More than one billion children worldwide are severely deprived of essential goods and services required for survival, according to the United Nations Children's Fund.

Edmonton folk-roots musician Bill Bourne is part of the diverse musical ensemble that makes up The Christmas Carol Project, a popular musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol being staged at Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) this weekend. - photo courtesy of Bill Bourne

"They can always find trillions of dollars to spend on war but they can't find billions of dollars to solve this problem, which to my mind is absolutely ridiculous," said Edmonton folk-roots musician Bill Bourne.

"It's like the whole idea of justice and fairness didn't exist. I seriously believe that until mankind gets a handle on looking after the children it's impossible for us to progress."

Heartfelt concern for the world's children notwithstanding, Bourne is on his way to Yellowknife this week to portray the literary embodiment of cynical selfishness – Ebeneezer Scrooge. The guitarist and fiddle player is part of the diverse musical ensemble that makes up The Christmas Carol Project, a popular musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol being staged at Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) this weekend.

Mixing music and storytelling, the production is a songwriter's interpretation of the classic 19th-century morality tale about spiritual and social redemption.

"It's an emotional event for me every time I perform it," Bourne said. "Charles Dickens was a great champion of children's rights. Most of his work involved an effort to try to stick up for children. I have a strong belief in that. Very strong in fact."

Bourne regularly performs benefit concerts around Alberta to raise funds for Change For Children, a community-led development organization that supports locally-run projects for children in the global south.

When director John Armstrong first pitched the part of Scrooge to Bourne in 1996, the veteran guitarist and fiddle player almost turned it down.

"Christmas is strange," he said. "In some ways it's just been abused over the years. Commercialized and stuff like that. I just thought I'd pass. Then I read Dickens' story again. It's just as relevant today."

Bourne has been playing Scrooge in The Christmas Carol Project every winter for the last 13 years.

The rest of the cast present Celtic, bluegrass, folk, Cajun, blues and rock songs and instrumentals. Their instruments range from accordion to the Chapman stick.

"For me it's always a really nice thing to come back with these people every Christmas," said multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Terry Morrison, who plays the Ghost of Christmas Past. "It's a neat show in that everybody's style is a bit different."

The Christmas Carol Project haunts the NACC stage on Friday and Saturday evenings starting at 8 p.m.