MORRISBURG – The cast is already deep into rehearsals for the big show, and the excitement is building.
On Monday, December 16, at 1 p.m., at Upper Canada Playhouse, Community Living Dundas County is presenting a brand new Christmas show, A Country Flavoured Christmas. The production was created by Mary Ellen Viau, who will also direct, assisted by Melody Givan. Claude Plamondon is back with the cast to handle all the musical numbers.
This is the second original Christmas show put on by the Community Living actors. Last year’s production was such a success and such fun for the performers that they were eager to get to work on a new musical.
They have been using the main theatre stage, but will shift to the rehearsal hall as the Playhouse Christmas production gets underway.
“This year, everyone has taken on even more challenges,” Claude Plamondon said, “in singing as well as acting. The experience is great for them and great for our community too.”
The show is filled with some beloved music, comedy and some pretty exciting dancing. There is one very unique number everyone in the show will join in, The Flower, written by Plamondon, which commemorates the closing of institutions in Ontario where physically and mentally challenged people were once hidden away.
“This song has a beautiful lyric, ‘Given the chance, I will shine’ and I think that it is very special to our cast,” Viau explained.
She is thrilled with the progress the performers are already making as they practice Christmas songs and work on choreography for the production.
There is one performance only on the December 16th: admission to A Country Flavoured Christmas is free for all ages.
However, the Community Living cast asks that people coming to see this wonderful show bring some food donations, which will be turned over to Community Food Share to help others in this Christmas season.
