Manchester University is offering a unique way to kick off the holiday season. On Thursday, Nov. 21, MU Theatre Director Joel Froomkin offers a one-man version of “A Christmas Carol” as a gift to the campus and community.

Froomkin’s performance is an unforgettable tour de force, taking storytelling to a whole new level. He’ll use the same version of the story that Charles Dickens performed for his lecture tours.

“Although there have been countless adaptations of the story, nothing compares to Dickens’ original narrative. People are surprised by the level of wit and humor throughout the story.”

The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in Wine Recital Hall on the North Manchester campus. Reservations are not necessary.

The tale allows Froomkin to use his skill as a dialectician. “I grew up in Bermuda, a British colony, and my high school teachers were from all over the British Isles. Without knowing it, I developed this ear for all these different sounds.” He taught dialects and accents at New York University and frequently was called upon to coach celebrities and Broadway performers.

For “A Christmas Carol,” Froomkin switches effortlessly among 18 characters, including Marley’s Ghost, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and, of course, Scrooge. A free-will offering will be accepted at the door to support future Manchester University theatre productions.

“We invested a lot of our budget making valuable improvements to our performance space,” said Froomkin. “A Christmas Carol is a wonderful way to connect with the community, develop our audience and maybe raise a little money for our next production.” The one-man show might get a little creepy in places for children under seven, Froomkin advises. “But young people love it.They get really engaged by the different voices … and their grandparents always say it reminds them of the old Orson Welles-style radio theatre.”

The show runs about an hour and 45 minutes. For more information, contact the MU Department of Music at 260-982-5426.