A Holiday Mystery Reopened – front mezz junkies, Theater News

A Frontmezzjunkies Interview: James Taylor Odom Discusses A Sherlock Carol  at the Westport Country Playhouse

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens in December: people who ordinarily glare at you on the subway will suddenly offer you a candy cane, and even the most sensible adults begin earnestly debating the ethics of elf-on-the-shelf surveillance culture. It’s the season when ghosts, miracles, and uncomfortable sweaters coexist peacefully; so naturally, it’s also the perfect time to resurrect Sherlock Holmes.

Mark Shanahan’s A Sherlock Carol has been sleuthing and caroling its way across the country ever since its debut, charming audiences from New York to regional stages with its improbable but irresistible mash-up of Conan Doyle and Dickens. Westport Country Playhouse is no stranger to its particular brand of holiday mischief either—they’ve welcomed this Christmas caper before, and now, like any good seasonal tradition (fruitcake, but actually enjoyable), it returns once more.

What’s remarkable, aside from the fact that Sherlock Holmes now appears to have a more ambitious holiday touring schedule than most department-store Santas, is how A Sherlock Carol keeps multiplying. This year alone, it boasts more than 30 productions, appearing everywhere from Australia to Canada to the UK like a benevolent theatrical fungus with excellent literary taste. Artistic directors across the map rave about it with the same mix of delight and disbelief you hear from someone whose sourdough starter suddenly landed in a food magazine. At Virginia Stage Company, Tom Quaintance is producing it for the second year in a row. He is even pairing it in repertory with Mark Shanahan’s A Merry Little Christmas Carol, a cousin in tone and structure, and audiences are greeting the combination with the zeal of people convinced that certain holiday treats must always be consumed together. They cheer for the intertextual breadcrumbs (“Moriarty was dead, to begin with” and “Will there be potatoes?”), and they return with friends, determined to recruit newcomers into a tradition that is still less than a decade old. Directors speak of “delight,” “craft,” and “theatricality” with the reverence usually reserved for heirloom recipes or rare first editions, which speaks volumes about how thoroughly the play has charmed them.

Beneath all the laughter and clever plotting lies something more tender. Holidays tend to stir up the emotional sediment we spend all year carefully keeping at the bottom of the jar. They are heavy for some people, holy for others, and for nearly everyone, they contain a quiet ache for connection. Directors like Steve Pacek and Courtney O’Connor speak openly about how these stories ask us to look inward: Scrooge searching for forgiveness, Sherlock searching for truth, and the rest of us searching for something warm and steady in a world that often feels cold. That is the real secret. A Sherlock Carol is comforting. It reminds audiences, as Steve Pacek said, that even in the midst of chaos, “there is a good. We can never give up searching for it.” Perhaps that is why people keep coming back, year after year and city after city. Watching Holmes stumble into something like grace feels a little like watching ourselves do the same, only with better lighting and superior accents.

At the center of this Westport Country Playhouse’s remounting of A Sherlock Carol is James Taylor Odom, a man who has played the title role before. He steps back into a festively haunted version of Baker Street with equal parts precision, mischief, and enough emotional warmth to thaw even Dickens’ iciest spirits.

As audiences gather seeking a little joy, a little mystery, and perhaps escape from at least one holiday party, Odom offers a reminder that the holidays aren’t just about sentimentality—they’re about connection, courage, and the small, surprising ways we save one another. Even Sherlock Holmes, it turns out, isn’t immune to a Christmas epiphany.

Front Mezz: You’ve stepped into Sherlock Holmes’ shoes multiple times before. What keeps drawing you back to the character, and how has your interpretation evolved in this production of Sherlock Carol?

James Taylor Odom: I have played Sherlock Holmes three times before this production, and each version has been very different. They were differing not only in my approach to the famous character but also in the style of the particular adaptation I was in. I am drawn to playing this role again and again because, since I was a young boy, I was fascinated with Sherlock Holmes. I probably discovered him around the age of 5 or so. He was my superhero in many ways. By playing Sherlock Holmes on stage, I invite the child within me to come play in a creative sandbox in front of a paying audience. For many actors, there is no greater gift. 

FM: Mark Shanahan’s play blends Conan Doyle’s deductive world with Dickens’ emotional landscape. How did you navigate the tonal balance between mystery and holiday spirit in shaping your Sherlock?

JTO: This is an excellent question. For anyone who is a fan of both literary sources, they will be keenly aware of how cerebral the adventures are with Holmes and how emotionally driven Scrooge’s journey is. The objective for me when balancing the tone is identifying where the stories intersect, where they deviate, and inviting as much of the union of the pieces as possible into my performance. The mistake often made here for any Holmes enthusiast is that he is a cold, calculating machine with no feelings. I think Holmes has remarkable feelings; however, they may rarely be shown for any number of reasons. Perhaps like Scrooge? Holmes and Scrooge may both be quick to temper but exceedingly hesitant at vulnerability. This play demands an actor chart a path where Holmes discovers vulnerability. And though there isn’t too much in the Doyle literature to support that idea fully, it’s important to remember that Sherlock Holmes belongs to the world. He is mine as much as he is yours. So let me bring him to life and be in relationship to the heart of Charles Dickens and even the hardest of Holmes Purists may be surprised. 

FM: Westport Country Playhouse has a long tradition of classic storytelling. How does performing A Sherlock Carol on this stage influence your approach to Holmes compared to previous productions?

JTO: I have never performed at Westport Country Playhouse before; however, I have visited here a number of times. I am extremely aware of the historical significance of the playhouse as well as the spiritual. And when I say spiritual, I literally mean spirits. You can walk through the hallways of the playhouse and see portrait after portrait of some of America’s greatest actors who have ever lived, that once proudly walked the boards of this stage. Many of whom, preferring the medium of theatre, poured their heart, energy, and spirit into the space at one time, and embedding their footprint into the artistic fabric of this very special place. Mark Shanahan’s play invites all of the wandering spirits around us to come to life and be celebrated. I can only fathom how special that is when doing this play. 

FM: You’ve become something of a repeat resident in 221B Baker Street. Is there a detail—physical, vocal, or psychological—that you consider essential to grounding your Sherlock each time?

JTO: When playing the character, I love to bring physicality into the performance straight out of Doyle’s own words. “A tall, spare figure…pacing the room swiftly, eagerly…” and “hot upon the scent.” I find bringing traits such as these to the performance to empower me as an actor. 

FM: When preparing for a role—especially one you’ve tackled before—what’s your process for staying present, curious, and creatively engaged?

JTO: It’s always important for me to stay open to suggestion, guidance, and in relationship with my fellow actors and director. When doing so, you become completely open to possibilities you may never have seen possible before. 

FM: Audiences often come in with strong preconceived notions about Sherlock Holmes. What do you hope they’ll see or feel differently after watching your performance in A Sherlock Carol?

JTO: My hope is that for anyone who comes to see this show walks away with an overwhelming feeling of love for their fellow human beings. In the same vein as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol,” A Sherlock Carol invites us to consider what truly matters in this life. Our reason to wake up each day and keep moving forward may have less to do with just ourselves but also with those around us and in our sphere of influence. We are all capable of loving and being loved. May we all find a way to do so. 

A SHERLOCK CAROL runs at Westport Country Playhouse, Dec. 13 – 21.