MARK AUERBACH
Home for the Follidays
More than 100 choral voices of the Springfield Symphony chorus, an audience sing-along, and a chorus line of tap-dancing Santas join the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for its annual “Home for the Follidays” concert on Saturday, December 6, at Springfield Symphony Hall.
Guest Conductor Harvey Felder will lead members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Jeans ‘n Classics vocalists Gavin Hope and Andrea Koziol in delivering a festive musical celebration with a hint of rock. The evening will combine such Christmas standards as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Christmas Song”; Hanukkah favorites including “Unending Flame” and “Hal’lulu”; and seasonal selections like “Let it Snow” and “Sleigh Ride”. Audiences will also delight in the return of the Tap Dancing Santas, under the direction of choreographer and dance instructor David Michael Bovat, plus special guest Cantor Martin Levson from Sinai Temple in Springfield, and a visit from St. Nick himself.
Felder currently serves as director of the University of Connecticut music department and is Conductor Laureate of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra. He served as Assistant Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony, Resident Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony, and has conducted numerous orchestras around the world.
Noble Shropshire, former member of StageWest’s resident company, plays multiple roles in “A Christmas Carol” at Hartford Stage.
For tickets: 413-733-2291 or www.springfieldsymphony.org.
“A Christmas Carol” Updated
New costumes and special effects will intensify the magic and merriment of Hartford Stage’s annual holiday production of “A Christmas Carol”, which plays its 17th season in Hartford through December 28. Adapted by former Artistic Director Michael Wilson from the classic book by Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” is now staged by Maxwell Williams (who directed “The 39 Steps” and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”).
According to Hartford Stage spokesperson David Henderson, “the theatre is in its second phase of upgrading the production, with a refurbished set, enhanced flying effects many redesigned costumes, and new lighting design technology”.
Tony Straiges designed “A Christmas Carol”. Alejo Vietti, who designed the sumptuous costumes for Goodspeed’s “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn”, is redesigning the original Zach Brown costumes. “A Christmas Carol” also features lighting design by Robert Wierzel; original music and sound design by John Gromada; choreography by Hope Clarke; and musical direction by Ken Clark.
Bill Raymond returns this season as Ebenezer Scrooge for all evening performances, while Buzz Roddy will join the cast as Scrooge at the student matinee performances. The large cast also includes former StageWest resident actor Noble Shropshire, some Hartford Stage regulars, a group of student actors from The Hartt School, and two dozen kids from the Hartford/Springfield area.
For tickets: 860-527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org.
Valley Gives: December 10
Pay it forward for over 450 local non-profits that make the Pioneer Valley a better place to work and live. Through the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and Razoo, a web platform that helps non-profits raise funds online, Valley Gives kicks off its third year of online giving. Valley Gives is a 24 hour e-philanthropy event scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, to encourage supporters of nonprofits based in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties to log on and contribute via www.valleygivesday.org.
NPR’s Scott Simon visits The Mark Twain House.
New Leader at Goodspeed
Michael Gennaro has been named the new Executive Director of Goodspeed Musicals, Gennaro, son of Broadway dancer and choreographer Peter Gennaro, has been an executive with some of America’s major theatres, including Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Paper Mill in New Jersey, and Providence’s Trinity Rep. Gennaro succeeds Michael Price, who retired after 46 years at Connecticut’s Tony Award winning theatre. For further information: www.goodspeed.org.
Opportunities
New England Public Radio is accepting nominations for the 2015 New England Public Radio Arts & Humanities Award, which will be presented at a gala in May. Now in its eighth year, the award recognizes those who have made a positive impact on the arts and humanities in western New England. Previous winners have included Kevin Rhodes, Springfield Symphony Orchestra Music Director and The Young@Heart Chorus, For information on the awards and nomination papers: www.nepr.net. Nomination deadline is January 15.
Keep in Mind…
***Scott Simon, NPR’s “Weekend Edition” host chats with Canadian journalist Mark Steyn on December 7 at the Immanuel Congregational Church, 10 Woodland Street, Hartford as a benefit for The Mark Twain House & Museum. For tickets: 860-280-3130 or www.MarkTwainHouse.org.
***It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Shakespeare and Company adds to the nostalgia mix with the return of their popular holiday entertainment, “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” (December 5-28 on their Lenox campus). Adapted by Joe Landry from the film script, the show, done with radio sound effects and music, the show follows George Bailey as he journeys to discover the value of this wonderful life, guided by “angel second-class,” Clarence who is on his own quest to earn his wings. For tickets: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org The Mark Twain House and Herstory Theater will present their version of the Landry adaptation for two performances on December 6 at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford. For tickets: 860-280-3130
***Hartford Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor and pianist William Eddins, performs music of Mozart and Dvorak on December 4-7 at The Bushnell in Hartford. On the program: Françaix’s ”Hommage à l’Ami Papageno”, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7. William Eddins is the Music Director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor of major orchestras throughout the world. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org
***Altar Boyz, the Off-Broadway musical hit about a foot-stomping fictious Christian boy band on the last night of their national “Raise The Praise” tour, plays West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park through December 21. For tickets: 860-523-5900 ext 10 or http://playhouseonpark.org/index.html
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
