An individual, identified as Juan Rodriguez, performing as a Foley artist on stage. The person, wearing a fedora and a graphic t-shirt, holds up a heavy metal chain in the air while looking towards it. A piano, a microphone, and various sound props are set up around them. — Juan Rodriguez rehearses for TampaRep’s 2025 presentation of ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Credit: c/o Tampa Repertory Theatre

“If it ain’t broke, right?” says Tampa Repertory Theatre Managing Artistic Producer Jim Sorensen, who adapted and directs the company’s radio-fied version of the Dickens classic.

“The stage setup will feel very familiar to anyone who attended ‘Wonderful Life’ last year: a cozy ‘radio theatre’ vibe, complete with On Air and Applause signs, microphones, a piano and a couple of large foley tables, along with a Christmas tree or two. Emphasis on cozy. We’ve expanded our foley repertoire this year, combing through the script to find almost any mentioned sound, and we’ve even acquired a waterphone. Trust me that, even if you don’t know what it is now, you’ll LOVE it.”

The cast for ‘A Christmas Carol’ at TampaRep

The cast is led by Michael Gregory as Scrooge, who shone as the curmudgeonly Mr. Potter in “Wonderful Life.” Cameron Kubly, last year’s George Bailey, plays Scrooge’s nephew and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Other cast members include Alix Faulhaber (who co-starred memorably with Sorensen in The Off-Central’s “Bakersfield Mist” earlier this season), Keith Batchelor Jr., Max Carley, and Sydney Leary. The music and most of the sound effects will be handled by Juan Rodriguez, the Best of the Bay-winning music director for the TampaRep musicals “Next to Normal” and “The Bridges of Madison County.”

“I chose my favorite parts of the story,” says Sorensen. “None of the other adaptations I’m familiar with include all the specific passages that we’ll be using.” A veteran of eight separate productions in five different versions of “Carol,” he knows whereof he adapts.

“It’s definitely ‘A Christmas Carol’—a ghost story with snarky Dickens humor and the beautiful story of redemption.”

If you go see ‘A Christmas Carol’ at TampaRep

Tickets to see “A Christmas Carol” at Tampa Repertory Theatre select nights Dec. 6-23 are still available and start at $18.

‘A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play’ by The Tampa Repertory Theatre

Time Sat., Dec. 6, 4 & 7:30 p.m., Sun., Dec. 7, 4 p.m., Thu., Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m., Fri., Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Dec. 13, 3 & 7:30 p.m., Sun., Dec. 14, 3 p.m., Thu., Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m., Fri., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Dec. 20, 3 & 7:30 p.m., Sun., Dec. 21, 3 p.m., Mon., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m. and Tue., Dec. 23, 3 & 7:30 p.m. 2025

Location David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Shimberg Playhouse, 1010 N Macinnes Pl, Tampa

This article appears in Nov. 27 – Dec. 03, 2025.