Dickens' Holiday Classic | Guthrie Theater

Dickens’ Holiday Classic

adapted and directed by E.G. BAILEY and JOSEPH HAJ

Presented virtually and available to stream

Bah! Humbug! DICKENS’ HOLIDAY CLASSIC is no longer available. Watch our social channels for updates on upcoming virtual programming.

A virtual telling of A Christmas Carol

One of Charles Dickens’ favorite ways to spread holiday cheer was to perform dramatic readings of his beloved ghost story for audiences near and far. With a trusty, self-edited copy of his novella in hand, Dickens took Scrooge’s tale of transformation on the road for years, standing at podiums and entertaining large crowds of devoted fans from London to Boston and beyond.

Drawing inspiration from this centuries-old tradition, we are proud to present a special virtual event featuring a cast of four beloved A Christmas Carol veterans who will reimagine Dickens’ hand-curated chapters for a global audience to enjoy. During the season that would have brought our 46th consecutive production of A Christmas Carol to the Guthrie stage, we’re thrilled to continue this holiday tradition virtually with the hope of making spirits bright while our stages are dark.

Dickens’ Holiday Classic is not a recording of the Guthrie's stage production of A Christmas Carol. It is a newly conceived offering that will be filmed and available to stream December 19–31.

Ticket prices

Tickets are $10, intended for single-household use and nonrefundable. If you wish to bundle your ticket with a donation to the Guthrie, please consider the $35 or $60 options available at checkout.

Run time

Approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes (no intermission)

Age recommendation

The content is appropriate for ages 8 and up, but the virtual nature of this event may be best suited for middle schoolers and up.

Digital program

Dive into the digital program (large-print option) to learn how our A Christmas Carol tradition has been reimagined for a virtual audience. To dig deeper into the story, download the play guide.

How it works

You will need internet access and a smartphone, tablet or computer. After purchase, you will receive a link and password to view the show, which may be watched as many times as you wish until the link expires at 11:59 p.m. on December 31.

Viewing FAQs

Explore our technical FAQs to help you successfully stream the show and have an uninterrupted viewing party.

Accessibility

Recordings with ASL interpretation, audio description and open captioning will be available soon. In the meantime, view our ASL preview or listen to an introduction from the audio describer. For more information, email accessibility@guthrietheater.org.

About the story

A miserly and miserable man, Ebenezer Scrooge greets each Christmas with “Bah! Humbug!” until he is visited one Christmas Eve by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. Through a restless night, the spirits show him happy memories from his past, cruel realities from the present and a grim future should he continue his cantankerous ways. Charles Dickens’ timeless tale continues to be a perennial favorite and holiday tradition that invites audiences of all ages to celebrate the merriment of the season with their family and loved ones.