By Wayne Kruse
A Christmas show that started in Texas and now travels the country is coming to Marysville. The Marshall County Arts Cooperative will present “The Grand Ol’ Christmas Show” on Tuesday, December 1, at 7 p.m. in the Marysville High School auditorium.
Tickets are on sale now. All seats are reserved, with tickets priced at $25, $35 and $45, depending on seating location. Tickets may be purchased at the OneMarysville office, 617 Broadway, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by calling or texting 785-859-4260.
The show brings together a cast of singers, musicians and comedians for an evening of Christmas music, old-fashioned humor and a few surprises. Audiences will hear everything from traditional Christmas carols and gospel favorites to country, jazz and some of the holiday songs made famous by Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and Andy Williams.
Texas entertainer Will Hearn created the show, drawing inspiration from the Christmas radio programs and television specials that families once gathered around each December. What began as a regional production has grown into a touring show with performances across the country.
The setting is a fictional radio station, 1225 AM N-O-E-L, where the cast puts on a Christmas broadcast. Throughout the evening, the performers move between musical numbers, comedy routines and familiar holiday characters. The show has the look and feel of an old-fashioned Christmas special, complete with costumes, a live band and a twenty-three member cast.
Blue Water Highway, an Americana band from Texas, provides much of the music. Known for its vocal harmonies, the group joins other musicians and performers to give the production a sound that ranges from traditional country and gospel to jazz and rock.
The show isn’t a concert with one Christmas song after another. Music and comedy share the stage, and the cast keeps the evening moving with sketches and stories that bring back memories of Christmases past.
The performance begins at 7 p.m. The doors to the auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m.
More information is available at marshallcountyarts.org.
