Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Christmas 2023

Christmas was really lovely this year!  I was so happy that both Sean and Tashena were home and that we could spend the day together!  We woke up early to open presents with the traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls and orange juice.  I got some new Doc Martens boots, some of my favorite perfume (which made me very happy because I was almost out of it), and physical copies of Barbie and Oppenheimer.  We all took naps in the afternoon and then had a wonderful dinner consisting of honey baked ham, cheesy potatoes, yams, stuffing, asparagus, pomegranate salad, vegetables and dip, and rolls.  After dinner we took a poinsettia to my parents' grave and then played Shanghai Rummy while eating dessert and treats.  We worried that Tashena's fiance Tucker would get overwhelmed with how crazy we get when we play cards but he ended up winning!
I hope that you had a wonderful holiday with the people you love! 

Monday, December 25, 2023

Gingerbread Houses 2023

Last night we had our traditional gingerbread house party!  Tucker joined us for the first time and he fit in really well with the craziness!
This year we got kits for a gingerbread village and the little houses were so cute.  We were all able to make several of them and Trent even joined it!
We had so much fun!
Our gingerbread village!

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Nathan Pacheco Christmas Concert

I first heard Nathan Pacheco sing when he was a guest vocalist for one of Kurt Bestor's Christmas concerts.  His rendition of "O Holy Night" at that concert is one of the best I've heard so, when I found out that he would be performing a Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall, I bought a ticket hoping that I would get to hear it again. The show was last night and I was not disappointed! He was backed by the Lyceum Philharmonic, which is led by Kayson Brown and features talented high school students from the American Heritage School, as well as his music director and pianist Leo Z and cellist Nicole Pinnell. They began with "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Carol of the Bells" and then Pacheco came to the stage singing one of his original songs, "Don't Cry." The concert was an eclectic mix of Christmas songs, original songs, covers, and songs from the classical repertoire and one of my favorite moments came next when he sang "Nessun Dorma" from the opera Turandot (it gave me goosebumps when he hit all of the high notes). He continued with "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" and then said that he had never performed the next song in front of a crowd before and brought Clara Hurtado Lee and a children's choir to the stage to sing "Adiemus" which was incredibly beautiful! He performed a really cool cover of "Take on Me" by a-ha and then "From Now On" from the movie The Greatest Showman. He told the audience that he had just written an original musical called Beloved and then gave us a sneak peak by singing "What You Become" from it. Emma Nissen joined him on stage for a lovely version of "The Prayer" and then he continued with the Christmas songs "Gaudete" (I loved this), "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Silent Night." He performed an acoustic cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Star Carol" (accompanying himself on guitar) and then a powerful version of his song "Forever." He concluded his main set by singing "O Holy Night."  I had been waiting all night for him to sing this and it was definitely worth the wait because he just about blew the roof off Abravanel Hall! For the encore, he brought his sister to the stage to sing the duet "Time to Say Goodbye" which was another favorite moment for me! I don't know if this was spontaneous or not because all of the musicians were prepared to play it but she seemed really hesitant to come up to the stage! He concluded with "God Bless Us Everyone" from the movie A Christmas Carol. This was an amazing show and Pacheco was incredibly charming and continually expressed his genuine gratitude to the crowd for supporting him. He said that he hoped to be back for another Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall next year and, if he is, I will be there, too!

Note:  My sister also had tickets to this show with her friend so we ended up going together!

