Theater enthusiasts have an exciting new production to anticipate at the Proscenium Theater at Rockwell. Opening at the end of this month, 9 Works Theatrical will present Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, directed by Robbie Guevara, who promises groundbreaking stagecraft never before seen in Philippine theater.

At a recent press conference, Guevara said this will be his first time directing A Christmas Carol in a fully equipped indoor theater, unlike his previous outdoor versions of the show.

“Now we have a proper, proper, proper theater. We want to highlight what Proscenium [Theater] can do,” he explained.

The Bodyguard, also by 9 Works, was the first musical to premiere at the Proscenium Theater on 26 September this year. The performing arts venue is part of a 3.6-hectare mixed-use luxury development across Estrella Street in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati. Designed by world-renowned architect Carlos Ott, the theater features a fully automated fly system and natural acoustics. It seats 780 people and has a 16-by-16-meter stage.

Guevara shared that he and scenographer Mio Infante discussed innovative ideas for the production. “I said, ‘There’s nothing like this yet, let’s do this!’ So he integrated that into the set. My starting point was Proscenium Theater because we really wanted to highlight it. For us, it’s the best this country has — and what it can offer.”

Audiences can expect a cutting-edge, high-tech adaptation of Dickens’ classic, designed to showcase Proscenium as the country’s premier theater.

“We will have new elements you didn’t see in The Bodyguard that this theater can also offer. In The Bodyguard, audiences saw the fly system, and A Christmas Carol will still have that — and more… Mio wanted to really use new staging techniques and stagecraft done abroad, but which haven’t been seen here yet,” Guevara added.

He also said they are presenting a fresh way of telling A Christmas Carol, while preserving “the essence, the heart” of the story.

Although British in origin, Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella A Christmas Carol popularized many modern Christmas traditions. Historically, Christmas has roots in pre-Christian pagan festivals. Early Christians did not originally celebrate Jesus’ birth; the exact date was unknown and unrecorded in the Bible.

Around the 4th century AD, the Western Roman Church — now the Roman Catholic Church — chose 25 December to mark Jesus’ birth, aligning with pagan festivals to ease conversion. Dickens’ story, then, transformed what was once a rowdy holiday by emphasizing family gatherings, festive meals, generosity, charitable giving, goodwill, kindness, social responsibility, and joyful celebration.

Dickens’ novella has become one of the most adapted stories worldwide, inspiring numerous plays, films, radio dramas, and TV specials. Notable versions include the 1951 film Scrooge starring Alastair Sim and the 1984 film A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott.

In 1994, American composer Alan Menken and lyricist Lynn Ahrens adapted A Christmas Carol into a holiday stage musical with memorable songs and emotional storytelling, becoming a holiday theater staple in the U.S.

Now, 9 Works Theatrical aims to fully utilize the Proscenium Theater’s facilities for this holiday production, based on the Menken-Ahrens adaptation. This is fitting for the Philippines, known for having the “longest Christmas season in the world.”

“The choreography and movement always have to push the story forward. That applies to the technical elements — lighting, projections, set design, blocking, and all of it,” Guevara said at the press conference.

Seasoned actor Arnel Carrion stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, with child stars Enzo Dognidon and Jethro Ting sharing the role of Tiny Tim. Award-winning Franco Laurel takes on the role as the Ghost of Christmas Past; veteran Lorenz Martinez plays the Ghost of Christmas Present; and dancer Carmelle Ros portrays the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Boo Gabunada appears as Jacob Marley; multi-award-winning John Joven Uy is Bob Cratchit; and Neo Rivera plays Fred.

A Christmas Carol will be staged every weekend from 29 November to 21 December, at the Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center, Makati City. Tickets will be available via Ticketworld.