"Smokey Mtn. Christmas Carol": Dolly's Holly Folly

The Cast of "Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol"
(photo: Jesse Faatz)

Now appearing on Boston's Colonial Theatre stage: the latest entertainment reinvention by the superstar who's arguably the savviest creative force in the world of show biz, a world premiere no less, with the mouthful of a title, Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol. What the Dickens, you might ask, is there yet another permutation or combination of the oft-told tale of greed and consumption? After a very brief run in concert reading format this past month in St. Paul, Minnesota, this latest retelling of the familiar holiday tale has been transported to Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, as a musical, with Music and Lyrics by eight-time Grammy Award winner Dolly Parton, with Book by David H. Bell, under the command of Director Curt Wollan. As such, it lives up to all the hopes and fears of all the years we've been exposed to the timeless storytelling you might expect, with more than a dollop of local squalor as we encounter a mining town owned by one Ebenezer Scrooge (Peter Colburn) who just so happens to own the company store and most of the cast, during the 1930's Depression. Just how much you feel the need for another version of the well-worn helping of both redemption and grace in country western song will effect how you respond to this hillbilly take.

Peter Colburn & Mary Tanner in "Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol"
(photo: Jesse Faatz)

Will this offering, with more frequent sung allusions to Jesus Christ than at a typical revivalist tent meeting, fly in Boston (or, shudder, New York) as it surely will in Pigeon Forge? That remains its biggest challenge. Dickens himself kept the dogma pretty much understated, while this is about putting the Christ back into Christmas with a vengeance. It's not helped much by a somewhat plodding plot, (and if you need a synopsis, go back to that rock you've been living under), even with topical references to homemade liquor, revenuers, and the Sears & Roebuck catalog. Fortunately Ms. Parton proves yet again that she can provide a knee-slappin' score to enhance the proceedings (though a whole bunch of 'em sound alike), with a couple of lovely ballads (especially “Appalachian Snow Fall”), albeit with a bit too much sugar (the sentimental “Three Candles”). If you're a Parton and/or country western fan, it won't disappoint.



The Cast of "Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol"
(photo: Jesse Faatz)

The talented and energetic cast of a baker's dozen includes Bob Cratchit/Jacob Marley (Billy Butler), Eben/Fred (local actor Jonathan Acorn, an Emerson grad), Fanny/Sadie (Brittney Santoro), Fustbunch/Ghost of Christmas Present (Brian Hull), Mrs. Fustbunch/Mrs. Cratchit (Julia Getz), Ghost of Christmas Past/Mrs. Dilber (Mary Tanner), Mudge/Wyatt (Ray O'Hare), Dick (Josh Bryan), and of course Tiny Tim (alternating Malachi Smith and Sachie Capitani, another example of today's non-traditional casting). The six supporting musicians are led by Tim Hayden (also on keyboard), with Mark Barnett on banjo, mandalin, and dobro, Luke Easterling on bass, Lindsey Miller on guitar, Caitlin Nicole-Thomas on fiddle, and Teddy Thomas on percussion, all to the unusual and lively Choreography by John Dietrich. The fine Scenic Design (a funky general store) by Scott Davis, Costume Design by Linda Roethke, Lighting Design by Lee Fiskness, and Sound Design by James McCartney were quality work.

When all is said and done, this “revival” will thrive as a staple of Christian holiday fare produced in community theaters. It is what it is, an unabashedly low-tech effort with heart and soul, and obviously a labor of love for the inexhaustible Parton. As Scrooge puts it near the end of the show, “I can see where this is all going”. And so will you.
 

If this be your cup of moonshine, it's potable now until December 29^th.