Monday, December 18, 2023

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2023

Whenever I am unable to get a ticket to the Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concert, I go to the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast the following Sunday because it usually features the guest artists and a portion of the program.  It is actually quite nice because the parking situation is a bit easier on an early Sunday morning than it is in the evening with so many other events going on.  The guest artists this year were Michael Maliakel, who is currently starring as the title role in Aladdin on Broadway, and Lesley Nicol, who is best known for playing Mrs. Patmore on Downton Abbey.  The concert began with choir members in a procession down the aisles to "Sing We Now of Christmas" with the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble.  It was beautiful and incredibly dramatic!  Michael Maliakel joined the choir for "Joy to the World" and I really loved his voice and his rendition of this song.  I wasn't very familiar with him but now I will pay attention because he is extremely talented and charismatic!  Next, the choir sang "To The Cradle Run," which I was unfamiliar with but definitely enjoyed, and then Richard Elliott performed "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" on the organ with fanfares played by the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble (this gave me goosebumps because I love this song).  The choir performed another song I was unfamiliar with called "O Little One Sweet" and then Lesley Nicol read the Christmas story from the Bible.  The program concluded with a stirring version of "Angels from the Realms of Glory" by Michael Maliakel and this also gave me goosebumps.  After the broadcast concluded, the audience got to hear another portion of the concert when a story about Victor Hugo's Christmas fetes for the children on the island of Guernsey was told by Lesley Nicol.  A replica of Hautville House, Hugo's home on Guernsey, was featured with performers acting out the story while Nicol narrated (she was delightful).  It was so inspiring and I especially loved the use of Hugo's quote, "To love is to act."  It was a lovely concert and I'm glad I made the effort to get up early (and put on a skirt) to attend!

Sunday, December 17, 2023

A Kurt Bestor Christmas at the Eccles 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live, especially Kurt Bestor's arrangements, so I always try to attend his annual Christmas concert.  The show was last night (along with tons of other Christmas events downtown which made driving and parking a lot of fun) and, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  He began with "Suite de Noel," "Il Le Ne Le Divin Enfant," and "Good King Wenceslaus" before telling a funny story about performing "What Child Is This?" (many songs were prefaced with amusing anecdotes).  Next he played "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella," which I loved because it is one of my favorites, and then "I'll Be Home for Christmas," which he dedicated to all veterans in the audience.  Then he featured his insanely talented band on a calypso-inspired version of "O Tannenbaum" with extended solos from Michael Dowdle on guitar, Carlitos del Puerto on bass, and Eric Valentine on drums.  It was very cool!  Next came a beautiful rendition of "Carol of the Bells" dedicated to the people of Ukraine and then his special guest for the evening, David Archuleta, came to the stage to perform a breathtaking version of "Prayer of the Children" (Kurt Bestor's best known song which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary) that brought the audience to its feet!  After the intermission, Bestor performed "Coventry Carol," another favorite of mine, and then a fun arrangement of "Christmas Time Is Here" complete with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree!  Next, he dedicated a lovely version of "All Through the Night" to one of his close friends who recently died.  David Archuleta returned to the stage for an incredible performance of "Pat-A-Pan" that gave me goosebumps and then gave a very heartfelt rendition of "Grown Up Christmas List" after telling the audience that his list included kindness and understanding for those who are different (he received thunderous applause for this).  Then he performed Bestor's arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander" (at Bestor's request) and the audience leapt to their feet once again!  Bestor lamented that it would be impossible to follow such an amazing performance but his version of "O Holy Night" was definitely a highlight for me (it was the second time that I have heard my favorite Christmas song this season).  As is tradition, he chose someone from the audience to narrate "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" while he performed his amusing arrangement of songs to go with it.  He concluded the concert with "Joy to the World" and a lovely audience sing-along to "Silent Night" led by David Archuleta.  I always love this concert every year but I think this one might be my favorite!

