Mike Dulaney of Cedar Rapids stars as Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" from Nov. 25 to Dec. 17, 2011, at Theatre Cedar Rapids. (Alisabeth photo)

The setting is Victorian England, but the tale is timeless.

That’s the beauty of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” revisiting Theatre Cedar Rapids from Nov. 25 to Dec. 17, 2011. City Circle is staging the classic in Coralville from Dec. 9 to 18, 2011, and the Old Creamery in Amana will be conjuring up some laughs with a Dickens twist Nov. 17 to Dec. 18, 2011, in “A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol.”

The ghosts of the past seem to be haunting the present.

TCR Artistic Director Leslie Charipar, 44, of Cedar Rapids, says it’s important to make those connections for the 21 children in her cast, which also includes 16 adults.

“That’s one of the things we talked about early in the process,” she says, “trying to explain in part to the kids what it was like to be poor in Victorian London. Every time I’d try to come up with an example, it was not unlike the economic tension right now that makes all of this pretty relevant.

“The idea that Scrooge is the guy we all hope wakes up — and he does — we’ve had our share of those,” she says. “We’ve had our Bernie Madoffs. Dickens gives us an opportunity for redemption in this play. You imagine it’s all far, far away from you, but with the number of food stamp usages going up, it’s not just Victorian England. …

“And with Scrooge’s notion of, ‘Are there no workhouses, no jails where the poor can be taken care of,’ it’s really interesting to me to do a play set 100-plus years ago and go, ‘Huh, we’re having those same conversations today.’

“Just when you dismiss a moment and call it history, it comes back again,” she says. “You’d think we would learn.”

Theatre Cedar Rapids has presented “A Christmas Carol” in several incarnations. This new version, by John Mortimer, was staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1994.

“It’s a very classic adaptation,” Charipar says.

Mortimer retains Dickens’ narrative by using the Greek chorus concept, where everyone except the actor playing Scrooge moves in and out of various characters and scenes, adding dialogue and commentary. Music and dance weave in and out of the action, as well.

Leslie Charipar, director

“It’s a play with music,” Charipar says. “Nobody busts out in a song about why Christmas is so awesome. We’re trying to keep it in the world of traditional Victorian music — some carols you’ve heard and some you haven’t heard.”

It’s a play she’s long wanted to direct.

“Every year at Thanksgiving (National Public Radio) plays the book on tape. I love the story,” she says. “I love the idea that Scrooge is the worst guy on the planet and he can change. That’s what Christmas is for.”

Staging a tale that’s so familiar does present some challenges.

“The trick is to get out of the way and just tell the story,” Charipar says. “I know when I go see ‘A Christmas Carol’ I don’t want to see somebody else’s deconstructed rendition. I want to see Scrooge and the ghosts and hear Tiny Tim say ‘God bless us, every one.’ I want to tell the story in the clearest possible way and the way Dickens intended.”

She found what she was looking for in Mike Dulaney, 67, of Cedar Rapids. Now retired, he came to town and started radio station Q103 in 1975.

“He’s an old radio guy who’s got this brilliant voice,” she says. “He’s kind of a slight, gray-haired, absolutely Scrooge-looking guy. He looks and acts precisely how you imagine Scrooge to look and act. He’s lovely in this role and so patient. He’s the main character, but there are 36 other people I’m paying attention to. He’s so patient and generous with the kids.”

He’s also thrilled to tackle the iconic role.

“Scrooge is remembered always as the grouchy old guy,” he says. “And really if you watch the show, Scrooge is happy and he is very effervescent through most of the show actually, and particularly the end, because he’s come to realize the whole gift of Christmas is what the show is all about. Scrooge is very happy in the end of the play, in fact, he’s almost giddy.”

Tiny Tim (Elijah Ervin of Robins" gets a boost from his father (Richie Akers of Cedar Rapids) in "A Christmas Carol," playing for the holidays at Theatre Cedar Rapids. (Alisabeth photo)

“I started right off with a baptismal by fire and had to learn lines pretty quickly. It was easier when you were 25 years old than when you’re 65 years old,” Dulaney says, adding that he uses a solitary process to memorize his lines.

“I live out by the Sac and Fox Trail,” he says. I get some lines down, I take a walk on the trail and I’m just repeating the lines, just repeat, repeat, repeat. Then when somebody walks by, you get a strange look.”

The other iconic role is held by Elijah Ervin, 7 1/2, of Robins, as Tiny Tim. “He’s cheerful and very respected,” says Elijah, who gets to use an English accent, which he says isn’t hard. Like about half of cast members, this is his first time in a Theatre Cedar Rapids play, but it’s his third time on stage.

