For Carmel High School senior Julia Schmitz, the Holiday Spectacular theme is a good fit.
“My family’s holiday tradition is reading Christmas books on Christmas Eve, so I think the theme ‘Once Upon a Holiday’ is perfect,” said Schmitz, who performs with Accents show choir. “This year’s finale is a little different than past years because it is a medley of Broadway songs with traditional holiday songs sprinkled in. This is one of my favorite songs because it shows the importance of telling stories from our past but also writing the narrative of our future. I really enjoy Holiday Spectacular because it brings our community together and ready for the holiday season.”
Performances at the high school are Dec. 6, 7, and 8 at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9.
“This show is all about Christmas stories and I think it will be really effective in engaging children in the Christmas season,” said senior Caleb Vahle, a three-year Ambassadors show choir member. “My favorite number in the show that we are doing is ‘Ave Maria’ because it’s so interesting and complex.”
CHS Director of Choirs Kathrine Kouns said the show will feature more than 530 singers and more than 40 instruments.
“This year’s show will even feature a special guest reader narrating ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ and we invite children to attend the show in their pajamas and join us on stage for the reading,” Kouns said. “We also will close the show with an original arrangement composed for this year’s show, which blends together some favorite carols with songs from ‘Once On This Island’ and ‘Hamilton.’”
The guest readers will be Carmel Clay Schools Supt. Michael Beresford, CHS Principal Tom Harmas, former CHS Principal John Williams and CHS Marching Band Director Chris Kreke.
“We are also starting a new tradition this year of selling an annual keepsake ornament,” Kouns said. “These will be for sale in the lobby during the show.”
Limited tickets remain at ticketracker.com. Donations of non-perishable food will be collected in the lobby to support the Carmel Backpack Program.
