity, a message that we believe will resonate with audiences of all backgrounds," Lori said.

"We are really hoping to launch everybody's Christmas season with a lot of fun and a lot of joy."