By Paul Leighton
BEVERLY — North Shore Music Theatre is gone, but its most famous production will return to the stage this year — in New Hampshire.
Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth has purchased former North Shore Music Theatre artistic director Jon Kimbell's adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" and has hired actor David Coffee to play his longtime role as Scrooge.
"I've read dozens and dozens of scripts for 'A Christmas Carol,' and this is the best script by far," Seacoast Theatre artistic director Craig Faulkner said. "Being able to produce this particular version of the show, it's fantastic for us."
"A Christmas Carol" was the most popular show in the 53-year history of the North Shore Music Theatre, which closed in June due to financial problems.
Kimbell, who served as NSMT's artistic director for 25 years before retiring in 2007, won the Moss Hart Award for his musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic.
Kimbell said Seacoast Repertory Theatre will pay him a "small royalty" to stage his adaptation. He will serve as an adviser to Faulkner, who will be the director.
"I'm delighted that they're interested in doing it," Kimbell said. "The response has been pretty good so far."
Coffee, a Texas-based actor, played the role of Scrooge for 16 seasons at North Shore Music Theatre. Seacoast Repertory Theatre is also using the design team that staged "A Christmas Carol" in Beverly.
Faulkner said he would like to use NSMT's costumes and set designs, but their availability is uncertain due to North Shore's financial plight.
David Fellows, chairman of NSMT's board of trustees, could not be reached for comment.
Kimbell, who lives in New Hampshire, said he is consulting with Seacoast Theatre on a volunteer basis to help them survive the kind of financial trouble that doomed North Shore Music Theatre, which closed after accumulating $10 million in debt and left more than 4,000 subscribers without ticket refunds.
NSMT's former marketing director, David James, is also assisting Seacoast, Kimbell said.
"We're hoping we can help them avoid the North Shore Music Theatre fate," Kimbell said.
Faulkner said Seacoast Theatre is "doing OK" financially. The theater mailed a subscription package this week to 100,000 people, including former North Shore Music Theatre subscribers.
Seacoast is among a variety of theaters that have offered free tickets to former NSMT subscribers this summer. Faulkner said that offer does not include "A Christmas Carol."
"A Christmas Carol" will run from Dec. 4 to Dec. 27 at Seacoast Theatre. Tickets are $28 to $42.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or pleighton@salemnews.com.
