Toronto, Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A cherished Niagara-on-the-Lake holiday tradition is making its Toronto debut. After years of captivating audiences at the Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre, Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol will take the stage at Harbourfront Centre's Fleck Theatre from November 12 to December 23, 2026.
Adapted for the stage and directed by Shaw Festival Artistic Director Tim Carroll, the production will feature new staging designed for the Fleck Theatre, including an advent calendar-inspired scenic design featuring Toronto imagery and imaginative new puppetry. These additions bring a distinctly Toronto touch to the beloved holiday classic while preserving the theatrical magic that has made it a seasonal favourite.
Audiences can expect the familiar charm of Dickens's timeless tale, brought to life through inventive puppetry, towering ghosts, traditional Christmas carols and spirited sing-alongs.
“We’re proud to welcome another outstanding production to Toronto's waterfront,” said Tenio Evangelista, Chair of Harbourfront Centre's Board of Directors. “Following our presentation of Sleuth, A Christmas Carol offers audiences another opportunity to experience the calibre of theatre the Shaw Festival is known for, right here in the heart of our city.”
“Our new Toronto audience is at the heart of the adaptations we’ve made to A Christmas Carol for the Fleck Theatre stage,” said Tim Carroll, Artistic Director for the Shaw Festival, and Director and Adaptor of A Christmas Carol. “It would be wonderful if coming to see Scrooge and his ghosts becomes a cherished, annual holiday tradition for Torontonians, just as it has for so many families who return year after year to enjoy Shaw’s A Christmas Carol in Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
Wealthy miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Sanjay Talwar) is visited on Christmas Eve by the troubled ghost of his late business partner, who warns him to change his selfish ways or suffer a similar fate. Throughout the night, Scrooge encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past (Madelyn Kriese), Present (Qasim Khan) and Future, each revealing visions of what was, what is and what may yet come to pass. When Christmas morning dawns, Scrooge will have the opportunity to create a different future. Will he take it?
The cast of A Christmas Carol also includes Janelle Cooper, Allison Edwards-Crewe, Hailey Gillis, Gryphyn Karimloo, Taran Kim, Lawrence Libor, Emily Lukasik, Graeme Somerville and Kiana Woo.
A Christmas Carol features set and costumes designed by Christine Lohre, lighting designed by Kevin Lamotte, music direction by Rachel O’Brien, movement and puppetry by Alexis Milligan and original music by Paul Sportelli. The production's stage management team includes Tanya Greve, Georgia Holland, Lisa Russell and Leigh McClymont.
On stage at the Fleck Theatre at Harbourfront Centre from November 12 to December 23, A Christmas Carol is recommended for audience members aged 4 and older. Running time is approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.
Single tickets begin at $50.
Cast:
Janelle Cooper Mrs. Dilber
Allison Edwards-Crewe Emily
Hailey Gillis Mrs. Cratchit
Gryphyn Karimloo Bob Cratchit
Qasim Khan Christmas Present
Taran Kim Standby
Madelyn Kriese Christmas Past
Lawrence Libor Fred
Emily Lukasik Belle
Graeme Somerville Mr. Hubble
Sanjay Talwar Ebenezer Scrooge
Kiana Woo Standby
Creative & Production:
Tim Carroll Director and Adaptor
Christine Lohre Set and Costume Designer
Kevin Lamotte Lighting Designer
Paul Sportelli Original Music
Rachel O'Brien Music Director
Alexis Milligan Movement and Puppetry
Tanya Greve Stage Manager
Georgia Holland Assistant Stage Manager
Lisa Russell Production Stage Manager
Leigh McClymont Associate Production Stage Manager
For more information, performance dates and times, or to purchase tickets, visit harbourfrontcentre.com/event/a-christmas-carol/.
-30-
About Harbourfront Centre
Harbourfront Centre is Toronto’s waterfront community campus for arts, culture, learning and recreation. Spanning a 10-acre campus at the heart of Toronto’s central waterfront, it is a registered, charitable not-for-profit cultural organization that offers year-round programs and events accessible to all audiences. The organization champions established and emerging Canadian artists across varied disciplines and serves as a recreational hub for more than 6.3 million annual visitors. Whether hailing from across the street or around the globe, Harbourfront Centre offers memorable and meaningful experiences for all who visit. Learn more at www.harbourfrontcentre.com.
About the Shaw Festival
One of the largest charitable theatre companies in North America, the Shaw Festival’s mission is to enrich and connect people’s lives through theatre. Based in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Shaw Festival’s 2026 Holiday Season includes A Year with Frog and Toad and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The Shaw Festival’s 2027 Season playbill features Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Color Purple, Jumpers, Deathtrap, Arms and the Man, Grimm Tales, What Every Woman Knows, Goblin: Pygmalion, Intimate Apparel, The Rats and The Patient, A Christmas Carol and The Most Wonderful Time, a Holiday Cabaret.
Through its All.Together.Now. campaign, The Shaw is creating new spaces and programs where people can build real human connections and rediscover their creativity. For more information, visit shawfest.com.
We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. ~ Bernard Shaw
Media Contact:
Morganne Campbell
Communications Manager
Harbourfront Centre
Email: mcampbell@harbourfrontcentre.com
Cathy Cowan
Shaw Festival
Interim Director, Marketing Communications
ccowan@shawfest.com
Attachments
