A New Approach to an Old Favorite: Zak Berkman and Son Bring It to People’s Light

Zal Berkman and his son Eliot Berkman-Lamm. Photo: Mark Garvin

A local father-son duo is a big part of People Light’s World Premiere retelling of Charles’ Dickens A Christmas Carol. Swarthmore resident Zak Berkman, People’s Light’s Producing Director, has adapted this yuletide ghost story into a music infused tale that captures the magic, joy, and generosity of the beloved classic in a whole new light. In this production that includes a vibrant mix of original songs and newly arranged nineteenth-century English carols, Berkman’s 16-year-old son, Eliot Berkman-Lamm plays guitar as well as several characters. 

When first published, the full title of Dickens’ novella read A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. Playwright and Composer Zak Berkman subtitles his adaptation A Ghost Story of Grief & Generosity, a nod to the original, yet illustrative of his fresh take on the holiday classic. At the top of the play, audiences are greeted by a “Kind Chorus” of traveling spirits, preparing to perform Scrooge’s story of greed, grief, and redemption for today’s audiences.

The show is running now through January 2, 2022, at People’s Light in Malvern.

Said Berkman about adapting the story, “(Executive Artistic Director and Swarthmore resident) Abbey Adams gave me a beautiful, annotated edition of A Christmas Carol as an opening night gift and urged me to consider adapting it for People’s Light. Prior to this I had a wide range of feelings about the story: from my unyielding affection for A Muppets’ Christmas Carol to my concern over Dickens’ anti-Semitic characterization of Scrooge. But when I read it again in 2018, something new resonated for me. Maybe it was my age. Maybe it was the world we now find ourselves in. But I newly experienced the story as one about grief as much as greed. It recognizes the sources of emotional poverty as well as the financial sort. It’s a story about loss and trauma, and the underlying psychological reasons for why so many societies fail to adequately care for each other. As that became clear to me, I realized Dickens had achieved something much more subversive and brutal as well as hilarious and joyful than I remembered. And I seized on that combination of energies for this new approach to the tale.”

The world premiere adaptation is further set apart by its blend of original songs and newly arranged traditional carols, performed by the “Kind Chorus” and three onstage musicians. Sourced primarily from nineteenth-century England, the compositions and arrangements are inspired by this era of folk music but layered with more contemporary sensibilities. Berkman composed the music in collaboration with Music Supervisor and Arranger Mitch Chakour—a “musician’s musician” who has toured with the likes of B.B. King, James Brown, Bonnie Raitt, and Joe Cocker.

Cast members of Zal Berman’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Photo: Mark Garvin

Berkman used his new discoveries in re-reading the original story in 2018 to inform the music which is largely based on and inspired by traditional British carols. “Many of these carols are quite dark in their content despite their very accessible melodies. As someone who grew up listening to more adventurous folk musicians and bands of the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, it’s been wonderful to return to these old songs and compose new original ones that share their DNA,” he said. 

Audiences know the story. Callous Scrooge, shackled Marley, and the haunting spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future spring vividly to life in Berkman’s world premiere adaptation of Dickens’ yuletide ghost story. The multi-talented, multi-generational cast features local favorites along with several performers with Broadway credits. 

Berkman felt this was an important story to tell today.

“There is so much fear, cynicism, distrust, and disconnection in our world today. We need art that offers a new form of hope and optimism. One that recognizes the depth of pain we have experienced, are experiencing, but also offers at least the hint of an antidote: a belief that human beings can evolve for the better, discover their better selves, and rigorously work together to make a better world,” said Berkman. “For a theatre to gather so many artists to collaborate on this new version of A Christmas Carol, to invest so much time and resources in making a safe, joyful environment for people to experience this production is no small thing. I hope audiences will feel cared for, elevated, booster charged by the music and energy of it all, but also challenged to confront this harsh and surreal moment with a renewed spirit of togetherness.”

His 16-year-old son Eliot, a junior at Strath Haven High School, plays guitar, teenage Scrooge, Peter Cratchit and other characters in the show. Eliot picked up guitar when he shifted to remote schooling in 2020. He took private lessons with Chakour who was impressed with Eliot’s ability on the instrument. As a result, Eliot was asked to be part of a virtual concert version of the show last holiday season. Then the company asked him to be part of this World Premiere. 

Berkman has enjoyed the time with his son. “It’s been really special having him at rehearsal and getting to drive back to Swarthmore with him on many an evening, processing all that happened in rehearsal together. He’s wicked insightful,” he said.

For Eliot, he doesn’t work with his dad that much in the rehearsal process. But he has enjoyed having him there. “I always know if he likes something or finds something funny. He occasionally clarifies things, gives me a small note, or he comes up with a Captain America speech to motivate us in the cast…,” said Eliot. “It is amusing getting compared to him by various people. How we look alike or act alike… .”

This is Eliot’s first professional production. He’s been pleased by the room he’s been given to be creative, including the opportunity to perform one of the production’s songs.

“It’s been pretty cool. Not as stressful as I expected. The cast is really nice, kind, intelligent, talented. Even though it’s my first professional production, they’ve treated me like I’m just another member of the company,” he said. “I get to be inventive. I was able to come up with my own guitar part for the start of “Tiny Tim’s Folk Song.” I came up with it at school. Sent my dad and Mitch a voice recording of it, and they were like ‘That’s great. Let’s do that.’”

Eliot turns 17 four days after Christmas. He’ll have a show that night that his 14-year old brother, Theo, and his mother, Teri, (a People’s Light Company member) will surely attend. “We might need to arrange our holiday family traditions of watching A Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf, and It’s A Wonderful Life for our Mondays off.” Berkman jokes. 

Eliot says audiences of this World Premiere can look forward to “good music and good acting.” Berkman says audiences can look forward to, “An ensemble of extraordinarily talented people from a wide range of backgrounds sharing this story in a way that acknowledges our challenging times and celebrates what human beings can achieve together.”

A Christmas Carol runs through January 2 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage. Single tickets are $45. To purchase, call 610-644-3500 or visit peopleslight.org. People’s Light is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355.

Carrie Gorn is a Freelance Public Relations Professional working in the arts in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Contact her at cgornpr@gmail.com