Tut’Zanni Theatre Company's A Commedia Christmas Carol Explores Class and Wealth

If the three ghosts from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol visited today's richest people, such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, would they truly inspire a change of heart? This question sets the stage for Tut’Zanni Theatre Company's unique take on A Christmas Carol.

"One thing we love about commedia dell'arte is that it's all about people, current social hierarchies and pop culture," says Tut'Zanni company member ALi Landvatter. "A Christmas Carol is such a known story that you can put it up and it gives you the ability to play with it, twist it and bring in more modern jokes. We play with the relationship of class and wealth — those who are rich versus the working class — because that's still as relevant now as it was in the Renaissance."

Tut’Zanni's A Commedia Christmas Carol is not your typical holiday fare, bringing new life to Dickens's classic story at the Savoy Denver, from Thursday, December 7, through Saturday, December 9.

Dory Sibley notes that each character in A Christmas Carol fits perfectly within the archetypes central to commedia dell'arte, the Italian theatrical form Tut’Zanni has practiced since its founding in 2011. Scrooge is akin to the pantalone archetype, a greedy person at the top of the social order, while Bob Cratchit is similar to the zanni, a devoted servant near the bottom of societal hierarchies.

"They certainly have a bit more of a modern feel than their sixteenth-century counterparts, but the characters within the story really lend themselves to commedia archetypes, which was something we were very excited to explore," Sibley says. "When we first got together and started talking about this show, we brought in our favorite versions of this story; A Muppets Christmas Carol was a favorite among the ensemble, but my personal favorite is Scrooged. And while there are so many versions of the story, I think our adaptation might be the most physical." 

The troupe met at the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy, back in 2006. Their love for commedia dell'arte led them to create a troupe that not only embraces but also innovates this classic form.

"After we had gone back to our lives, I came back to Italy, where Dory was still living, and I was like, ‘I really want to start a company,' because you can't just audition for a commedia company," Landvatter says. "So we decided to make our own theater. We rounded up some of our classmates that we loved working with, and we just jumped right into our first kind of show in Los Angeles. ... It takes a lot of trust and vulnerability because during the whole creation process, you're putting yourself out there and having to make things up on the spot. You need to know that your team is being supportive and going to push you in the right direction; there's no judgment. It's all just bringing fun, joy and exploration into it. And with our original founding members, there was just magic, so we couldn't help ourselves and never stopped."

The troupe's process is as unique as its performances. Ensemble members, Patrick Berger, Molly Tomhave, Allegra Libonati, Liam Mulshine, Landvatter and Sibley, live all over the country, and pick times to come together and create.

"We’d develop a show, perform what we created and then pick a different time to come back together," Sibley says. "It’s all about taking feedback from the audience, because the thing about commedia is that you don't know what's working without the audience there. You have to have that first public show before you know anything about the show. So after our public performance, we would go back to grind through it again."

This approach has led to the evolution of A Commedia Christmas Carol, first performed in Denver at Buntport Theater in 2019. The current rendition at the Savoy features a slightly altered ending and a stronger focus on the working class rather than the wealthy elite. One notable aspect of Tut’Zanni's adaptation is its departure from the traditional transformation narrative.

"Characters in commedia dell'arte don't have a huge change of heart," Landvatter remarks. "Obviously, in the classic tale, Scrooge has this big transformation, but we play with the idea of what an old miser might actually do in this situation. Would they change, or would they just twist the narrative to their benefit? That's the idea we're playing with."

Instead, the focus shifts to the townspeople, Tiny Tim, and the importance of community support. Rather than relying on the sympathy of an old, out-of-touch, elitist rich dude, Tut'Zanni encourages audiences to lean on their friends and family, because they are what make the holidays special.

The company's collaborative spirit extends beyond the stage. It has built a community in Denver by holding local auditions to bring in Colorado artists and partnering with the Savoy, run by Theatre Artibus founders Meghan Frank and Buba Basishvili. This collaboration highlights the importance of supporting local artists and bringing new, dynamic works to different audiences.

"Meghan and Buba are so supportive and really want to support artists in Denver," Landvatter says. "We really love that they're so supportive, and we love to build little communities wherever we are performing. When we told them we were thinking about restaging the show in Denver, they were interested in bringing it into their space, and so here we are."

A Commedia Christmas Carol is a holiday show that is equal parts hilarious, thought-provoking, and unapologetically bold. And, just a heads-up: it's not for children, as the troupe stays true to the raunchy roots of commedia dell'arte. But for adults ready for a night of laughter and reflection, this show promises to be an unforgettable experience.

A Commedia Christmas Carol opens Thursday, December 7, and runs through Saturday, December 9, at the Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe Street, Denver. Get tickets at tutzanni.com.