Ira David Wood III returns to the stage as Ebenezer Scrooge this weekend

Theatre In The Park’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol” depicts Scrooge’s redemption unlike anything you’ve ever seen. With the return of Wood to the stage as the world’s most famous mean old man, this year’s production certainly lives up to their tag line, “Now with more heart than ever!”

In the final dress rehearsal last week, Wood bounded about the stage with the joy and sparkle of someone relishing every moment, clearly appreciating the gift of playing the role he loves. A serious heart condition robbed him of performing last year.

When Wood is having a good time on stage, you will have a great time in the audience!

This show may have been running in Raleigh for 37 years but purchase your tickets assured that you WILL see something new and fresh in every performance. I could give you a sneak peek at some of the topical jokes that surfaced during rehearsal, but that would be pointless because a different set of topics will pop up in any given performance.

Expect to take a wild emotional ride from toe-tapping music, to slap-stick comedy, to tears in a theater full of 2,000 people moved to collective silence at the moment Scrooge’s heart breaks under the weight of grace.

“A Christmas Carol” opens at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Dec. 3. The production moves to Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts on Dec. 8.