About the Play:

Christmas Carol High School is a full-length drama adapted by Mark Landon Smith from the holiday classic by Charles Dickens. The play follows Meredith Priestly, the prettiest, meanest, and most popular student at West End High School, and "the campus Scrooge." Meredith is taken on a life-changing journey during this modern retelling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol with a Mean Girls-esque twist.

Christmas Carol High School is a spin off of Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic with a modern twist. Set at fictional West End High School during their holiday play, Romeo and Juliet, where the campus "Scrooge" is Meredith Priestly, the most beautiful, most popular, meanest, nastiest girl in school! With uninterested and never present globe trotting parents, Meredith has the lead in the school production of Romeo and Juliet where she thinks the whole thing is stupid. Queen Bee of the campus (or so she thinks!), Meredith is equally dismissive as Captain of the cheerleading squad. She is in need of a reminder of what Christmas and friendship are about. Meredith is visited by five ghosts, including Patty and Patrick Prince, the ghosts of two former cheerleaders who attended West End High School during the 1950s. Meredith has a change of heart after the ghosts show her the error of her mean ways.

Christmas Carol High School premiered in 2008 by Arts Live Theatre in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Since then it has been consistently delighting audiences, and has become a staple of community theatres and high schools.

Cast: 13 female, 8 male (reduced casting possible with doubling)

What people say:

"Playwright Mark Landon Smith decided to write his own version [of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol] but, instead of portraying a grumpy, old man (Ebeneezer Scrooge), he created an irritating, nasty, high school girl (Meredith Priestly). Both characters undergo life-changing experiences forced by three ghosts that result in a nicer, kinder person." — Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

About the Playwright:

Mark Landon Smith is an American playwright and actor. Known as a comedy writer, he is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas.