Beleagured 'Christmas Carol' producer takes show on the road
Sometimes in showbiz -- OK, a lot of the time in showbiz -- what's going on backstage is far more interesting than what's happening in front of the audience.
Such is the case with producer-director Kevin Von Feldt's stage version of "A Christmas Carol." The theatrical production played last year at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood amid numerous problems, including technical snafus, big-name cast dropouts and accusations that Von Feldt had not paid some of the workers on the show.
The play flopped and Von Feldt told Culture Monster at the time that he planned to remount the production in order to help recoup his costs.
This holiday season, the show is set to go on tour with stops in Chicago, Miami and a few other cities. Earlier this month, the producer announced an impressive cast that included F. Murray Abraham, Stockard Channing, Timothy Hutton, James Garner and George Wendt.
But since that announcement, Channing and Hutton have dropped out of the production. Von Feldt recently told the Chicago Tribune that their defections were a result of the actors' having read Culture Monster's reports on the failed Hollywood version of the show.
In a remarkably candid interview, the producer admits that the Hollywood production didn't sell well and that the technical rehearsals were disastrous. "“It was like ‘Noises Off’ gone bad,” he said.
And the problems seem to be mounting yet again. Yesterday, the show's Minneapolis engagement at the Orpheum Theatre was canceled after Von Feldt was unable to pay the second deposit to secure the venue, according to a report in the Star Tribune.
Surely this "Christmas Carol" is one haunted production.
-- David Ng
Photo: a scene from last year's "A Christmas Carol" at the Kodak Theatre, starring Christopher Lloyd and John Goodman. Credit: Ed Krieger
Related stories
Producer-director of Kodak's troubled 'Christmas Carol' plans repeat performance
More flak for Kodak 'Christmas Carol' producer Kevin Von Feldt
Hmmm. Suddenly I'm imagining Inspecting Carol... The Reality TV series. Stick some cameras in the midst of that mess and hilarity (and a fortune) could be made.
Posted by: Trisha Mead | October 29, 2009 at 12:24 PM
This guy's problems go back even further than last year at the Kodak. He tried this years ago with a production of "The Music Man" at the El Portal which also had horrible complications and unpaid workers.
Posted by: Eric Andrist | October 30, 2009 at 09:20 AM
What a great idea, Trisha!!!! Trying to come back to LA next year with Dame Edna as Scrooge, Rip Taylor as Xmas Present, Rosie O' Donnell as Cratchit and Mr. Blackwell as Marley's Ghost. (I know he passed away but his agent says he is available).
Who worked on the Music Man at the El Portal that didn't get paid?????
All we did was hold auditions. It never went into production nor did we sell any tickets.
Posted by: Kevin Von Feldt | October 31, 2009 at 12:15 PM
I just answered my own question. I nice young man by the name of Jeff Rizzo.
I was renting the El Portal and showing classic movies and simply didn't have the money to make a conversion to theatre. I'm glas to see that someone else had the vision and funding to convert it later.
Posted by: Kevin Von Feldt | October 31, 2009 at 01:02 PM