The Foster Festival: A Niagara Christmas Carol adapted by Jamie Williams

A newly adapted Canadian version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Jamie Williams, in partnership with the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Welland Canal Company and the construction of the Canal itself, The Foster Festival has taken Dickens’ beloved holiday ghost story and set it in 19th century St. Catharines at the time of the Canal’s second build. This world premiere of A Niagara Christmas Carol is a uniquely Canadian take on the traditional story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption.

The story framed by William Hamilton Merritt brings in the historic personages of Catharine Merritt, James McGill, John Beverley Robinson, Captain John McCarthy, and William C. Chace and the parts they play in Scrooge’s redemption. This Canadian adaptation pays homage to Dickens’ wonderful social commentary and how it applies to our local history.