Saturday, December 16, 2023

A Christmas Carol at HCT 2023

Last night I attended my fourth and final performance of A Christmas Carol this season at HCT. I have seen this production dozens of times (I always joke that I have seen it so many times I could probably stand in for any role if needed) but it is a sentimental favorite and it just wouldn't be Christmas without it. The portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge's redemption after visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future in this show is so familiar to me by now but it is this familiarity that makes me love it so much! I eagerly anticipate all of my favorite scenes, especially when Marley's Ghost appears to Scrooge rattling his many chains, when the Ghost of Christmas Past appears to Scrooge from behind a scrim, when the guests dance during Mr. Fezziwig's party and Fred's party, when the Ghost of Christmas Future dramatically reveals Scrooge's name on the tombstone, when an ebullient Scrooge catches Bob Cratchit coming in late the day after Christmas, and when Tiny Tim exclaims, "God bless us, every one!" Many actors return year after year in the same roles (such as Stephen Kerr as Scrooge, Chase Peterson as Fred, Matt Kohler as Marley's Ghost, and Kaden Caldwell as young Ebeneezer) and I look forward to seeing them again. However, this year there were a few new actors (at least new to me because the show is double cast) and I really enjoyed seeing them make these familiar roles their own with a new interpretation, particularly Anthony LeRoy Lovato as Bob Cratchit, Taylor J. Smith as Christmas Present, and Koryn Sobel as Belle. Another element of this particular production that I especially love is the inclusion of Christmas carols in the narrative by an octet (Melinda DeBirk, Jennifer Riley, Keri Vance, April Kerr, Doug Wadley, Maxx Teuscher, Nathanael Abbott, and Alex DeBirk) and a violinist (Suzanne Chapman). My favorites are "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella," "Silent Night" (the entire scene with the poor wife singing this song is incredibly affecting), "Wassail, Wassail," "What Child is This?," and "Sussex Carol." I also really love the sets (this production has the most elaborate sets of any I've seen) because the attention to detail with Scrooge's Counting House, Scrooge's Bed Chamber, Fezziwig's Factory, Bob Cratchit's House (two stories!), Fred's House (the giant Christmas tree!), the Rag and Bottle Shop, and the Graveyard is amazing! I loved it last night just as much as I did the first time I saw it and I'm sure it will always be one of my Christmas traditions. It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewell Box Stage through December 27 (go here for tickets) but act quickly because most shows are sold out (the best availability is for matinee performances).

Note:  In light of the fact that I have now seen four different versions, some friends have asked me which was my favorite.  I can honestly say that I liked all four of them for very different reasons.  Parker Theatre's version is incredibly dramatic, Terrace Plaza Playhouse's version is fun and lighthearted, HCTO's version is the most authentic, and HCT's version is comforting and familiar.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Ballet West's The Nutcracker 2023

Another favorite Christmas tradition (I have so many) is seeing Ballet West's production of The Nutcracker and I had the opportunity yesterday afternoon. I've seen it dozens of times but I love it so much and I eagerly await all of my favorite scenes, especially the party where the Christmas tree is revealed to all of the children and Clara is given a nutcracker by Dr. Drosselmeyer, when everything is magically transformed to an enormous size and the nutcracker defeats the Mouse King with Clara's help, when the nutcracker becomes a handsome prince and takes Clara to the land of the Snow Queen and the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and all of the divertissements arranged for Clara's entertainment (my favorites are the Arabian dance because it is so exotic and sensual and the Russian dance because of the sheer athleticism of the leaps and spins).  The highlights for me are always the Pas de Deux between the Snow Queen (Jenna Rae Herrera) and the Snow King (Jordan Veit) at the end of Act I and the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy (Amy Potter) and her Cavalier (Tyler Gum) in Act II.  The choreography by William Christensen is absolutely beautiful (I love it when the Sugar Plum Fairy leaps into the arms of her Cavalier and then leans all the way forward almost touching the ground) and the dancers are always exquisite but, more than that, I think the music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky used in these scenes is some of the most romantic in the classical repertoire.  I am always impressed by how many young dancers appear in this production (there are 75 in each of the four rotating casts through the run) and by how well they perform but I especially enjoyed Cameron Spencer as the naughty Fritz (it seems like every Fritz adds his own bit of business in the party scene) and Mother Buffoon's children (they are adorable especially during their bows).  The sets and costumes were updated several years ago (I love the jewel tones in Act I and the pastels in Act II) but I noticed that the costumes for the Sugar Plum Fairy's attendants changed from monkeys to cats this year.  Everything about this show is magical, from the snow falling in the land of the Snow Queen to Clara's flying sled, and I highly recommend adding this to your list of holiday traditions.  There are evening and matinee performances at Capitol Theatre through December 27 (go here for tickets).

