A HANUKKAH CAROL OR GELT TRIP! THE MUSICAL

ILLUSIONS DESIGNER

Music by Aaron Kenny

Lyrics by Rob Berliner

Book by Harrison Bryan & Rob Berliner

Directed & Choreographed by Marlo Hunter

Associate Illusion Design by Avi Littky

Round House Theatre, 2024 (World Premiere)

Misanthropic millennial influencer Chava Kanipshin’s internet followers are turning into haters. Desperate to regain her popularity, Chava shuns anything and anyone she sees as an obstacle, including her family, friends, and holiday traditions. But on the first night of Hanukkah, Chava is visited by the ghost of deceased social media star Mimi Marley and other spirits who warn her to change her ways—or be cursed forever. The spirits lead Chava on a madcap journey through Hanukkahs past, present, and future to help her reconnect with her spirit of generosity, her Jewish identity, and an appreciation of her real-life supporters. Winner of the Audience Favorite Award at the Broadway Shark Tank, A Hanukkah Carol is a heartfelt, family-friendly riff on a holiday classic that celebrates making the world a kinder place.

Ryan created the original illusions for this world premiere musical after collaborating on the workshop in 2023. A campy musical parody wouldn’t be complete without over the top physical comedy and startling effects. The “Hanukkah Fairy” magically produced a cornucopia of kosher treats from an exploding gift box, pulled a long string of latkes from their sleeve, and an edible hamantash behind an ear! Futuristic cell phones illuminated and floated between the hands of an angry mob of social media influencers. A dramatic and starling appearance of The Ghost of Mimi Marley bursting through a poster on the wall and floating into the room above the bed to haunt Chava.

“Ultimately, a show with chaotic, outlandish extremes is joyous and powerful. It rises to the occasion of a holiday show in the spirit of A Christmas Carol, and raises standards for interesting new musicals tackling Jewish identity, healing, and self-acceptance.”- DC Theatre Arts

"A Hanukkah Carol imbues the holiday with charm and chutzpah!”- The Washington Post

“Thus, the surprises in A Hanukkah Carol come not from the rehashed Dickensian plot but in the expected corny visual jokes, puns, and Easter eggs of Jewish Broadway hidden in plain sight throughout the fast-moving, 90-minute intermissionless production.”- Washington Jewish Weekly