Creating the visual world of “A Whynot Christmas Carol“
This week we look at the adaption of a classic tale for a modern audience, holiday shows abound, and new events are announced.
Join A.C.T. as a fly on the wall during a conversation between Director Pam MacKinnon, scenic and costume designer David Zinn, and puppet designer Amanda Villalobos, as they discuss the process of designing A Whynot Christmas Carol.
Pam: So David and Amanda…nine years ago we were at Berkeley Rep making Amélie, and I have a vivid memory that during tech we started talking about A Christmas Carol, and David, you said, “I have a Christmas Carol in me.” What sparks you about the Dickens story?
David: Well, I love the Dickens original. I find it really moving, and I love the fact that we’ve been telling it to ourselves for 150 years with mixed results. And I love a ghost story—it’s such a powerful metaphor what we evoke onstage nightly—and all theaters have a ghost light!
Pam: There is true pathos in A Christmas Carol. It’s a celebration of making it through the dark night of the soul. Amanda, what draws you to this story?
Amanda: Well, first, it’s funny that I’ve never designed for A Christmas Carol—a show that has been done so many times and is a ritual for so many. And now, with what Craig has written and the plan for this piece, it’s exciting to me to dream up what these puppets are—and what ends up being a puppet. A great attribute of puppets is their ability to feel alive and also just as quickly return to being an inanimate object on the stage, and this really serves our retelling of Carol.
On the Stage
This week we have Christmas classics as well as new favorites to celebrate the season.
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Theatre | Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Now – December 15 | Tickets
Step into the vibrant world of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, a beloved Harlem hotspot where West African immigrant braiders work their magic on the locals’ locks. Amidst the lively buzz of a scorching summer, love ignites, dreams soar, and secrets unravel.
More Events
- The Matchbox Magic Flute | Berkeley Repertory Theatre | Now – December 15 | View the Program
- A Whynot Christmas Carol | American Conservatory Theater | Now – December 24 | View the Program
- Peter and the Wolf | San Francisco Symphony | December 15 | View the Program
Next Line
This week we look ahead to next year with new performances and congratulate SF Symphony on Grammy nominations.
- Cal Performances has added a new performance to their season: composer, vocalist, and banjo virtuoso Rhiannon Giddens will perform on June 21, 2025. The 2025 Grammy nominee returns to Berkeley leading a stellar five-piece string band in a supremely original romp through Black American music. Tickets are now available.
- The San Francisco Symphony, under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen, has earned Grammy nominations for two recent recordings. The Firebird (SFS Media) is nominated for Best Orchestral Performance, while Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater (Deutsche Grammophon), featuring the SF Symphony and Chorus with soloists Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan, and Christopher Purves, is up for Best Opera Recording and Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Both are available on major streaming platforms.
