Kelly hones tap skills for fifth holiday special
It’s that time of year when, like one of Santa’s elves, Dave Kelly spends much of his day in his workshop.
Unlike the elves, Kelly is making noise not toys as he practises his tap dancing skills for the fifth edition of the Dave Kelly Live Christmas Special.
“If the truth be told, I’m not all that bad,” says Kelly who’ll be joining 120 members of The Young Canadians for a spectacular tap dance version of Most Wonderful Time of the Year on the Jack Singer Concert Hall stage Dec. 14 and 15.
The Young Canadians have always been guests on Kelly’s Christmas version of his Dave Kelly Live show, but he chuckles when he recalls that first season of Dave Kelly Live was held in the tiny Lunchbox Theatre space.
“We had a few members of The Young Canadians who came out to represent the company and to join Bruce Horak, who sang and played his guitar, and Julie Van Rosendahl, who made a Christmas punch, but we always knew we had to bring in the whole company when we had the space to accommodate them.”
Because there was such demand for tickets for the Christmas shows, Kelly moved them to the Jack Singer and even the Jubilee Auditorium. “We really like the Jack Singer and so do our audiences, so we’re back at the Jack for this year’s show.”
The Dec. 14 show is at 7:30 p.m. and the Dec. 15 show is a matinee at 2 p.m.
“For the past two years, a lot of families with younger children have been asking us to do an afternoon show, so we’re giving it a try this year. For that performance, the Heebee-jeebees will be our special guests. They’re booked for another event on the Saturday, but we wanted them and they wanted us, so they will be at the matinee on the Sunday.”
Juno Award-winning songstress Jill Barber will be a guest at both the evening and matinee shows and, in addition to her solo performance, will join The Young Canadians for a number.
Also joining The Young Canadians for a number will be 14 immigrant and refugee children from The Centre for New Canadians.
“The children are from Ethiopia, China and the Middle East and they have been rehearsing for almost a month. The children who were in last year’s show were a huge hit,” recalls Kelly, adding, “having The Centre for New Canadians involved in our show is very important.
“The show is meant as a celebration of the cultural fabric of our city.”
No Dave Kelly Live show would be complete without artist Mandy Stobo, who creates commemorative collages and paintings as part of the show, and Village Brewery’s Jim Button, who never knows what costume or trick Kelly has up his sleeve for Jim. DKL’S house band, Russell Broom and the Flat Whites, round out the show.