The Nebraska Theatre Caravan will present “A Christmas Carol” on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7 and 8 at the Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts. They will team up with the West Michigan Symphony to present this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic.

The celebrated adaptation by Charles Jones of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is packed with laughter, pageantry, music and gorgeous costumes. Every memorable detail of Dickens’ 1843 novel spring to life – from spine-chilling ghosts to heart-warming moments with Tiny Tim and his family gathered around the hearth.

The evening features many heartfelt renditions of traditional British carols, including, “The Holly and the Ivy”, “Got Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Coventry Carol”. Crotchety Scrooge, lovable Tiny Tim and all the fascinating and beloved characters make Dickens’ enchanting story a treasured holiday event.

“I was working with the Omaha Playhouse when Charles wrote the adaptation and his team created the sets, choreography, chorus arrangements and costumes,” said WMS President and CEO Carla Hill. “It was an immediate hit and has been a staple of the Playhouse season ever since. It’s an amazing production filled with laughter, singing, dancing and, or course, the wonderful story of Scrooge and his eventual redemption. It is truly a performance that the entire family will enjoy, and we are delighted to bring it to the audiences in West Michigan.”

The Omaha-based Nebraska Theatre Caravan is a touring theatre troupe that performs across the country. It was founded in 1975 by Jones as a collaboration between the Omaha Playhouse and the Nebraska Arts Council, and has produced 90 fully mounted productions.

The Caravan began staging a national tour of Jones’ musician adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” annually in 1979. To date, the touring production has performed in more than 600 cities in 49 states and in four Canadian provinces.

Jones studies theatre in Britain, where he received a master’s certification in business management for the arts from the London Polytechnic University, as well as certification in directing from the British Drama League. He served as executive director and theatrical visionary of the Omaha Community Playhouse for more than 25 years.

Single tickets for this concerts are $15, $20, $35 and $45 and may be purchased online at www.westmichigansymphony.org; in person at the West Michigan Symphony Ticket Office, Suit 409 in the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, 425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon; or by calling 231-726-3231. Student tickets are $10 for this concert but are not available online. College students must present a valid ID when they purchase tickets.