LA's beloved Ahmanson Theatre welcomes back audiences with 'A Christmas Carol'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Live theatre is returning to the Ahmanson Theatre this week for the first time in 628 days. But who's counting?

The show that welcomed back audiences is the holiday musical "A Christmas Carol."

The theatre has been waiting 20 months to once again fill its empty seats. The show that is welcoming back audiences is the holiday musical "A Christmas Carol" with Bradley Whitford as "Scrooge."

You could say it's the theatre's Christmas "present" to audiences.

"We want to share this show with Los Angeles," said Meghan Pressman, the Managing Director and C.E.O. of Center Theatre Group. "I feel so grateful that the 'Christmas Carol' is the first show we've been able to have stick in the calendar because entertainment, heartwarming, lessons, storytelling, music, family. We're very lucky that this is the one we felt we were able to open our doors for."

Just know that when the doors open, all COVID-19 protocols will be strictly followed.

"Because this is a family show and kids can't really be fully vaccinated with the timeline, we are accepting negative test results for kids or folks with medical exemptions but that's a very small portion of the population. For the most part, you show up, you show your vaccine card, you get in. But just come a little earlier and it should all work out," Pressman said.

The Ahmanson works with local organizations all the time to make theatre more accessible for our community.

For "A Christmas Carol," the production asked the theatre to pick a local group who could use some support. The Ahmanson selected The South L.A. Cafe Community Foundation.

"And at the end of every performance, there's a request to help this amazing group. And there are opportunities for audience members to give cash on their way outside of the theatre and that all goes directly to them," Pressman said. "It supports their grocery box service, which feeds over 70,000 South L.A. residents who have food insecurity."

"A Christmas Carol" previewed Tuesday night. It officials opens Wednesday night and will run through Jan. 1.