DOWAGIAC — More than 30 actors from age 8 to mid-70s will take the stage at the Beckwith Theatre, to retell a Charles Dickens classic in front of audiences.

The Beckwith Theatre, 100 New York Ave., will premiere the Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” adapted by Lynn Stevens at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5. Additional weekend showtimes will be offered at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. The play will continue the following week with a 7:30 p.m. show on Friday, Dec.13, Saturday, Dec. 14 and 2 p.m. show on Sunday, Dec. 15.

Tickets will be priced at $15, and seats can be reserved by calling the box office at (269) 782-7653.

The drama is sponsored by Deck the Halls, a specialty Christmas store in Dowagiac. Opening night will have wine available from Lake Michigan Vintners in Baroda, Michigan.

Director Ryan Murray pitched the idea for “A Christmas Carol” in January 2018.

“I’ve always liked this show,” he said. “My favorite version is the Muppets version, but this is just a great story. … There are so many different versions. I love telling our version of it.”

Murray originally pitched the drama with aspirations to portray Bob Cratchit. As he was looking through a list of people he felt would be good in various roles, the idea of directing the production sparked.

Murray has spent the past five years co-directing the Beckwith’s improv show, but “A Christmas Carol” will be Murray’s first full show as lead director. So far, the production has been hassle free, he said, after several of his fears were put to rest.

“My biggest fear was getting enough people and we got enough people,” Murray said. “My second biggest fear was having someone willing to take on the role of Scrooge.”

The role of Ebenezer Scrooge attracted several actors. Murray ended up choosing Jack Gannon, a longtime actor at the Beckwith, to bring the character to life.  The play will follow Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish elderly man, with no Christmas cheer. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts, who show him his past, present and future. The ghosts help Scrooge reflect on his life.

“I am real pleased with Jack,” Murray said. “He has done a great job, which doesn’t surprise me.”

Another initial fear of Murray’s was arranging the costumes for 37 actors, who have to play a variety of roles.

His fears were eased by co-director Ravan Bakeman, who took over sewing and finding Victorian era pieces for the cast.

Audiences will see a combination of actors, who provided their own costumes, borrowed used costumes already at the Beckwith and rented costumes from costume providers in the area. Murray said arranging the costumes was one of the hardest parts of the show.

With a cast of 37 actors, Murray said the Beckwith has not taken on this large of a production in more than 20 years. The last play with a cast list of about 40 members was written and directed by Paul Pugh, a founding member of the Beckwith Theatre Company, Murray said.

“This story has so many characters and most of them have smaller parts,” Murray said. “Then there is three or four medium-sized characters and then there is Ebenezer Scrooge who is in every page.”

Murray hopes “A Christmas Carol” will bring in new people who have never seen a play at the Beckwith and will want to return.

“We have a real gem here,” he said. “This show is completely family friendly. It’s wholesome, and I just want people to go, ‘Let’s go back to the Beckwith and see another show.’”