Not often do THE CRIGHTON PLAYERS double cast roles in their shows, but they’re doing it this time for “Sanders Family Christmas” that runs weekends November 20—December 13. It’s at Conroe’s Owen Theatre, 225 Metcalf Street.
Play director JIM WALKER found that two of the women he wanted to portray characters in the old time family musical had conflicts with their job schedules. So he uncovered a working solution; that of having pianists MARIEDA KILGORE and DELMA TALLEY alternate weekend performances as the pianist and singing mother.
“This is an ensemble cast,” Jim said. “Everyone is equally important in their portrayals, so it is not hard to divide the work load between Marieda and Delma. We’re just glad that we get to showcase both these musicians.”
The show is predicted to generate wide appeal among audiences. “It has all the elements that people love,” Jim said. “It’s unabashedly Christian in viewpoint, family wholesome, and with a great cast of Crighton Players’ talent, both as vocalists and musicians.”
Time is Christmas Eve, 1941, The Sanders family of traveling gospel performers has been invited to a poor church in rural Tennessee with hopes of revitalizing the congregation. Minister Oglethorpe, played by ANDREW COPELAND, hopes the congregation recaptures some Christmas spirit before a couple of the young men are shipped off to war.
The characters include the parents, a set of twins, a few relatives, and some parishioners. Instruments to be heard are stand-up bass from COLLIN EDWARDS; banjo from BILL TORGAN; three guitars; piano and fiddle.
Other cast members include JUDY MOREHOUSE, JOHN MC DONALD, and young country singer with an extensive following, ROBIN FITCH.
In addition to the instrumental variety, more than two dozen Christmas carols fill the performance; along with huge chunks of humor, hand clapping and bluegrass Christmas favorites. THE CRIGHTON KIDZ perform on stage as well, portraying the children of the congregation.
Tickets cost $20; $10 for children age 12 and under. Call (936) 539-4090 to reserve, and take pleasure in a Christmas treat that your family will long remember.
If you want to hear Robin Fitch sing before this show opens November 20, here’s your chance. She’ll be performing tomorrow eve from 6—10 at the Jersey Village Community Center when the CYPRESS FAIR ROTARY has its annual fund raiser.
Her band includes WAYNE BROOKS on keyboard, and legendary HERB REMINGTON playing steel guitar. The evening incorporates a barbecue dinner and auction. This is Robin’s fourth year to headline the event, and, says grand father BOB FITCH, “Every year they have to enlarge the dance floor.”
For reservations or additional information, contact TOM BENSON at (832) 698-7300.
The next performance in this tenth season of THE WOODLANDS SALON SERIES is November 20 in SCOTT CUTLER’S fabulous music room on Windward Cove in The Woodlands.
THE FIDELIS STRING QUARTET performs with pianist ILGIN AKA in an evening of chamber music that features four musicians from the Houston Symphony, and RODICA WEBER GONZALES.
When this group first performed at the Salon Series in 2004 it played two special requests that it later took to Carnegie Hall as an exact replica. Those works were Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” for strings, and Dvorak’s piano quintet. They agreed to repeat this program during next week’s concert.
A reception begins at 7:30 p.m., November 20, with the performance half an hour later.
Tickets bought prior to the concert cost $20 for adults; $10 for students. At the door, cost is $25 and $12.50, respectively, if any remain.
Credit cards are accepted at www.WoodlandsSalonSeries.org or call (281) 298-8010.
At 5:30 p.m. tomorrow STAGE RIGHT offers a preview of its Christmas show “Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge,” a comedy for the family that one supporter described as a “cartoon. All the characters are familiar, yet very exaggerated or given a different twist.” Mr. Cratchit is stoic and long suffering, while the wife is fed up with being poor and having to care for so many children.
Tomorrow’s sneak peek is at the Conroe Outlet Mall tree lighting ceremony near the mall’s huge LED display.
The comedy runs weekends at Conroe’s Crighton Theatre, 234 North Main Street, December 4—20 at 8 p.m., with two Sunday matinees.
An interesting cast note is that KIT GILCREASE and MELISSA SINGLETON again play a married couple as they did in a previous production, “Cheaper by the Dozen.” MACKENZIE GOODE and SALLY JOHNSON make their stage debuts in this one, after dedicated toiling behind the scenes. JEFF ELKINS directs.
Contact Peggie at (936) 448-6455 or pegmillr@juno.com.
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