A Christmas Carol Archives | Alliance Theatre

2:00 PM // Performance of A Christmas Carol
Post-Show Discussion in the Event Room – Second Floor

Immediately following the performance, join Emory Center for Ethics Director, John Lysaker, and community leaders as they discuss a special holiday themed topic from A Christmas Carol, The Spirit of Giving: What did Scrooge Learn?

This 30 minute conversation will engage the audience to discuss what the primary takeaways are from Scrooge’s journey and what comparisons we can make to giving and supporting our community in today’s world.

Event is free to attend for ticket holders.

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John Lysaker, Director of Emory University Center for Ethics
John is the William R. Kenan University Professor at Emory University and Director of its Center for Ethics. Educated at Kenyon College and Vanderbilt University, he also has taught at the University of Oregon. His central interest remains the good life writ large and various phenomena that enable and/or frustrate its emergence, including the nature and import of art, serious mental illness, and friendship. Because ethical life courses through a wide field of usages and images, his work engages historical texts as well as contemporary philosophers alongside and in dialogue with poets, songwriters, musicians, and painters.

Jonathan Halitsky, Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta
Jonathan has always been around food and drink. As a kid, he’d “help” his wine salesman father at tasting events while expanding his taste buds by dining at his father’s upscale restaurant accounts. Meanwhile, his art teacher mother instilled a flair for the creative. At Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, Jonathan honed his communication skills, leading him to launch his career in Marketing and Advertising in New York City.
Developing expertise in Sports and Entertainment event marketing, Jonathan and his Atlanta-native wife Rachel made the move South to begin a family, which now includes 12-year-old daughter Hazel and puppy Griffin. For over a decade, Jonathan led events for major brands such as AT&T, Cupcake Vineyards, and ConAgra Foods at major events including NCAA Final Four, Coachella, Lollapalooza, Wrestlemania, and the Tribeca Film Festival.
After a mid-career sabbatical, Jonathan returned to his culinary roots to launch JRB’s BBQ, Atlanta’s personal BBQ chef, and BBQ coach. He serves Backpack Buddies with that same passion for the power that food has to impact lives.
When not at the smoker or the Backpack Buddies facility, Jonathan can be found playing tennis in one of several leagues, building legos with his daughter, traveling the world with his wife, or giving belly rubs to his pup.

Performances of A Christmas Carol run on the Coca-Cola Stage November 15 through December 24 – learn more.

Presented in Partnership with

The Christmas season at Alliance Theatre brings the magic of A Christmas Carol to life, lighting up the Atlanta theater scene with warmth, joy, and timeless tradition. Every year, the stunning costumes, designed by Mariann Verheyen and Laury Conley, play a crucial role in guiding the audience through the emotional depths of the story through their work.

Over the years, Verheyen and Conley have sifted through over 700 fabric swatches and designed more than 200 pieces that have defined the look of the production. Each costume helps convey not only the time period but also the characters’ emotional journeys. From Ebenezer Scrooge’s worn, solitary dressing gown to the vibrant, festive robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present, the costumes elevate the story, enhancing its themes of redemption, love, and family.

The synergy between costume, set, and lighting design is key to the production’s emotional impact. The set, with its cobbled streets, flickering lanterns, and snow-dusted rooftops, provides a rich, textured backdrop that makes the costumes come alive. Lighting design further heightens this effect, using cool blue tones to evoke Scrooge’s lonely chambers and warm golden hues during Fezziwig’s festive party scene. Fabrics like wool, velvet, lace, and cotton add authenticity, helping the audience feel as though they’ve stepped into the world of Dickens’ London.

“Each year, we gather the scale and placement of the new cast members, and what’s on the page is only the beginning—it evolves from there…Some dresses may take up to 30 hours to create, while frock coats can take anywhere from 35 to 60 hours.”

Creating these costumes, Mariann says, is like working with ever-shifting clay. “Each year, we gather the scale and placement of the new cast members, and what’s on the page is only the beginning—it evolves from there.” One challenge they often face is the fluctuating cast, which means that sometimes costumes designed for previous performers need to be altered or redesigned for comfortability and confidence within the role. “Some dresses may take up to 30 hours to create, while frock coats can take anywhere from 35 to 60 hours,” Conley expressed.

Despite the challenges, Verheyen and Conley’s meticulous attention to detail, collaboration, and trust with their team ensures that each costume helps drive the emotional narrative. Their work is a testament to the power of women in theater design, breathing new life into a classic tale. Their costumes don’t just reflect the world of A Christmas Carol—they help shape it, making this beloved story even more unforgettable for every audience that experiences it.

A Christmas Carol runs on the Coca-Cola Stage November 15 through December 24, 2025 – learn more.

A red velvet garment with intricate gold embroidery, displayed on a dress form marked with the number 10, captures the spirit of Every Christmas We Are Different.

Several detailed pencil sketches of people are laid out on a worktable in a studio setting, surrounded by art supplies and fabric materials, capturing the quiet creativity that reminds us every Christmas we are different.

A row of patterned and solid-colored garments on wooden hangers, displayed in a clothing store—reminding us that every Christmas we are different, with new styles and stories to wear each season.

A mannequin displays a distressed, hole-ridden gray garment with a chain around the neck, echoing the theme "Every Christmas We Are Different," set in a room with shelves and fabric swatches in the background.

Person dressed in a costume with a brown hat and scarf, holding a vintage telephone and appearing surprised or shocked.

Friday, DEC 19 7:00 PM

Saturday, DEC 20 2:00 PM 7:00 PM

Sunday, DEC 21 2:00 PM 7:00 PM