Previews will continue throughout Thanksgiving weekend to November 29. The show opens on Thursday, November 30, at 7 pm, and will continue, delighting young and old alike for 55 performances, through December 30.

The classic tale by Charles Dickens of an embittered miser miraculously transformed after a Christmas Eve haunting was adapted and is again being directed by Mr Wilson. Last year The New York Times proclaimed it to be “a classic of Christmas cheer.” Now a New England holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol has returned and will include a special Christmas Eve matinee this year.

Leading the company once again is Emmy Award and four-time Obie Award-winning Bill Raymond as Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr Raymond has enchanted audiences of almost 40,000 for the last two seasons with his portrayal of the miserly Scrooge. The Hartford Advocate wrote, “If Bill Raymond never takes on another role in his already distinguished career, his Ebenezer Scrooge will be fine enough a legacy.”

The ghostly spirit of Scrooge’s late business partner, Jacob Marley, will be played by Noble Shropshire. Mr Shropshire, who originated the role of Marley in Hartford Stage’s inaugural production of A Christmas Carol in 1998, recently appeared as Ross in the Hartford Stage production of Macbeth.

Also returning to the production are Natalie Brown, Nafe Katter, Steve Juergens, Carol Schneider, Alan Rust, Shelley Williams, William Westenberg and Helmar Augustus Cooper as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

A Christmas Carol features a cast of 41 actors playing more than 48 roles and includes 26 children from throughout Connecticut. The production creates a playful and spooky sense of whimsy that both children and adults can enjoy. Mr Wilson’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol takes Dickens’ notion of ghosts farther than most traditional productions.

“Dickens wrote several ghost stories for Christmas filled with spirits and goblins and other fun, scary things,” Mr Wilson said. “The spooky elements are part of the joy of the stories, and in A Christmas Carol they are an important part of Scrooge’s journey.”

Tickets are on sale through the Hartford Stage box office at 860/527-5151. Single tickets range from $25 to $48 for adults and $20 to $25 for children under 12. Groups of ten or more can receive substantial discounts off regular ticket prices.

Performances are generally Wednesday evenings at 7 (also Tuesdays at 7 beginning December 5), Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 6:30 pm, with matinees each Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm, and a few weekday matinees. Call the box office for details regarding specific dates. The full schedule is also available online at www.hartfordstage.org.