Kansas City Symphony: Jason Seber - Muppet Christmas Carol

Kansas City Symphony: Jason Seber - Muppet Christmas Carol at Helzberg Hall - Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Every Christmas season brings a familiar story back into view: The Muppet Christmas Carol, with its mix of comic warmth and Scrooge's change of heart. Jason Seber conducts the Kansas City Symphony at Helzberg Hall as the complete film plays with live orchestral music.

Michael Caine's Ebenezer Scrooge and Kermit's Bob Cratchit give this adaptation a personality of its own. A Dickens character carrying real emotional weight shares the story with a familiar Muppet face. That combination makes an inviting holiday outing for someone who wants the sentiment of a Christmas tale and the pleasure of a comedy.

Scrooge's transformation is the reason the story can still matter even when you know where it leads. Watching a hard heart become capable of kindness gives the jokes something human underneath them. You can enjoy the humor and still care about the change, without choosing between a funny film and a meaningful seasonal story.

For families, that mix offers different ways to enjoy the same afternoon. Younger viewers have the Muppets' comic personality to connect with; adults can return to the Dickens tale and its hopeful idea of starting again. The Symphony adds a musical occasion to a film worth sharing.

Choose tickets for The Muppet Christmas Carol and make a Kansas City holiday date with Caine, Kermit and a little redemption.