Today, most people know the story of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" not by reading it themselves but from the multitude of adaptations that have transferred the Victorian tale to stage and screen.

But in Jacqueline Goldfinger's simple, honest stage adaptation being produced this month at North Coast Repertory Theatre, Dickens' words are once again the star. Using the art of storytelling, minimal sets and 10 cast members who alternate in dozens of roles, Goldfinger's adaptation is clearly and swiftly told.

Pared to just 80 intermissionless minutes and sprinkled through with musical, spooky, magical and funny moments, the production is an ideal introduction for small children not quite ready to crack open Dickens' original novel.

A word of caution, though. The scene featuring the ghost of Jacob Marley is so effectively directed by Joe Powers (with help from sound designer Chris Luessman and lighting designer Karin Filijan) that sensitive children might be frightened. And while Goldfinger's devotion to Dickens' Victorian text is admirable, children may have a hard time understanding some scenes, like when Marley's ghost describes the reason for his chains and when Scrooge begs the Ghost of Christmas Future for redemption.

Nimble San Diego actor Ron Choularton leads the cast as the miserly money-lender Ebenezer Scrooge. Choularton ages himself with a stiff, stooped gait and raspy husk of a voice. His performance is restrained and natural until the end, when his Christmas morning transformation is joyous, giddy and childlike. Also natural and heartfelt is John Tessmer as Scrooge's overworked, underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit.

Cast standouts include young Austyn Myers, who's angelic as the Ghost of Christmas Past and the Cratchits' crippled son, Tiny Tim. Jesse MacKinnon brings the weight of the world to the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge's long-dead partner who arrives on Christmas Eve to warn Scrooge to change his ways. And Don Pugh is jolly and larger than life as Scrooge's boyhood employer Fezziwig and the Ghost of Christmas Present.

The rest of the cast play multiple roles, including holiday carolers, party guests, charity collectors, ghosts, the Cratchits (and even the noisy ticking of Scrooge's clock). They include Susan Denaker, Brian Mackey, Patrick Wenk-Wolff, Rachael Van Wormer and Amanda Cowles.

To keep the show moving along, much of Scrooge's back story has been trimmed, including details of his sad childhood and his sickly sister. The Cratchits' story has also been pared to the bare essentials, along with the extended scenes at the home of Scrooge's nephew, Fred. But Dickens fans will still hear all the novel's most-beloved lines in full.

On opening weekend the play still had some slow spots. Scrooge's preparation for bedtime dragged on much longer than necessary, and despite the story's title, there were a few too many Christmas carols that interrupted the story flow. Whether this will become an annual tradition for North Coast Rep, as it was for San Diego Repertory Theatre, remains to be seen, but the production is lively, imaginative and magical in every way.

"A Christmas Carol"

When: 2 p.m. Thursdays; 7 p.m. Fridays; 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; plus some additional Wednesday and weekend matinees; through Dec. 30

Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987D Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Tickets: $23-$40

Info: (858) 481-1055

Web: www.northcoastrep.org