His favorite part of this experience? “I know that my castmates will help me,” he says.

A feeling of family permeates the show, partly because so many cast members are family.

“The entire Akers family, two sisters, a mother/daughter, father/stepson and my two nephews are in the show,” Charipar says. “We have all these family connections — all kinds of them working together. It’s fun to watch a mom or a dad learn something that their kids are learning at the same time.

“It’s a warm, squishy feeling with all those families in there,” she says.

Heather Akers, 36, of Cedar Rapids, loves sharing the stage with her husband, Richie, and their kids Harrison, 9, and Zoey, 7.

“We were a little nervous about the whole undertaking, just concerned about making sure that everybody knew what they were doing, but we’re having a great time,” says Akers, who got her start at the theater in third grade and like her husband, has had many featured roles. “It’s a great way to spend the holidays together.”

FAST TAKE

What: “A Christmas Carol”

Where: Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE

When: Nov. 25 to Dec. 17, 2011; 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: $20 and $25 adults, $15 youths and students, Theatre Cedar Rapids Box Office, (319) 366-8591, www.theatrecr.org

Information: www.theatrecr.org/2011-2012/a-christmas-carol/about-the-show/?ftr

2011 AREA HOLIDAY PLAYS

Ron Clark stars in "Small Miracles,"€ a collection of holiday stories he wrote, onstage Nov. 25 to 27, 2011, at Riverside Theatre in Iowa City. (Bob Goodfellow photo)

If your community or professional group is staging a holiday play, send details to features@sourcemedia.net

“A Christmas Carol,” City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth St.; Dec. 9 to 18, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; $12 to $27, (319) 248-9370, http://citycircle.org

“A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol,” Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38th Ave., Amana; Nov. 17 to Dec. 18, 3 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, $17.50 and $27, 1-(800) 35-AMANA, www.oldcreamery.com

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Young Footliters, Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd., Iowa City; 7 p.m. Nov. 11 and 12, 2 p.m. Nov. 13, $5 and $7 at the door, http://youngfootliters.org

“The Elves and the Shoemaker,” Young Footliters, Hoover Library, West Branch, 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 4 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Dec. 4, donations accepted

“Forgotten Carols,” Opera House Players, Elkader Opera House, 207 N. Main St., Elkader; Nov. 25 to Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; $7 to $13, (563) 873-2378, www.elkaderoperahouse.com

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” Peace Pipe Players, Ohnward Fine Arts Center, 1215 E. Platt St., Maquoketa; 7 p.m. Nov. 18 and 19, 2 p.m. Nov. 20, $10 and $15 at the door, $8 and $12 in advance, (563) 652-9815, www.ohnwardfineartscenter.com

“Little Women,” Starlighters II, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa; Dec. 2 to 11, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 2 p.m. Sundays, $12 and $13, (319) 462-4793, www.starlighters.org/little_womenres.html

“The Nutcracker,” Minnesota Ballet, Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, University of Northern Iowa, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, 2 p.m. Nov. 19 and 20, $1 to $33, (319) 273-4849, 1-(877) 549-7469, www.unitix.uni.edu

“The Nutcracker,” Nolte Academy Of Dance, Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Dec. 4; $16 to $22, (319) 688-2653, www.englert.org

“Raggedy Ann and Andy’s Yuletide Adventure,” Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38th Ave., Amana; 11 a.m. Saturdays, Nov. 26 to Dec. 17; $8, 1-(800) 35-AMANA, www.oldcreamery.com

“Small Miracles,” holiday stories written and performed by Ron Clark, Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 25 and 26, 2 p.m. Nov. 27; $15 to $20, (319) 338-7672, www.riversidetheatre.org/buytickets

“The Snow Queen,” Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre, Owl Glass Puppetry Center, 319 N. Calhoun St., West Liberty; 2 and 4 p.m. Nov. 20, 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Nov. 21; $5, (319) 627-2487, owlglass@avalon.net or http://puppetspuppets.com

“White Christmas,” Iowa City Community Theatre, Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd., Iowa City; Dec. 8 to 18, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; $10 to $18, at the door, (319) 338-0443, www.iowacitycommunitytheatre.com

“Wooden Snowflakes,” Old Creamery Theatre Studio Stage, former Amana Middle School, 3023 220th Trl., Amana; Dec. 1 to 18, 3 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, $17.50 and $27, 1-(800) 35-AMANA, www.oldcreamery.com