New ‘Christmas Carol’ opens at Spotlight
David Edwards
Updated on March 14, 2026
The Spotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline, will open its latest musical, “A Christmas Carol,” on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.
It will run this weekend and next – 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 3 and 10.
Premiered in 1994, the Broadway heavy hitters Alan Menken (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors) and Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Seussical, Once on This Island), breathed new life into the classic tale of A Christmas Carol.
In the popular 1843 Charles Dickens morality tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is a prosperous curmudgeon who believes that personal wealth is far more valuable than the happiness and comfort of others.
Bitterly opposed to warm Christmas tidings and charitable giving, he’s forced to face his selfish ways when three ghosts on Christmas Eve lead him through his Past, Present and Future, according to a show synopsis.
Thanks to their guidance, Scrooge recognizes his faults and greets Christmas morning with a cheerful “Happy Christmas” before spending the day reconnecting and sharing love with those who mean the most to him.
Sara Wegener plays The Ghost of Christmas Present, and said recently on Spotlight’s Facebook page: “We’ve got a really great group of people in our cast and it’s so much fun getting to play with them every night.
“It’s a story that most people are familiar with and a great way to get into the Christmas season,” she said of the show. “It’s also a friendly reminder to ourselves that even when things aren’t easy or the way we want them, we can decide how we react to them and choose to be the Joyful Christmas Spirit over the Bah Humbug.”
The Spotlight cast includes:
- Scrooge: Doug Alderman
- Ghost of Christmas Past/Lamplighter: Melodie Hoffman
- Ghost of Christmas Future/Blind Old Hag: Marissa Pedersen
- Bob Cratchit: Jake Wirz
- Mrs. Cratchit: Amelia Fischer
- Jacob Marley/Young Marley: Noah Hill
- Tiny Tim: Cooper Tubbs
- Scrooge at 18/Fred Anderson: Topher Elliot
- Emily/Sally Anderson: Amber Whitaker
- Mr. Fezziwig/Old Joe: Matthew Downey
- Mrs. Fezziwig/Ensemble: Becca Meumann Johnson
Tickets to the production are $20 for general seating and $25 for floor seating, available HERE.
