CHRISTMAS IS fast approaching and there are a number of attractive seasonal shows taking place in the Town Hall Theatre in the coming weeks.
The traditional pantos take place toward the end of the month and will be covered in future issues but setting the yuletide mood before then are a trio of Christmas extravaganzas; The Christmas Show, A Viennese Christmas, and A Wish for Santa.
The Christmas Show runs from Tuesday December 8 to Saturday 12, is directed by Sean and Brian Power, and features a starry host of local talent. A celebration of all things festive, it also offers a perfect excuse to romp through the mammoth back catalogue of Christmas musical material.
Audiences can enjoy the spirit of Christmas in this fun filled show packed with favourite Christmas songs. The cast is hand-picked for this special show and they all will shine with their individual yuletide glow. The performers include: Nicola McGuire, Delia Boyce, Rosemarie Hosty, Michelle Glynn, Michelle Lawless, Kenneth Long, Seán Hosty, Alan Greaney, The Mervue Folk Choir under the direction of Ronnie Lawless and Seán O’Healy, the Galway Boys Choir under the direction of Mark Keane, and some of the students from Power Performance Academy.
Offering a sneak preview of show highlights, Sean Power revealed: “We’ll have songs like ‘White Christmas’, ‘When A Child is Born’, ‘Grown-Up Christmas List’, some swingtime Frank Sinatra Christmas numbers, and ‘Walking In the Air’. There will also be a number of dance routines, including dancing Santa Clauses, the parade of the wooden toy soldiers, Frosty the Snowman, the Toyland Ball, and a dance number on stilts using performers from the Galway Circus and performing academy. We’re also going to decorate the Town Hall from foyer all the way into the theatre to add an extra feelgood factor to the show.”
Further adding to the feelgood factor is the special family discount offer where you can buy four tickets for €60. Regular tickets are available at €18/16.
Tenor Sean Costello starred in a sell-out A Viennese Christmas concert at the Town Hall last year and this year’s show looks certain to be booked out also. The concert takes place on Sunday December 13 and Costello is delighted to welcome back soprano Celine Byrne, winner of the Maria Callas Grand Prix 2007, and touring guest of Jose Carreras, as well as the internationally acclaimed violinist Vladimir Jablokov, accompanied by the Slovak Festival Ensemble to perform a celebration of Christmas and Viennese songs and music.
A wonderful variety of well-known favourites will be featured, including ‘The Merry Widow Waltz’, ‘The Brindisi’, ‘A Winter’s Tale’, ‘Silent Night’, and ‘The Waltz of the Blue Danube’, all adding up to an unforgettable classical Christmas.
A Wish for Santa comes to the Town Hall from Dublin’s City Theatre and is a special Christmas show penned by Michael Scott and Shay Healy.
Christmas is coming and Santa is busy at the North Pole putting the finishing touches to the best Christmas there’s ever been...when disaster strikes! Somebody has stolen Santa’s Magic Book of Wishes containing the names of every boy and girl and all their Christmas wishes.
Who can it have been? Was it the Plunder Pirates? The Robber Robots ? Or, worst of all, the grisly Gift Gremlins? Santa needs to get the book back and only Galway audiences can help!
Join him and his trusty elf, Jack B Nimble, as they dash through the snow in pursuit of these pesky toy trashers, and remember, they need you! So, go along, join in the songs and cheer them on or...or...or...there may be NO CHRISTMAS!!!
A Wish for Santa runs from Monday December 14 to Wednesday 16. There are two shows on Monday and Tuesday, at 10am and 11.30am, and the Wednesday performance is at 11.45am.
Tickets for all the above shows are available from the Town Hall on 091 - 569777.
