We don’t care how many adaptations of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” you’ve seen. Forget them. This one at South Coast Repertory is the only one that counts.

There’s singing. There’s dancing.

There’s transformation as the growling, snarling wretch that is Scrooge becomes a spritely, joyous evangelist of Christmas cheer, keenly aware that we’re all our brothers’ keepers, all responsible for the common good, all charged with making the world a better place.

There’s a delightful “Rocky Horror Picture Show”-esque Christmas cult around this show that runs through Dec. 24 – hint: look for the plethora of red scarves in the audience – and lines like, “I’m a baby!” and “Have you ever seen a (insert item here) so (insert color here)?” and “You must learn how to receive – ahhhhh! – the pudding!” will become integral shorthand in your family’s emotional vocabulary.

Where to go: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, or scr.org for tickets.

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