Christmas is in the air
Campbell Webster Entertainment brings seasonal concerts to three community theatres on P.E.I., Nov. 26 to Dec. 20
Christmas music will be filling theatres across Prince Edward Island in November and December.
Campbell Webster’s entertainment company announced Thursday it will present Christmas in the Air, a concert presentation, at Kings Playhouse in Three Rivers, The Guild in Charlottetown and Victoria Playhouse in Victoria-By-The-Sea, Nov. 26 to Dec. 20.
The production will use the same personnel that created the Songs of Anne & Gilbert – The Musical, and it will be done in the same style. It features 11 of the Island’s singers-songwriters and musicians performing new arrangements of Christmas songs by Lennie Gallant, Rita MacNeil, Nancy White, David Myles, Suzie Wilde and Heather Rankin.
“What’s interesting about these songs is that they’re lesser-known songs,’’ Webster said. “They’re great songs by celebrated artists, but they’re
Christmas songs you probably have never heard before by these artists. Four of the Rita MacNeil songs are in the show, but none of them were ever performed in Atlantic Canada before this show.’’
There hasn’t been a lot of activity on theatre stages across Canada this year due to public health restrictions connected to COVID-19. However, some theatrical shows were pulled off outside in Thunder Bay, Ont., this summer. The only other production, according to Campbell, was the Songs of Anne & Gilbert – The Musical at The Guild, which ran for six days a week until early October.
The Guild also had its songwriter series called Song Rise, Mi'kmaq Legends, Tales of the Atlantic, Popatotalops, four children's productions and more.
Haley Zavo, executive director of the Kings Playhouse, said she’s enjoying working with Webster’s organization and the other two theatres on the production.
“It’s such a nice way to celebrate the season and kind of celebrate that light that exists in what have been dark times,’’ Zavo said, referring to the pandemic. “This is something that those of us who work in theatres in P.E.I. have talked about for a long time, but it’s such a nice way to show that we’re all in it together.’’
It’s been a slow year on stage at the Kings Playhouse. There were a few shows in August, two in September and one this month.
Emily Smith, executive director of the Victoria Playhouse, said the news means they’ll be able to continue their tradition of putting on a Christmas show. Smith also hopes that this type of collaborative approach leads to more possibilities if things ever get back to some kind of normal.
“We’re shining a light in dark times in the theatre,’’ Smith said. “I absolutely hope we take lessons we’ve learned this year into the future. If theatre is able to become more flexible and more collaborative than ever, then it’s certainly not a bad thing to take forward from these challenging times.’’
Alanna Jankov, chief executive officer of The Guild, has enjoyed working with Webster, Zavo and Smith.
“In times that we’re in now, it’s even more refreshing to pull together and work together and boost each other up in these low times,’’ Jankov said. “I think this is the start of something.’’
Everyone stressed that chief public health guidelines will be followed for all shows. Theatres will be cleaned and disinfected after each show, and no more than 50 people will be admitted to a production.
Lisa MacDougall is creating the show. She is probably best known as the musical director for Rita MacNeil’s national television show.
Tickets for The Guild shows are now on sale. Tickets for the shows at the other two venues will be going on sale within the next two weeks.