HARTFORD, CT – Two โConnecticut actors are experiencing a uniquely poignant holiday season, finding themselves full-circle on the Hartford Stage during performances of “A Christmas โฃCarol: A ghost Story of Christmas.” Veteran โขactor alan Madigan nowโค plays Mr. Marvel, a role he vividly remembers watching as a child in the same โproduction, โคwhile Leslie Blake Walker joins the cast,โฃ bringing โaโข new dimension too the beloved tale.
The Hartford โฃStage’s production of โ”Aโ Christmas Carol” โขhas longโ been a holiday โtraditionโ for โคConnecticut families,and this year’s iteration carries special weightโค as two local performers reflect on their โขjourneys within the story. Madigan,โ who previously appeared in the ensemble as a child, โnowโ embodies the character who once โcaptivated him. Walker’s presence adds to the production’s local connection, enriching the โขexperience for audiences. This shared history underscores the enduring power of โtheater โฃand the cyclical natureโ of artistic inspiration.
“It was kind of surreal,” Madigan said, “very full-circle” as he used to be one of the kids watching Mr.โ Marvel “kind of performingโค for Scrooge,” and now he is Mr. Marvel.
The experience has comeโ full โคcircle for Madigan in another way.”It’s weird.I’ll go backstage and see the kids and they’ll start quoting my lines atโค me, and it’s reallyโฃ charming and funny as I remember doing that to the adults when I โคwasโ in the ensemble, so it’s really cool.”
Beyond the personal connection, Madigan appreciatesโฃ the play’s thematic โdepth. He notes that each ghost represents a โฃdifferent dimensionโ of time -โฃ past, present,โ and future – and thatโฃ “time is treated as this moral mirror for Scrooge.”โ
“There’s this idea thatโ we โฃcan’t change the past, but we canโข learn from it and we have to live mindfully in the present or weโ can doom โฃthe future,” Madigan said. “What’s been kind of landing on me lately is โthat โeven though โฃit’s aโ ghost story and kind of scary, which โขIโ like, it presents this idea that compassion is the key to salvation.”
Madigan emphasized the play’s message of empathy โover punishment. “And โso, it’sโค been โtouching, watching theseโค scenes playโ out with theseโข actors and noticing that moral reform, you knowโข for Scrooge, โฃand for all of us, doesn’t come from punishment, โbut โfrom empathy and revelation.”