Friday, December 8, 2023

A Christmas Carol at HCTO 2023

Last night I went to my third peformance of A Christmas Carol this season and this time it was HCTO's version.  To say that I loved it would be an understatement!  This is a brand new production featuring the most faithful adaptation of the novel by Charles Dickens that I have ever seen because the playwright, Rodger Sorenson, employs a technique known as "Chamber Theatre" which includes both the dialogue and the narrative descriptions.  This technique is brilliant because it brings the words written by Dickens very vividly to life!  Ebeneezer Scrooge is played by Ric Starnes and the rest of the cast is comprised of a large ensemble who narrate the story, portray the rest of the characters, bring the minimal set pieces and props on and off stage, provide sound effects, and perform all of the musical interludes.  This approach is simple but incredibly effective.  I especially enjoyed how the scenes at Fezziwig's warehouse, the Cratchit home, Fred's house, and the graveyard are staged because they make great use of the ensemble and the small and intimate space. I loved all of the music, particularly the inclusion of "Wexford Carol" and "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" because they are favorites of mine, but the use of "Lacrymosa," performed by the violin (Naomi White) and cello (Risa Bean), as Belle releases young Ebeneezer and "Coventry Carol" as the Cratchits mourn the loss of Tiny Tim are incredibly affecting.  The set is very simple but the costumes are anything but!  The gowns, capes (I think capes and cloaks should make a comeback), and bonnets worn by the women and the topcoats and waistcoats worn by the men are gorgeous and feature elaborate embellishments.  Starnes gives a beautiful performance because all of the emotions that Scrooge feels as he is shown his past, present, and future are clearly visible on his face and in his delivery.  His reactions to Nan, Belle, and Tiny Tim are especially poignant but it is his simple interaction with a caroler busking on the street after his transformation that brought me to tears.  I also enjoyed David Matthew Smith's performance as Bob Cratchit because he is so emotional in the scene where he mourns the death of Tiny Tim and Ryann Bailey Wawro's performance as Belle because her facial expressions in the scene where she is wooed by young Ebeneezer are so funny.  Jack Jewkes is adorable as Tiny Tim, especially when he sings "What Child Is This?," but Lilly Anderson absolutely steals the show as Fan and Sara Cratchit!  This is definitely my favorite production of A Christmas Carol (and I have seen a lot of them) and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs through December 23.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Lower Lights Christmas Concert 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live so one of my favorite traditions is attending the Lower Lights Christmas concert every year.  I went to their first show of the season at Kingsbury Hall last night and I absolutely loved it!  The Lower Lights is a supergroup of amazing musicians, many of whom are popular in their own right, who periodically come together to record and perform folk and bluegrass renditions of hymns and Christmas songs (Sarah Sample called the group a band of misfits last night).  I really love their sound and I especially love all of their arrangements of Christmas songs (any Christmas song that features steel guitars, mandolins, and banjos is automatically great in my opinion).  The concert began with "I Saw Three Ships," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem."  Then Kiki Sieger sang a beautiful version of "Pretty Paper" (which is new to their set), Dominic Moore and Paul Jacobsen performed an incredibly poignant acoustic rendition of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over),"  and Debra Fotheringham (who is back with the group this year) sang "A Cradle in Bethlehem" while accompanying herself on electric guitar.  The crowd last night was one of the most subdued I've seen at a Lower Lights concert but they got a lot more animated during the next set which featured "Trouble the Water," "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder," and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee." Cherie Call sang a lovely version of "Away in a Manger" and then she was joined by Kiki Sieger and Marie Bradshaw for "Still, Still, Still" which was a highlight of the show for me because the three of them harmonize so well together and they always give me goosebumps!  Next came an instrumental version of "Carol of the Bells" and then Dustin Christensen, who has a beautiful voice, performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  There was an incredible violin solo by Megan Nay during "Maybe This Christmas" and then the crowd was on their feet once again for rousing renditions of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Children, Go Where I Send Thee."  Sarah Sample asked the audience to dance in the aisles during "White Christmas" and then sang a tender version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  The whole group continued with "Mary's Boy Child," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," and "The River Jordan."  Another highlight was when they got down with an epic performance of "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" with lots of extended solos from everyone in the band!  They ended their main set with "Calling You" and "May The Circle Be Unbroken" featuring lots of audience participation.  During the encore they performed a hilarious version of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (which is a tradition), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and "Once in Royal David's City" (one of their best known Christmas songs).  They concluded, as they usually do, with an audience sing-along to "Silent Night."  This concert never fails to give me a huge dose of Christmas cheer and I loved every minute of it!  There are three more shows and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of them (go here).

