Two on the Aisle — a conversation with Lauren Keating, director of McCarter’s “A Christmas Carol”

McCarter Theatre Center’s annual production of A Christmas Carol was adapted and directed last year by Lauren Keating. Ms. Keating returns at the helm of this year’s production, with Joel McKinnon Miller reprising his role as Ebenezer Scrooge. She took time out from her preparations for the first preview performances of A Christmas Carol to answer questions from Out in Jersey.

It’s good to see that your adaptation of A Christmas Carol is being presented again this season at McCarter. Are there any tweaks you’ve made for this year’s production?

Lauren Keating: Yes, we’re always investigating, growing and responding as we put the show together. We also have quite a number of new cast members who bring their own special skills and unique points of view. It has been fulfilling and exciting to be able to continue to find new discoveries and joys in this story with collaborators both long-term and new. 

What in particular attracted you to adapting A Christmas Carol for the stage?

LK: Christmas Carol is an incredible story which rings especially true today. I’ve always been interested in classical adaptation, starting with Shakespeare, and how these stories give us a distance that can help us to see ourselves and the present moment more clearly. This production is a natural extension of that work. I began work on this script over ten years ago, when something sparked my interest in the novel. I grew up seeing Christmas Carol at McCarter and it was certainly one of my gateway experiences into a theatrical career, so this production is very meaningful to me.

What advice do you have for young women looking to make a career in show business?

LK: I tell my students (Hi, Rider University BFA drama majors!) to find their own metrics for success and invest in those. Your talent is not debatable. Work hard on what you care about in the way that works for you and allows you to stay healthy. Cultivate relationships with peers and mentors you trust, who will provide a nutritious, positive support system. 

I understand that you, your wife, and your daughter live in Central Jersey. How long have you been a Jersey resident? What about the area especially appeals to you?

LK: I was born at Hunterdon Medical Center and grew up in a rural New Jersey community, until I moved to New York to go to NYU and then, much later, to Minneapolis to work at the Guthrie. We returned during the pandemic to be close to family and love the community here. We also love being able to walk to a cafe, while also being close to nature, beaches, and the arts. It is a wonderful area.

What is the one question you’d like to be asked, but nobody ever does? (And, of course, what is the answer?)

LK: Honestly, not thinking of anything. 

Let me rephrase that. What is one piece of information — about yourself, your work, your family, anything — that you’re rarely asked about, and that you’d like to share with us?

LK: As it relates to this project, my grandparents attended Christmas Carol as an anniversary present to themselves during the first years that McCarter did the show. They loved it so much, they later brought my parents to see it as an engagement present. My parents then brought my cousins, and me and my brother when we were old enough. My daughter and nieces are now the fourth generation of McCarter Christmas Carol attendees, which makes this an incredibly special experience for me.

Check out my other work at Lauren-Keating.com and thank you for your support of the arts!