GUTHRIE (OKC metro) — The Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, Oklahoma is perfectly positioned for the holiday season. Located in historic downtown, the community theater is centrally located, and the holidays in Guthrie are extra-special.
Each Christmas season, the town hosts territorial Christmas festivities, and Guthrie transforms into what it might’ve looked like in the time before statehood. Guthrie, Oklahoma’s first state capitol, carries a rich pre-state history and is one of Oklahoma’s best kept secrets.
A short drive up I-35 (around 45 minutes from the metro) and you’re transported to a time over 100 years ago. The brick facades and cobbled streets recall the Victorian era.
The territorial festivities include a parade, a Victorian walkabout with costumed volunteers, live music, and lit-up storefronts featuring live window scenes. The activities draw big crowds every year, and the nostalgic moments provide an immersive experience.
35+ Seasons
For over 35 seasons, The Pollard Theatre has produced an annual Christmas show during the downtown festivities. The play is A Territorial Christmas Carol. Written in collaboration by local playwright, the late Stephen P. Scott, and produced exclusively for The Pollard, the story is based on the beloved Charles Dickens novella that has become synonymous with Christmas.
“A Territorial Christmas Carol” has all the elements of the Dickens tale, and comes to audiences complete with Scrooge, Marley, and a host of ghostly visitors. But this version, which was written for The Pollard in the late 1980s, is based in the Land Run Era territory of 1890s Guthrie. The concept is one that audiences took to easily, and the play quickly became a tradition that brought the crowds from all over the state and beyond.
In the 35 years since its first run, “A Territorial Christmas Carol” has been seen by over 150,000 patrons and celebrated over 1,000 performances.
Hiatus in 2018 — then, recovery
The play went on hiatus in 2018, following the untimely death of James Ong, who played the role of Scrooge for decades. “Everybody has their Scrooge, and Ongski (a nickname given by loved ones) was mine.” said Jared Blount, Artistic Director of The Pollard Theatre since 2021. “He was Ebenezer for a lot of people. I will forever be grateful for his portrayal of that character” Blount said.
Playwright Scott was later commissioned to produce a similar play for a North Carolina company. “An Old Salem Christmas Carol” debuted in 2018, also the year that Scott passed away. Having lost both their lead and their creator in one calendar year, The Pollard company knew it was a Christmas season that needed a breather from the show.
In its place, they produced “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” and included many of the cast members who had grown up performing in Territorial Christmas alongside Ong. The result was a time of healing for Pollard patrons, and A Wonderful Life provided a chance to see something different, while still presenting a timeless Christmas classic to audiences.
The company always planned to return to A Territorial Christmas, however.
Sold-out performances in 2022
“We always knew we’d bring the show back, but it was a question of when. And more importantly, how? We had many discussions before the decision was made, but ultimately, once we landed on the concept, it was off to the races.” Blount said.
After the COVID shutdown, plus some growing pains that come from operating in a historic building, the company revamped the aging set and finally produced the show again in 2022, playing to sold out audiences totaling 4,000 in attendance.
Running in 2023 until December 23rd
The show opened this year in November and runs until December 23rd, 2023.
“A Territorial Christmas Carol” features a new cast from last year, and the company plans to produce a new version of the play with each subsequent season.
“What’s great about this production is that we have the means to update it every year,” Blount said. “We can keep it fresh and inventive, and that in part is what makes it engaging. We strive to honor the production’s history, and the artists who laid its foundation – it’s only right that we integrate new ideas.”
“It’s heartwarming to have brought in these brilliant actors to continue Ong’s role as we move forward and recognize the similarities in their performances,” Blount explained. “I’ve literally said, ‘Huh. Ongski used to do that.’ It makes me realize that it’s an honesty within the characterizations that the performers have developed from watching him for so long. And Ong’s Scrooge was bigger than life, but always honest. In a way, his Scrooge is still here.”
A Territorial Christmas Carol has become a time-honored tradition for all who celebrate Christmas and the hopeful message of the story. The Pollard Company plans to continue that tradition for many years to come.
Tickets for “A Territorial Christmas Carol” and The Pollard’s full 2024 season are on sale now at thepollard.org.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