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Christmas in Connecticut at PTC

Last night I saw the musical Christmas in Connecticut at PTC and I really enjoyed it. Most theatre companies near me produce A Christmas Carol, Elf The Musical, A Christmas Story, or White Christmas this time of year and, while I love these shows (I will be seeing them all this holiday season), it was refreshing to see something new and different. Liz Sandor (Alyse Alan Louis) is a young and independent writer living in NYC while trying to find a publisher for her column about tomorrow's woman. However, when she meets with Dudley Beecham (RJ Vaillancourt), an editor from Yardley Publishing, she is persuaded to write a column about living on a farm in Connecticut as a traditional wife and mother using the pen name Liz Lane even though it is a lie. The column becomes popular with housewives all over the country as well as with servicemen fighting in World War II because it reminds them of the homes they left behind. When Alexander Yardley (Gerry McIntyre) receives a fan letter from Jefferson Jones (Christian Magby), a war hero who has nowhere to go for Christmas, he decides to invite him to the farm. To avoid being exposed as a fraud, Dudley coerces his brother Victor (Eric William Morris) into letting them use his Connecticut farm and into pretending to be married to Liz. Chaos ensues when Victor and Liz take an immediate dislike to each other and when Yardley's suspicious secretary Gladys Higgenbottom (Tiffany Denise Hobbs) arrives determined to discover the truth. The story is as light and predictable as a Hallmark Christmas movie but it is definitely a lot of fun. It features memorable original songs and I especially enjoyed "Capital Idea" because Yardley is hilariously oblivious about the deception going on in his company, "The Ornament Song" because, even though it is really silly, it represents the chaos of trying to keep up the ruse (with fantastic choreography), "Remember What's At Stake" because Victor and Liz declare how much they hate each other (which obviously means that they will eventually get together), and "Recipe for Success" because Liz learns that it is always best to be your authentic self. The performances are delightful and I particularly enjoyed Louis because she has a beautiful voice and can belt out a song and I really appreciated the comedic timing of the entire cast as the hijinks get going. As always, the set is amazing, especially the two-story wood-paneled farmhouse decorated for Christmas, and the period costumes are distinctive.  There were a lot of empty seats last night which is a shame because this show is charming as well as something new this holiday season. It runs at PTC through December 16 (go here for tickets).

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse 2023

Last night I attended the second of four productions of A Christmas Carol that I have scheduled this holiday season. This version, the musical Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, could not be more different in tone from the dramatic interpretation I saw at Parker Theatre last week because it is very lighthearted and whimsical which makes it perfect for families. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Kim Florence) is still visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Jacci Olsen Florence), Present (Don Wilhelm), and Future (Cougar Spens) for the reclamation of his soul but he is a figure of fun who is ridiculed by those who owe him money rather than a villain who is feared. This version also features original music by Leslie Bricusse and my favorite songs are "Christmas Children" by Bob Cratchit (Jon Talbot), "December the Twenty-Fifth" by Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Danny Hall and Carla Zarate, respectively), "Happiness" by Young Ebeneezer (Kelby Talbot) and Isabelle (Shae Wright), and "The Beautiful Day" by Tiny Tim (Lincoln Hall). As always, I was very impressed by the way the space on the small and intimate stage is used, especially with the large cast (many of whom are children), and the choreography is really fun and spirited! I really liked how all of the townspeople are featured in "Sing a Christmas Carol," I loved how the children make fun of Scrooge in "Father Christmas" (one of the littlest children was concentrating so hard on the steps and it was absolutely adorable), and I laughed out loud when Tommy Jones (Trey Cornell) dances of Scrooge's coffin in "Thank You Very Much." I also liked how the Ghost of Christmas Present conducts Scrooge all around the theatre to get to the Cratchit house and Fred's house. Victorian London is brought vividly to life with a cobblestone street depicted on a backdrop with Scrooge's Counting House on a platform to the right of the stage and the entrance to Scrooge's house on another one to the left (I loved how Jacob Marley's face appears on the door knocker). Various set pieces are moved on and off stage and my favorites were Fezziwig's factory, Bob Cratchit's house (I loved the fireplace), Fred's house (I loved the Christmas tree), and the white silhouettes used to represent Scrooge's childhood with his sister Fan. The period costumes are beautiful, especially the gowns worn by the female guests at Fred's Christmas party and the robe worn by the Ghost of Christmas Present. Kim Florence's portrayal of Scrooge is more humorous than other productions I've seen (I laughed out loud during his rendition of "I Hate People") but his reactions to Isabelle's parting from Young Ebeneezer and to Tiny Tim's fate are incredibly poignant. Other standouts from the cast are Wilhelm as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Wright as Isabelle, Danny Hall as Mr. Fezziwig, and Lincoln Hall as Tiny Tim (he is adorable). The ensemble gives their all and it is very heartwarming because you can see the love they have for this community tradition. My only complaint with this show is Jacci Olsen Florence's portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas because it is really silly and the shtick goes on far too long (it seems to be a tradition because other members of the audience liked it more than I did). I really enjoyed this production and, as I previously mentioned, I think this would be a great holiday tradition for families. It runs Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through December 23 and tickets may be purchased here.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

