According to a press release, the Community Theatre League is busy preparing for its upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol,” adapted by Rob Melrose from the beloved novella by Charles Dickens. With performances just a few weeks away on December 5-7 and December 11-14, the company is putting the finishing touches on this fantastical, festive production.

Faithful to Dickens’ original language and rich with atmosphere, “A Christmas Carol” invites audiences into a Victorian London, “cold bleak with so much fog that the houses opposite were mere phantoms.” A world where flickering candlelight meets ghostly shadow, yet a possibility of change still hangs in the air. This production leans into the darker, more mysterious, and mystical side of the story while still celebrating the warmth and wonder of the season.

The staging features a large cast of 40 local performers, with adults and children working together to tell Scrooge’s journey from bitterness to redemption with big-time Christmas energy, the press release said.

“Watching Scrooge face the truth of his life is as powerful now as it ever was. The ghosts expose fear and regret, they unsettle and they frighten, but they also point the way to hope,” said CTL’s executive artistic director Seth Sponhouse. “This adaptation leans into that mystery and that hope, and it gives our large, local cast a chance to create something both haunting and heartwarming.”

The show is directed by Marie Fox. Its cast includes: Jason Kriner (Scrooge), Chris Dailey (Marley), Jason Hepler (Bob Cratchit), Kahlie Dehotman (Ghost of Christmas Past), James Wooster (Ghost of Christmas Present), Andrew Confair (Ghost of Christmas Future), William Martel (Fred), Victoria Hurwitz (Mrs. Cratchit), Tim Heilmann (Mr. Fezziwig), Michelle Wooster (Mrs. Fezziwig), Caroline Cipriani (Belle), Elaina Packer (Young Adult Belle), Hayden Day (Young Belle), Gloria Cashmis (Martha Cratchit), Emily Harer (Belinda Cratchit), Ari Hurwitz (Peter Cratchit), Jojo Cipriani (Tiny Tim Cratchit). The production’s company of characters includes: Selah Thompso, Wesley Thompson, Ziva Hurwitz, Karis Wooster, Isaac Wooster, Ethan Parke, Wesley Rauch, Brian Bond, Eliza Whyman, Alayna Hemphill, Carter Reeder, Anne Marie Bastian, Brian Johnson, Eric Tran, Kayleigh Confair, Elijah Shibata, Lulu Cipriani, Makayla Flournoy-Brown, Riesa Burk, Raina Long, Emmaline Martin, Iris Pinckney, Violet Sponhouse and Poet Thompson

“‘A Christmas Carol’ is a timeless reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can alter a life,” said the press release. “CTL’s production presents the tale with stirring atmosphere, a large local cast, and the ever-important message of generosity, community, and transformation.”

CTL is a Toys for Tots collection site this year, and audiences are encouraged to bring an unopened toy to donate. Monetary contributions are also welcome at the theater, and donors will be invited to write a holiday message to hang on the lobby Christmas tree, filling the space with community spirit and goodwill.

Evening performances for “A Christmas Carol” begin at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. For more information or tickets, visit ctlshows.com/season-49 or call 570-327-1777.