A first-look trailer has been released for Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist, a "new musical spin" on Charles Dickens's holiday favorite, with storylines from other Dickens classics--including Great Expectations, Little Dorrit and Bleak House--incorporated into the mix, Deadline reported. The show premieres November 27 at EstellaScrooge.com.
The project uses "greenscreen technology and virtual sets along with individually recorded performances," Deadline wrote. "Billed as 'the first fully-realized musical to be filmed in virtual production,' Estella Scrooge uses hundreds of images, animations and digital environments blended in post-production with the footage of the actors."
With a book and direction by Tony Award winner John Caird (Les Misérables, Nicholas Nickelby) and book, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon (Tony-nominated for 2001's Jane Eyre), the musical stars Betsy Wolfe (Waitress) as the title character, a descendant of Ebenezer Scrooge; Clifton Duncan (The Play That Goes Wrong) as her childhood sweetheart Philip "Pip" Nickleby; Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill) as Dawkins; Patrick Page (Hadestown) as Mr. Merdle; Carolee Carmello (Parade) as Marla Havisham; and Danny Burstein (Moulin Rouge!) as Ebenezer Scrooge.
"I'm so happy to bring this new musical to life in the midst of these mad and maddening times," Caird said. "It's wonderful to provide employment for the theatre community while we enliven the classic Christmas Carol story, refashioned with a new twist for today. At a time of great conflict and hardship, I hope we can shine a little ray of optimism into the surrounding darkness."