REVIEW: ‘You’ve never seen it like this’ – BAT Theatre reimagines ‘A Christmas Carol’ with ‘The Past, a Present Yet to Come’

You may believe you’ve seen every iteration possible of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ but you’ve never seen it like this.

Matt Schatz’s comedy, ‘The Past, a Present Yet to Come’ is a fictitious look behind the famous Christmas Carol story performed by BAT Theatre through Dec. 21.

In Schatz’s version, Fred (Danielle Alexis Nicole Mitchell), the nephew of Ebenezer Scrooge, is a struggling entrepreneur who partners with the theatrical producer J.B. Roth (Lauren Erwin) to put on a deceptive production for his Uncle Ebeneezer in hopes of helping him see the error of his ways. While Roth is at first skeptical of the idea, she mentions she knows a frazzled writer named Charles Dickens (John Dugaw) who may be willing to take on the project.

What follows is a caper full of delights, as the three unlikely companions set about trying to produce the show of a lifetime to change the heart of one miserly old man. 

Mitchell’s Fred is the driving energy of the show, with an infectious joviality that endears him to the audience. Fred’s character undergoes the largest transformation throughout the show, and Mitchell was able to handle the character arch with ease.

Erwin’s no-nonsense J.B. Roth epitomized a talented, witty woman who has faced a lifetime of social oppression and scrutiny making her shrewd, direct, and resilient. Erwin skillfully walked the tightrope of dry humor and sarcasm without making her character appear too cold or aloof.

Dugaw’s Dickens is stammering, philandering, and thoughtless and it’s a testament to the strength of Dugaw’s performance that the audience still found him a delight. Playing a character who does not speak or relate well is challenging, but Dugaw rose to the challenge and performed masterfully.

The tit-for-tat exchanges between Erwin’s Roth and Dugaw’s Dickens were particularly well done. Underneath the clever banter were real conversations about bias, assumption, and the inescapable social repercussions of both for anyone not born in to a privileged class, race, religion, or sex.

Together, the cast formed a chemistry that was supremely entertaining as the plot twisted such a well-known tale into a heart-warming story about motives, character, and the possibility of change.

Photos

Click arrows or swipe images to view a slideshow of photos courtesy Michael Brunk:

Performance Schedule/Location

Performances are on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Sunday afternoon, and continue through Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.

• Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday performances at 2 p.m. 
• Show run time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

Burien Actors Theatre performances are at the Theater at Kennedy Catholic High School, 140 S. 140th St., Burien, WA 98168 (map below).

There is plenty of free on-site parking—follow the signs into the parking lot and around the buildings to the entrance, which is in back.

Tickets Available Now

Ticket prices range from $7 to $25. Student tickets are always $5.

For tickets and details, visit https://battheatre.org/the-past-a-present-yet-to-come/, or call 206-242-5180 (message only).

If ticket pricing is a barrier, reach out to BAT at Tickets@BATtheatre.org – theater is for everyone!

The Past, a Present Yet to Come is supported in part by 4Culture and the City of Burien. Special thanks to Kennedy Catholic High School and Evergreen City Ballet.