After watching a well-acted, well-directed Bethany Lutheran College production of "A Christmas Carol" from 2014, I was pleased by how effectively the performance incorporated music. In addition to the instrumental accompaniment during the dance sequence at Mr. Fezziwig's Christmas party, three moments in which Ebenezer Scrooge sings portions of Christmas carols work especially well. All of them occur after the three spirits have haunted him:
- Soon after realizing that he's back in his bedroom and has a chance to change his miserly ways, Scrooge sputters around, singing "Deck The Halls" joyfully, earning a laugh from the audience.
- When two child carolers Scrooge had previously chased away start singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," Scrooge joins in, singing louder than both of them.
- Scrooge earns another laugh from the audience when, on December 26, his clerk, Bob Cratchit, hasn't arrived for work. Scrooge, realizing he can trick Cratchit into thinking he's fired before apologizing for his difficult demeanor and raising Cratchit's salary, sings, "Joy to the world, for Bob is late." That's an amusing directorial choice I've never seen in any other production.
