66.3 F
The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Villages entertainers join together on stage in powerful, sentimental Christmas show

Christmas present seems far away from a place many Villagers used to call home.

The frosty snow has been replaced by sunlit water. Silent nights turn into chaotic rush hour traffic jams. And too many departed loved ones only visit as ghostly shadows.

Christmas can be a bittersweet time of the season but there is much to cherish and celebrate.

Sue Schuler directed a cast of about 50 Villagers who did just that Friday in a thoughtful, spiritual and joyful holiday program called “Home for Christmas.” It was filled with song, dance and memories.

Singers Jennifer Slayton, Bill Davis, Mollie McCarthy, John Rogerson, Sue Schuler and Andy Malinosky join forces.
Singers Jennifer Slayton, Bill Davis, Mollie McCarthy, John Rogerson, Sue Schuler and Andy Malinosky join forces.

“We wanted to bring back that sense of home for people in The Villages,” Schuler said after the show. “We didn’t have a lot of time to put this together but we knew we could work something out.”

Watch video from the show:

The show was a last-minute replacement for Questar Productions’ “Christmas Spectacular,” which was held last year and originally scheduled for early December. “Home For Christmas” is not affiliated or associated with Questar.

“We only had about seven weeks to put it together,” Schuler said. “We got the singers and we got the dancers and we wanted it to be special for Christmas.”

It was.

John Rogerson captured the spirit of the season in such moving numbers as “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and a moving, “Mary Did You Know.”

John Rogerson sings "Mary Did You Know?"
John Rogerson sings “Mary Did You Know?”

“There’s a warm feeling about Christmas,” Rogerson said. “It’s a time of year when people give instead of take. Those songs capture that feeling, and you wish it could be like that all year long.

“We wanted people here to think about what Christmas was like back home: watching the television shows; gathering with the family for meals and going to church.”

Rogerson said the relatively short rehearsal time gave the show a kind of “spontaneous feeling. We didn’t have much time but once the dancers and singers got together, we worked it out.”

Bill Davis added to the heartfelt atmosphere with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” a song made famous by Judy Garland in “Meet Me In St. Louis.”

“That song always gets to me and I think it gets to everybody’s heart,” Davis said afterwards. “It has so much meaning.”

Some holiday fun came when Davis, Rogerson and Andy Malinosky teamed up as the Chipmunks on “Christmas Don’t Be Late.” Malinosky then donned his Santa outfit and roamed the aisles of Savannah Center before hitting the stage with some kids as Schuler and her daughter, Jennifer Slayton, belted out “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”

Gingerbread cookies and dancers are in season thanks to Dance Fusion.
Gingerbread cookies and dancers are in season thanks to Dance Fusion.

Mollie McCarthy had more dance moves than a Slinky toy as she tantalized Frank Olive while singing “Santa Baby.” McCarthy came back for a baby doll number “Marshmallow World” as Olive bounced around the stage in a giant marshmallow outfit.

Speaking of outfits, a gang of gingerbread men combined with some cool gingerbread girls on Dance Fusion’s  delightful version of “Christmas Cookies.” The Fusion crew had more fun with “Frosty The Snowman but the mood turned serious on “Carol of the Bells.”

Angela Ferrigno takes a holiday break with Armando Ocampo.
Angela Ferrigno takes a holiday break with Armando Ocampo.

Armando Ocampo and Angela Ferrigno teamed for a scary romp on “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

Violet Ray and the Aloha ‘O Ka Hula dancers were in dynamic form on “Mele Kalikimaka” and came back for another rousing number, “Christmas Luau.”

Dance Synergy brought elegant ballet moves and meaning to “Somehwere in My Memory.”

Schuler also added to the emotional impact with such numbers as “A Baby Changes Everything,” and “Christmas Memories.”  She teamed with Slayton and McCarthy for a wistful “Light of the Stable.”

The whole cast came out for the finale singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

Violet Ray, center, and the Aloha O' Ka Hula dancers celebrate the season.
Violet Ray, center, and the Aloha O’ Ka Hula dancers celebrate the season.

Neglect of golf course maintenance now costing us millions of dollars

In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of St. Charles resident argues that neglect of golf course maintenance is now costing residents millions of dollars.

Karen says her intent has been misinterpreted

A Village of Belle Aire resident who stirred quite a discussion with a previous Letter to the Editor, follows up to say that her intent was misinterpreted.

Our amenities are being used by families with kids

In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of Citrus Grove resident says she is not happy about families with kids using amenities paid for by residents.

Finally allocating funds to the golf courses!

A Village of Hadley resident said he is happy that more money is being allocated to the golf courses. Read his Letter to the Editor.

Trump is unfit for any office

A Village of Osceola Hills resident, in a Letter to the Editor, details why he thinks former President Trump is unfit to hold any office.