Christmas seems like a time for a miracles — and with any luck, SecondStory Repertory (SSR), the professional theatre company at Redmond Town Center will have a jolly holiday and enough funds to survive into the New Year.
SSR’s directors announced on Oct. 28 that the theatre is facing bankruptcy unless it raises $80,000 by Dec. 31. But recent ticket sales and fundraising efforts have been inspiring, after a very lean year for the arts community.
Their holiday variety show, “A Christmas Cabaret” can put you in a festive frame of mind and help keep the theatre going.
It runs Nov. 27-Dec. 27 with 7 p.m. performances on Fridays and Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees on Nov. 29, Dec. 20 and Dec. 27. Tickets are $27 or $21 for students and seniors.
What can patrons expect at “A Christmas Cabaret?”
SSR artistic director Susanna Wilson said, “For me, the spirit of the cabaret is captured by the combination of live music, comedy and theatre. The live music is especially thrilling, given the amazing singers/performers that are onstage in this show.”
They include SSR regulars Robert Bogue (co-writer and director), Caitlin Frances, Stephanie Holser and Sean O’ Bannon, as well as newcomers Brandon Edwards and Sophia Federighi.
“The comedy spoofs Vegas, the ‘50s, Elvis, beauty queens, ‘The Lucy Show’ and the original Christmas story, to name a few,” said Wilson.
Traditional music and some familiar but not as “traditional” numbers such as “Hard Candy Christmas” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” will be included.
“Many of the arrangements and medleys have been written by Kristen Rosenfeld who has music-directed many shows at SSR and worked with me on an original music adaptation of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ for Wooden O, now part of Seattle Shakespeare Company,” Wilson noted.
She described the 90-minute long “A Christmas Cabaret” as family-friendly, suitable for ages 8 and up.
“Also, the message is that Christmas is a time for family, both the one you have and the one you make,” Wilson concluded.
For more information, call (425) 881-6777 or visit www.secondstoryrep.org.
