OKC actor takes on Scrooge for the 10th time with local 'Christmas Carol'
Jonathan Beck Reed believes that there's a little bit of Ebenezer Scrooge in everybody.
Given the Oklahoma actor's long history of portraying the curmudgeonly protagonist of Charles Dickens' enduring yuletide tale "A Christmas Carol," he should know.
"They see in him a chance at redemption ... and I think it gives them hope," Reed said. "That's why it's survived for so long."
The Edmond resident is reprising the role of the ill-tempered miser whose Christmas Eve encounters with four ghosts prompt him to immediately alter his life in Lyric Theatre's beloved annual production of "A Christmas Carol."
Presented by Devon Energy, the holiday tradition returns with performances Nov. 28-Dec. 27 at Lyric's Plaza District theater .
"It's one of my favorite roles ever to play, because there's a complete journey. It's not like you're just picking up a character at some point in their life, and you have to create all of the background," Reed said. "This is sort of handed to you on a silver platter. So, it's really nice as an actor to get to go on that journey and get to live it in front of the audience. ... I never get tired of it."
How does OKC's Lyric Theatre annually adapt Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol?'
Since 2011, Lyric Theatre has staged a faithful version of Dickens' cherished 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas" that's adapted and directed by Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron .
"I would say 95% of the script is his actual words, and I committed to not making the dialogue more modern ... because I found that that actually enhances the show," Baron said. "It brings you to a different time. ... But it's so specific that it allows you actually to think about our own time."
For Reed, Lyric's 2025 production marks his 10th time to take on the role of Dickens' famed penny-pincher whose stony heart is softened by a series of ghostly visits on Christmas Eve.
"I did the national tour for two years, and then I did a production at Lyric years ago that was a premiere production of a show called 'A Country Christmas Carol' that took place after the Second World War ," the Oklahoma City native recalled.
"It wasn't Bob Cratchit; it was Bobbie Joe Cratchit. Her husband, Bob, was a pilot in the Second World War, and he died and she's raising the kids on her own. Eb Scrooge is the mean man in town who she works for. ... It's a really cute version."
Not only is Reed marking his sixth time playing Scrooge with Lyric Theatre, but he also starred in a 2007 co-production between Oklahoma City University, his alma mater, and Oklahoma City Repertory Theater, which he co-founded.
"I always gets emotional when Jonathan does the scene with the nephew ... when it wraps up," Baron said. "We're thrilled to have him back with us."
Most recently, Reed shared the role of Scrooge with W. Jerome Stevenson during Lyric's three-year run of performing "A Christmas Carol" outdoors at the Harn Homestead during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did the innovative production gain national and even international attention , but it also created for Reed one of his all-time favorite memories playing Scrooge.
"We did it in the snow one time out there. There was 4 to 6 inches of snow on the ground when we got there. ... I thought we were gonna cancel because it was tentative for a while. They kept saying, 'We don't know if we're gonna do the show. It's kind of a wait and see.' And I was like, 'Please, God. Please, God. Please, God, let us do the show,'" Reed recalled.
"It was great because the audience was so with us. They braved the storm like we did. They were huddled together, and they were so appreciative. It was a really spiritual experience."
How does Lyric Theatre's 'A Christmas Carol' give back to the community?
Lyric took its annual production of Dickens' often-adapted "Ghost Story of Christmas" back inside its Plaza District theater in 2023, and thanks to a $1 million gift from Devon Energy, the nonprofit arts organization was able to continue its holiday tradition with a new set, costumes, lights and sound effects.
The 2025 production features choreography by Lyric Executive Producer Ashley Wells , Victorian-era outfits by costume designer Jeffrey Meek and sprawling set design by Adam Koch , which includes two swings so that Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past (Gabriella Beck) can soar above audiences.
"I love sets and costumes and props. I love to get immersed in all of that and kind of disappear. Because I'm an artist, I also look at things and how they're put together, the effort it takes to make something look distressed," Reed said. "I'm excited to be on that stage, in the audience and flying and all that."
The timeless tale's 2024 run reached a pair of milestones for the state's official theater : It was the largest attended show in Lyric's history, and it raised the highest donation total to help feed Oklahomans in need in the history of the production.
Lyric annually collects money for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma during its run of " A Christmas Carol ." For the past 14 years, audiences have contributed more than $285,000 to the Regional Food Bank, and last season, theatergoers contributed in excess of $36,000.
As the cast members help with those collection efforts, Reed said it has led to more opportunities to share the magic of Dickens' iconic story.
"At the end of the show, we take our hats and stuff to get money, and the effect the show has on people, I never knew until then — because they would come up and tell you," Reed said. "They'll go on and on and tell you these things about the way the show affects them and changes them. It's interesting ... and it's wonderful, too."
'A CHRISTMAS CAROL'
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When:through Dec. 27.
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Where:Plaza Theatre, 1727 NW 16, Oklahoma City.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: An OKC actor is Scrooge for the 10th time in Lyric's 'A Christmas Carol'
