Theatrical productions and adaptations of Carol are ubiquitous, but one of the most popular, and certainly the most opulent, is the annual musical staged at Madison Square Garden, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime), and a book by Menken and director Mike Ockrent. The sixth go-`round for the musical starts previews Nov. 26 for a run through Dec. 30. No word yet on this year's casting, though sources close to the production say that Billy Dee Williams and Ed Asner are both in the running for the role of Scrooge.

Roger Daltrey, lead singer for the rock group The Who, starred last season as Ebeneezer Scrooge, the miserly old man who changes his ways after a night of ghostly visitations. The previous year, the role of Scrooge was played, in rotation, by two different theatre veterans: Hal Linden and (the late) Roddy McDowall. Previous Scrooges included Walter Charles and Tony Randall.

Carol's authors, Menken and Ahrens, have been busy recently. Menken is helping adapt Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame to the stage, while Ahrens and her co-writer Flaherty (Tony-winners for Ragtime) are working on Livent's Seussical.

Designing the spectacle of A Christmas Carol are Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting), William Ivey Long (costumes), Tony Walton (sets) and Tony Meola (sound). Flying is by Foy, musical direction by Paul Gemignani, with orchestrations by Michael Starobin and Douglas Besterman. Susan Stroman (Steel Pier, Crazy For You) choreographs.

For tickets and information on A Christmas Carol call (212) 307- 4111. -- By David Lefkowitz