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'Saving Christmas' For A Cause

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By BARBARA ROUTEN, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 5, 2007

VALRICO - Vincent Natale, local magician, entertainer and author, wrote the unthinkable scenario in the original musical "Saving Christmas" - in November, Santa cancels Christmas, and it is up to Vinnie the Elf to set things right.

The Village Players and the Entertainment Factory have co-produced "Saving Christmas," which will be presented at 8:15 p.m. Thursday and Friday and Dec. 14 and 15 at the James McCabe Theater, 506 Fifth St. Matinees will be performed at 3 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 16. Doors open 30 minutes before showtimes.

The Entertainment Factory "is the company owned by Vinnie and his wife Barbara Natale," said Christina Jacoby, secretary of the Village Players Board of Directors. "They do magic shows, parties and costumed sign waving."

The music for the production was written by Dan DrNach. Vincent Natale directs and plays the part of Dinty. "He originally was intended to star in the part named for him, Vinnie the Elf; however, due to injury, Ryne Faurote took over the role," Jacoby said.

Ramona Horrocks will be Darla, Casey Todd will play Candy and Greg Summerall will be Mr. Getter.

"Children and adults will enjoy this delightful family event!" Jacoby said.

She said proceeds will benefit the restoration of the James McCabe Theater, a historical landmark that formerly served as the Valrico Civic Center.

For information, visit www.villageplayers.script mania.com or e-mail villageplayerstampabay @hotmail.com.
Kiwanis Club Seeking New Members

BRANDON - The Greater Brandon Kiwanis Club needs new members to help serve the world's children.

"We need empty nesters, couples, grandparents, educators, business leaders, young parents, singles, police officers, political voices - we need talented YOU!" Gena Schaffer, membership drive co-chairwoman, said in a recent e-mail. "And bring a friend."

The club funds the Terrific Kids program in 24 area schools - you can see the bumper stickers everywhere. Kiwanis also funds a clinic, organizes a Mother's Day picnic for the Joshua House emergency shelter in Tampa, supports five Head Start programs, holds Christmas parties for Head Start in Mango, helps put on a back-to-school health fair and answers cries for help from other organizations, such as Emergency Care Help Organization and Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association.

"Our fundraisers are a blast!" Schaffer said. "We have several Christmas gatherings to help with in December and 'Kiwanis Karoling' to do before the year's end. ... Please check us out at the international level, www.kiwanis.org, then be my guest at any Thursday morning meeting for a free breakfast and member fellowship."

Meetings start at 7:30 a.m. at Golden Corral, 815 Providence Road, Brandon.

For information, contact Schaffer at (813) 251-3948, (813) 546-5043 or schaffergl@aol.com.

Performances Set For Brandon High Choirs

BRANDON - Singers from the Brandon High School choir program, directed by Marilyn Nicholson, will join the huge choir in the Candlelight Processional at 5 p.m. Friday at Epcot in Orlando. This yearly recount of the story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem attracts singers from across the country and spectators from around the world.

Each night through the end of December, a different celebrity reads the story while a full orchestra and choir punctuate the narration with song. Monique Coleman, best known for co-starring in the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical," will narrate Friday.

In another massed choir event, 110 singers from all four of the Brandon High choirs, Concert Choir, Aquilla 2008, Brandon Treble Singers and Brandon Chorus, will join the Plant City High School choir and orchestra - an additional 60 to 80 students - in a performance of "La Messe de Minuit" Midnight Mass by Marc-Antoine Charpentier at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The students will perform under the direction of Robert Nicholson, Marilyn Nicholson's husband, in the Plant City High School auditorium, One Raider Place. Plant City students will solo.

When asked how the Charpentier piece was selected, Marilyn Nicholson said, "Every year, I try to find a major work ... that is appropriate for my high school singers. The 'Midnight Mass' by Charpentier is a well-known work that we have never sung before. ... By combining forces with Plant City High School, we can present a full experience for the singers at both schools, as well as the orchestral players from Plant City."

"The 'Midnight Mass' is accessible to students of this age," Robert Nicholson said. "It is based on traditional French 'Noels,' which have a distinctive folklike quality. They are delightfully tuneful and rather memorable."

The piece "is large enough in scope to warrant large performance forces," he said. "An orchestra can easily overbalance high school singers. By having over 100 singers, the balance should be quite nice."

The second half of the program will feature "lighter, more traditional holiday fare," Nicholson said.

The chorus from Tomlin Middle School in Plant City, which he also directs, will perform.

"The concert will end with a chorus/orchestra performance of the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Handel's Messiah and a candlelight recessional," he said.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

At 7 p.m. Dec. 14, Brandon High will present its annual "Stars and Candlelight" concert in the Brandon High School theater, 1101 Victoria St. "We will host the Plant City High School musicians ... in the Charpentier, as well as sing our annual Christmas Card to the Community - complete with snow!" Marilyn Nicholson said.

Soloists for the Brandon High performance of "Messe de Minuit" will be Kathryn Gower, Kristin Lautzenheiser, Sonja Packard, A. J. Young, Andrew Holz, David Pyle, Matt Bellotte, Cody Basham, Colin Sparks, Eliza Nicholson, Sara Villa, Naomi Zahler, Brittany Jones, Brittani Pate, Hildreth Fleming, Amanda Otero, Jacob Rosado, Luis Fernandez, Ishmael Ramjohn and Lisa Musella.

Tickets are $5 at the door. For tickets or information about the Brandon program, contact Marilyn Nicholson at (813) 744-8120, Ext. 289, or Marilyn.Nicholson @sdhc.k12.fl.us. For details about the Plant City program, contact Robert Nicholson at (813) 757-9370, Ext. 316, or Robert.Nicholson @sdhc.k12.fl.us.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampa bay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531

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