When a play is produced year after year, it runs the risk of becoming monotonous and old. However, the Guthrie appears to have a knack for adding new life, meaning and laughs to the many plays it produces.

This holds true for its current production of the timeless classic, The Christmas Carol.

A Christmas tradition, most have probably seen renditions of the story several times or, at the very least, are familiar with the plot.

Nevertheless, the Guthrie production is able to illuminate the play’s important messages and provide an entertaining evening.

Director Gary Gisselman honors Dickens’ story with a polished style.

Street scenes are filled with impoverished families and cheerful carolers, narrators effectively recount the story and the characters are all well cast.

Peter Michael Goetz is staged as the miserly and un-spirited Ebenezer Scrooge. Goetz's Scrooge is refined and practiced, his voice rumbling through the audience. Further, Goetz manages to bring out Scrooge’s humanity—even at his crankiest moments.

One aspect that sets this production off from others is the effective use of special effects and artful staging.

The face of Scrooge’s dead partner, Bob Marley, “magically” appears in a door.

Marley, visiting Scrooge from hell, ascends a staircase that opens in the floor of the stage.

Fog rolls across the stage at a number of different times.

The Ghost of Christmas Past wears a decorative mask and glides across the stage under flowing capes.

The Ghost of Christmas Present descends from above in a lavishly decorated sleigh.

Further, the production brings out the comedy that exists in the play. Though Scrooge is certainly cruel and uncaring at the beginning, he is not spared from moments of humor. As bells toll and ghosts begin to emerge, he jumps into his bed, whimpering like a child.

Some of the most entertaining scenes, though, are those surrounding the Christmas parties of Scrooge’s former employer, Mr. Fezziwig’s (Richard Iglewski). The Ghost of Christmas Past returns Scrooge to these events to show how one can be a responsible businessman, but still celebrate fun times with others. Magnificently staged, the party became an absolute riotous piece of British satire—just as it should

Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Wendy Lehr) dance across the stage, bringing out the silly and careless nature of their characters—and certainly eliciting many laughs from the audience.

Most importantly, the production manages to emphasize the true meaning of the play. The word “enough” is repeated countless times throughout the play.

Even though the Crachit family can only manage a sparse dinner on the wages that Scrooge pays Mr. Crachit, they all eat “enough” and are filled.

Scrooge’s nephew Fred (Bill McCallum) is far from rich, yet is happy with his wife and friends.

The Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge around the world to show even more examples of people who have enough, even though they are poor.

Scrooge is rich, but he has failed to realize when he had enough. He has much money, but is miserable.

After the visits by the three ghosts, Scrooge realizes the flaws in his ways and changes his life around completely. He buys a large Christmas dinner for the Crachit family, gives money to passing children, laughs, jokes, and visits his nephew.

No other production of this story, so far as I have seen, has ever remarked upon these messages so effectively.

The Christmas Carol will run at the Guthrie Theater (725 Vineland Pl., Minneapolis) through Dec. 29. Tickets range from $19 to $52. Call (612) 377-2224 for more details on times and prices.