For 10 years, Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular has brought holiday cheer into people’s lives.
This year’s event is packed with traditional favourites and new additions. People can expect to hear Broadway hits, classical and Christmas songs. Johnny Cash, June Carter, Ella Fitzgerald and the Village People tribute acts will grace the stage.
Katy Bowen-Roberts, creator and producer; James Mark, music director; and Lindsay Sterk, choreographer, have been working to create the show.
For three childhood friends, Bowen-Roberts, Mark and bass player David Baird, Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular is a holiday tradition.
“I like coming out and seeing the new faces and the familiar faces,” said Baird. “I like the challenge of putting it all together.”
Baird said there are a variety of instrument styles, jumps and cues band members have to pay attention to. For example, he remembers one performance which required him to check on the eighth song whether or not the ballerina had her wings on.
“Things like that you would never have to remember on any other show. It’s a great challenge,” he said.
For Mark, he loves the challenge of arranging compositions with music from various genres and seeing people’s reactions.
“That moment when you hear the band and singers play your work … play your arrangements and see it works or sounds awesome or better than you imagined is always a big pleasure for me,” said Mark. “I just get such a kick out of that moment and say ‘yeah, it works.’”
Bowen-Roberts created the spectacular 10 years ago. She loves hearing comments from people after the show about how it helped start the Christmas season for a family.
“It’s a feel-good kind of show,” she said. “When your audience is going away feeling good it makes you feel good.”
Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular shows at the Port Theatre. Dec. 14-15 at 7 p.m., Dec. 16-17 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults or $33 for students and are available in advance by calling 250-754-8550 or visiting www.porttheatre.com.
For more info, please go to www.yellowpointchristmasspectacular.ca.
