By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre will open the holiday season with a family favorite that blends nostalgia, music, and Coral Gables tradition. A Christmas Carol, The Musical returns now through December 20, offering a lively adaptation of the Dickens classic shaped for young audiences and theatergoers of all ages. The production features Earl Maulding — the longtime director of the theatre’s young audiences program — as Ebenezer Scrooge, bringing a familiar face and seasoned performer to one of literature’s most enduring roles.

For families, this holiday staging has become a seasonal ritual, a chance to introduce children to live theater while revisiting a story that continues to resonate across generations. The Miracle Theatre’s holiday programming has long anchored December’s cultural calendar, and this year’s production reinforces that sense of community continuity.

A musical adaptation crafted for families and young audiences

This version of A Christmas Carol stands apart not only because it is adapted for children and families but also because it is co-written by Nina Felice and Earl Maulding, who shaped the script specifically for Actors’ Playhouse’s award-winning Theatre for Young Audiences series. The show blends Dickens’s moral arc with original music and lyrics by Scott Morlock and Maulding, offering a fresh interpretation that preserves the emotional spine of the story while making it fully accessible to younger theatergoers.

The production follows Tiny Tim, the Cratchit family, and the three visiting Spirits as they guide Scrooge toward transformation. The familiar Victorian setting remains intact, but the musical form gives the narrative greater movement and warmth. Songs replace some of Dickens’s narration, creating intuitive emotional cues that help children connect with the characters’ choices and triumphs.

Actors’ Playhouse has developed a strong catalog of musicals written expressly for this audience, and this adaptation aligns with that mission: storytelling that teaches empathy without sacrificing theatrical joy.

Community giving at the heart of the holiday performance

In keeping with the themes of generosity and redemption at the center of A Christmas Carol, Actors’ Playhouse will integrate a holiday giving initiative into its Saturday performances. Every child who donates a new, unwrapped toy at a Saturday show will receive a free Flexible Anytime Ticket redeemable for any remaining production in the 2025–2026 Musical Theatre for Young Audiences season.

The donated toys will benefit families in Jamaica recovering from Hurricane Melissa through Global Empowerment Mission (GEM). By linking a children’s production with a global humanitarian effort, the theatre encourages young audiences to connect the story’s moral lessons with real-world compassion.

The initiative also reinforces the Miracle Theatre’s longstanding identity as a civic institution, not just a performance venue. The chance for families to contribute to a cause while attending a holiday event aligns naturally with the spirit of Dickens’s work.

A cornerstone institution on Miracle Mile

Actors’ Playhouse remains one of Miami-Dade County’s major cultural institutions, recognized for both its Mainstage season and its robust children’s programming. Now entering its 38th year of artistic leadership, the company continues to shape regional theater through professional productions, education initiatives, and partnerships with organizations such as The Children’s Trust.

The Miracle Theatre itself adds to the event’s appeal. Restored as part of the city’s cultural revitalization, the venue offers an intimate scale well-suited to family musicals. Its central location on Miracle Mile makes holiday performances part of a broader Coral Gables tradition — one that blends theater, dining, and downtown festivities in a single evening.

Programming built around accessibility and inclusion

In addition to its Saturday public performances, the production will include a Sensory Inclusive Performance on Saturday, December 13 at 2 p.m., designed for individuals with sensory sensitivities. Adjustments to sound, lighting, and pacing allow families who may not typically attend live theater to enjoy the performance in an environment tailored to their comfort.

The inclusion of sensory-friendly programming follows a growing national trend toward accessible performance practices, ensuring that live theater remains welcoming to all audiences. Actors’ Playhouse has steadily expanded such offerings, reinforcing its educational mission and its commitment to community-wide engagement.

Event and ticket information

• Production: A Christmas Carol, The Musical
• Dates: December 2–20, 2025
• Public performances: Saturdays at 2 p.m.
• Sensory Inclusive Performance: Saturday, December 13 at 2 p.m.
• Location: Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
• Tickets: $25–$40; group rates available for 15+; birthday and corporate bookings welcome
• Purchase: (305) 444-9293 or ActorsPlayhouse.org

A seasonal story with local resonance

For many, the holiday season begins not with decorations or shopping but with a familiar story brought to life onstage. The return of A Christmas Carol, The Musical reflects that sense of ritual. It offers children a gateway into classic literature, gives parents a moment of shared nostalgia, and creates a space where community, art, and the season’s values align.

Actors’ Playhouse has built its reputation on productions that honor tradition while speaking to contemporary audiences, and this year’s holiday offering continues that legacy. Scrooge’s transformation may be a tale as old as Victorian London, but in the hands of the Miracle Theatre, it becomes a South Florida tradition—one carried forward by the next generation of theatergoers.