A Christmas Carol at Parker Theatre

Last night I attended my first of four productions of A Christmas Carol this holiday season at Parker Theatre. I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing the reclamation of Ebeneezer Scrooge's soul by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future because it is such a beautiful story about keeping the spirit of Christmas in your heart all the year long. I really enjoyed seeing a new and different interpretation of this classic story last night. This version begins, rather unusually, with the death of Jacob Marley (Stephen Harmon) and I liked seeing his ghost haunt Scrooge (Mark Knowles) before he appears to him in his chambers because it is so ominous. There are some elaborate special effects used as he and the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Alina Smith), Present (Brinton Wilkins), and Future (Alina Smith) appear to Scrooge (the Ghost of Christmas Future is quite scary) and the lighting design is incredibly effective.  I especially liked the use of a scrim, fog, and atmospheric lighting as Scrooge sees memories from his past and the use of low lighting, shadows, and silhouettes as he is shown a frightening possible future. I liked seeing all of the characters that Scrooge interacts with at the beginning of the show, such as a caroler (Caroline Jensen), a poor woman (Jasmine Hohl) and her child (Oliver Hohl), and his nephew Fred (Tanner Tate), return at key moments as if appearing in a dream to soften Scrooge's heart. I loved the staging of the romance between a young Ebeneezer (Spencer Hohl) and Belle (Isabelle Purdie) because the dance conveys everything they are feeling without saying a word and it is in sharp contrast to the later scene between them when she releases him. I also liked the staging of the scene where Scrooge learns the truth in the cemetery because having him open the coffin to see who is inside is so dramatic (and very different from how I've seen this scene portrayed in other productions). Knowles gives one of the best performances of Scrooge that I've seen because there is such a huge difference between the bitter old miser at the beginning of the show and the lighthearted character he becomes at the end. You can actually see it in his facial expressions and body language as he learns the lessons taught by the spirits. I was especially moved by his interactions with Bob Cratchit (Lucas Charon) who thanks him for his generosity (this almost brought me to tears) and with Fred and his wife Rowena (Jasmine Hohl) as he entreats them to allow him into their lives after his transformation. The sets and costumes are much simpler than those of other productions I've seen but they are still very effective at bringing Victorian London to life (I loved all of the street lamps). I am so happy that I found Parker Theatre, not just for this show but every one I saw this year, and I will be sure to make this production a Christmas tradition from now on. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays through December 23 (go here for tickets).

Friday, December 1, 2023

Festival of Trees 2023

Yesterday I was a hostess at the Festival of Trees for the thirteenth year!  Various individuals and organizations decorate and then donate trees, usually to commemorate someone who has been ill or died.  These trees are put up for auction and then displayed at the Mountain America Expo Center for the public to view for the duration of the festival.  All of the proceeds go directly to Primary Children's Hospital so it is a really worthwhile cause.  In addition to the trees, there are centerpieces, wreaths, quilts, and gingerbread houses with lots of crafts and treats for purchase (I really love the cinnamon rolls).  Most of the trees below were in my assigned area but I also spent some time walking around and some of my favorite are also included.
My main job was to watch the tree below.  It sold at auction for $100,000 which is the most any tree has sold for in the history of the festival!  It was featured on the news yesterday morning so many people were looking for it and were eager to hear the story behind it.  I was inundated by people (but it kept me busy so my shift went by very quickly).
The festival continues at the Mountain America Expo Center through Saturday.  Go here for more information and tickets.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...