By Donald H. Sanborn III

Anyone who is familiar with the story of A Christmas Carol knows that Ebenezer Scrooge and Mr. Fezziwig are two opposite characters, at least when we first encounter them.

Actor Cameron Knight knows this firsthand. Having played Scrooge’s joyful, generous mentor in McCarter’s 2024 production of A Christmas Carol, this year he returns to star as the Christmas-hating miser.

A holiday tradition in Princeton for 45 years, McCarter’s annual retelling of Charles Dickens’ beloved 1843 novella returns December 9–28. Lauren Keating returns to direct her adaptation, aided by Music Director Cris Frisco and Choreographer Emily Maltby.

“Experience the magic of this beloved tale as Ebenezer Scrooge’s inspiring transformation brings holiday cheer with the enduring themes of peace, hope, and joy. Complete with colorful Victorian costumes, lively dancing, and stunning scenery, A Christmas Carol promises a festive spectacle that brings friends and families together each season,” McCarter announced in a press release. “Enjoy live local choirs performing in the lobby before the show, take a photo in front of beautifully decorated trees, and settle in for a story that highlights the importance of compassion and connection.”

“Scrooge is a character of Shakespearean magnitude,” said McCarter’s Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen in a press release. “Cameron’s deep sense of humanity and love of language will bring something truly special to this production.”

“I’m grateful she said that,” Knight said in a Zoom interview. “I was moved by the fact that she shared that, and noticed it in my work.”

He believes that well-told stories such as A Christmas Carol have the potential to accentuate themes that need “more attention: empathy, and camaraderie amongst each other. Great stories like this one, with a commitment to that, can be a curative in society. I think we need this kind of medicine right now.”

Originally from Flint, Mich., Knight is a director as well as an actor. He also is a professor; he currently serves as Rutgers University’s head of acting and head of the B.A. Theater Program. The online theater journal HowlRound describes Knight as “one of the most important acting teachers in the country.”

According to the Rutgers website, Knight “has performed on stage across America in such notable theaters as Milwaukee Repertory Theater, The Kennedy Center, and the Tony Award–winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival. His performance career spans a wide breadth of styles and mediums ranging from Shakespeare and classical works to modern and contemporary drama. Equally adept on screen, Cameron has been seen on television in guest starring roles in FOX’s The Orville, and Chicago Med on NBC. He has a number of film roles to his credit, notably the highly acclaimed drama Widows, directed by Steve McQueen.” Knight’s commanding baritone voice also has enabled him to enjoy a “thriving commercial and voice-over career.”

Asked whether the experience of playing Fezzwig is informing his portrayal of Scrooge, Knight said, “In some ways yes, in some ways no. I think they’re on a separate journey.” He points out that Fezziwig, who is seen via a (ghostly) flashback, exists in a timeless place, because all these things have already happened.“ He adds, “There’s got to be an anti-Fezziwig [portrayal] for Scrooge, so that when he transforms in the second act, it’s reminiscent of the influences he had. So in some ways they [metaphorically] do speak to each other.”

A Christmas Carol, of course, has been a holiday staple of theaters around the country for decades. Asked what he is adding to the role of Scrooge to bring a fresh perspective to the character, Knight said that his approach is to return “to the original story.”

He explained that he starts “from a place of defending Scrooge’s point of view, so I’m not playing an archetypal evil guy, but unpacking why he is the way he is. I think there’s something very relatable about him. Hopefully, if we do our job well, we’ll invite people to see themselves in the role; and then, invite them again to make any adjustments in their own life so they’re kinder … more empathetic.”

Asked what he would say to potential audiences who might feel that the story and play are so familiar that they do not need to see the upcoming McCarter performances, Knight said that the core of the show’s appeal is analogous to “the same thing that makes a person go see Hamlet again, or go see any number of musicals, or [replay] their favorite album. There’s something traditional, obviously — something that is seasonal.”

He added that this production has “a wonderful cast. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s inspiring — and it’s full of the Christmas spirit. Every so often, we need to be reminded of these kinds of things! There’s something, collectively, that we miss over the course of the year; a play like this serves as a good reminder.”

The conversation pivoted to Knight’s work as a teacher. What is the number one thing that he would say to aspiring or budding actors?

Knight automatically replied, “Trust yourself. No school, no training program, is going to give you permission to be an actor, but hopefully they will support you in being the actor you want to be.”

He said, “I think oftentimes we have this scarcity model among artists; and I want them to think from a place of abundance, more specifically, the value they add — and they all do, in their own way. So I think encouraging artists to trust themselves is probably the most important thing. Otherwise, they’re people-pleasing; it’s going to take them longer to achieve the kind of work that they are capable of.”

Knight’s page on the Rutgers website includes this quote: “The world for the artist is changing and expanding at an exciting rate. We must be in collaboration with our students; seeing how their identities and artistry are intertwined and commit to training the whole person. In doing so, we empower them to answer the questions the world will ask and create generation defining work.” As a teacher, he puts that into practice by prioritizing genuine conversations with students, rather than traditional lectures.

“We’ve worked hard to remove this guru model, that there’s a teacher up high who will pour [information] into your brains,” he said, adding that his priority is helping students “cultivate their own interests and tastes, and not judging anyone’s point of view. Some people want to go back home and make theater in their community; some people want to use this to spring forward into politics, social work, or any number of jobs. There are lots of things you can do with a theater degree.” Knight does not see his task as determining “what their career is going to be, but to support them in finding their own path — and knowing that path can change.”

He continued, “We have a huge conversation to have about the influence of AI; and how theater is changing — how the cost of it is
going up. What people value, and how they value it, has to be respected, regarded, and supported, while giving students rigor and challenge to expand and increase
their artistry.”

A central piece of McCarter’s A Christmas Carol is the inclusion of child and nonprofessional adult actors from the Princeton area community. As a teacher, Knight enjoys working with these actors, especially his youngest cast mates.

“Those kids are great,” he said. “It’s always wonderful to bring the community together. So often it’s difficult for a community to feel engaged in that way, so that’s always exciting. Lauren and the team at McCarter do an amazing job of outreach and teaching, and then auditioning the young artists that come in. It’s also lovely that many of the adult actors, at least several that I’ve heard from, are from New Jersey, so they have fond memories of coming to the show when they were young.”

Knight is moved by seeing “generations of people coming back to the theater — families and community groups getting to celebrate something that they know well. That’s exciting to be a part of. It’s sort of easy to get swept up in ‘this is a big production.’ Not just because of the scale of the show, but what it means to the community.”

Asked how rehearsals are going, Knight said, “They’re great; we had a run-through last night; the show is looking good. We probably have one more week before we get into tech, so we’re ready to go. We’re excited!”

He concluded, “I love stories, and I love beautiful stories told well. I’m excited to share this story with this community!”

“A Christmas Carol” will run December 9-28 at McCarter’s Matthews Theatre. For tickets or more information, visit McCarter.org.