Unexpected drama at the Guthrie's "Christmas Carol"

J.C. Cutler as Scrooge. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

There was unexpected, nervous-making drama at Saturday's opening night performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

Forty minutes into the first act of Crispin Whittell's adaptation of the Dickens classic, a female voice in the audience cried out urgently for help.

J.C. Cutler (above), who plays Scrooge, responsively drew his hand across his neck to signal that the show should be stopped. It was. Meanwhile, some medical professionals in the audience, including a nurse whose son was in the children's chorus of "Carol,' and a cardiologist from St. Cloud, converged with theater ofificals on the area of the plea.

It turned that a patron had passed out. The man, who was placed in the aisle on the floor and re, was an 85-year-old who had come to see the show with a group of fellow theater lovers from Iowa. He was attended by the medical professionals in the audience and by theater officials, who brought up a defribillator.

Emergency responders entered the theater about seven minutes after the incident began. The unexpected episode seemed to have had a happy ending. The man was visibly up and alert as he was being carried out on a stretcher. He waved, to the relief of audience members who applauded.

The actors quickly resumed their performance at the scene where the Ghost of Christmas Past (played by Tracey Maloney), conducted Scrooge back to his youthful employment at Fezziwig's warehouse.