About the play:

In 1992 Tim Morrissey, then the Artistic Director of Temple Theater in Sanford, NC, approached esteemed Dickens scholar Dr. Elliot Engel about creating a one-man show portraying Charles Dickens writing his classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL with actor Jeffery West in the role of Dickens. 

Dr. Engel proposed the idea of Dickens directly addressing the theater audience as the Spirits of the Future; and then the scholar, the director, and the actor set to work on the collaboration that produced THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL.  

Under Morrissey’s direction, West performed the play at Temple Theater (1992/93), then at Thompson Theater (1994), St. Mary’s College (1995), and Peace College (1996). Raleigh Ensemble Players presented the final two iterations of the production with West in the role of Dickens (1997/98).

For the past 25 years, EbzB Productions has presented THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL with David zum Brunnen as Charles Dickens in performances across North America.  A film version of their production is available for streaming on EncoreNOW and Vimeo.

In 2025, RedBird Theater Company is thrilled to reunite Jeffery West with the play he helped to create over thirty years ago — this time in the director’s chair, with his former student Adam Sampieri stepping into the role of Charles Dickens.