When the curtain fell on the final act of “A Christmas Carol” on opening night Nov. 17, the all-volunteer cast and crew received a standing ovation.
“There was not a dry eye in the house,” said Bob Pritchard, the new managing director of Harbor Playhouse.
Pritchard reported for duty a few days early so he could experience the first night of the community theater’s traditional holiday production.
“I was so impressed,” he said. “There were around 60 people on stage at the end of the show, and the director and choreographer has them moving around each other like it was ‘Disney on Ice.’ It was amazing.”
Pritchard, who has been in the theater business for more than 40 years, said the quality of both the acting and the theater space itself is outstanding.
“This theater is as professional as you can get — everything about it,” he said, noting that many of the actors involved have grown up participating in Harbor Playhouse productions. “I’ve been to regional theaters around the country. I’ve been to New York. This place competes with all of them.”
Not many community theaters have fly space for moving scenery up into the rafters as well as wing space for concealing sets, he said. Not many have volunteers who are as good on stage as professional touring companies.
“It’s that good, it’s true,” he said.
Which is why, if you want to be a member of the audience for “A Christmas Carol” this season, you need to reserve your tickets now. The last night of the show, which has been selling out and getting rave reviews, is Sunday, Dec. 17.

CLASSIC HOLIDAY TALE

Charles Dickens’s classic story of Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come, have spread the spirit of Christmas across generations. Published in 1843, the story has been retold in movies starring Patrick Stewart, Jim Carrey, Vincent Price, Fred Flintstone, Mr. Magoo and Kermit the Frog.
The version you’ll see at Harbor Playhouse is the Broadway musical written by Alan Menken, who also penned Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”
No matter who tells the tale, the message is the same and never fails to affect its audience, Pritchard said.
“The message is universal and powerful,” he said. “We are so caught up in the material world — that’s the world Scrooge is living. He has to be reminded it’s not about the money; it’s about people — the people in his past, the ones he works with day to day.”
Pritchard relishes the opportunity to describe the story and the local telling of it. He admits to “being one of those people” who watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol” in July. Something he perhaps learned from the moral of Dickens’s holiday tale.
“Scrooge wakes up to see that life is about giving,” he said. “Maybe we just need to be reminded of that every year. Maybe we need to learn to think about that all year long. This is a great feeling. Let’s do this all year long.”
The last bit — about the great feeling — is heartfelt but not original. He heard it in the movie “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray.
Harbor Playhosue is located at 1802 N. Chaparral St. in Corpus Christi. Tickets range from $10 to $18 and can be purchased online at harborplayhouse.com or by calling (361) 888-SHOW (7469). Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays.