Holiday shows: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Palace
It seems like everyone and every store starts decorating and setting up displays for Christmas earlier and earlier. My mom had a strict rule − nothing Christmasy until the day after Thanksgiving at the very earliest. And no Christmas music until Dec. 1. I guess she needed a break from all the cooking at Thanksgiving before starting to worry about Christmas on the horizon.
The buildup toward the big day was always greatly anticipated by the kids in my family, and there was an inevitable let-down Dec. 26. To lessen the tragedy of the “after-Christmas blues,” my parents started to save one gift to be given on Jan. 6, the epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, or as we called it “Little Christmas.”
That being said, Clare Cooke literally starts putting together the annual Christmas at the Palace the day after the summer musical closes in July. Auditions and rehearsals begin before Halloween. It sometimes seems odd rehearsing Christmas music in October, but with a Dec. 1 opening night show, we have no choice.
This year’s show is called “Christmas Spectacular” and spectacular it will be! Featuring the talent of over 225 local actors, singers, musicians and dancers, it is sure to be the holiday crowd-pleaser it always is.
Sponsored annually by First Citizen’s National Bank and Dr. David and Jude Foulk at Marion OB/GYN, this year they are joined by the Cancer Coalition of North Central Ohio, headed by Sally McNamara Hughes. “Christmas at the Palace: A Christmas Spectacular” will run Dec. 1-3 on the main stage at the Marion Palace Theatre.
'Away in the Basement debuts Dec. 15
On Dec. 15, the Church Basement Ladies will return to the Palace Theatre in their Christmas musical, “Away in the Basement.” Sponsored by Marion Y-Men’s Service Club, tickets start at just $12. The Salvation Army will have a food drive in the Palace lobby before the show, so canned goods and nonperishables are certainly welcome.
More information can be found on our website marionpalace.org or at the Box Office.
You can reserve tickets online, over the phone or in person during Box Office hours, which are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 .pm. The Box Office will open one hour before live shows for last minute sales.
Happy Holidays!
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Palace Theatre: 'Christmas Spectacular,' 'Away in the Basement'
