Sing Hosanna! dinner theater offers 'Christmas Choir' show
Sing Hosanna! is dishing up Christmas dinner along with a heaping helping of comedy for one show only on Aug. 17.
This summer dinner theater show will feature “Christmas Choir” by Pat Cook on the stage.
The story centers around a choir that thinks it can sing, while the rest of the church knows otherwise.
The choir director is being portrayed by Michael Traverso of Lancaster Township.
“The beleaguered choir director is an accountant and Little League football referee, but has some free time now to help run the church choir,” said Traverso.
The silly nature of the show makes for some interesting acting.
“It's two days before the Christmas Choir Concert, and the choir can't seem to get it together,” he explained.
Traverso is no stranger to the stage and is drawing on some of his previous acting for this role.
“I'm pulling some of my experience as Professor Harold Hill in 'The Music Man.' Only this time instead of not knowing how to lead a band, I don't know how to lead a choir,” jested Traverso.
Sherry O'Donnell of Butler Township is playing the role of Dede, a former cheerleader who also happens to be running for city council.
“She is overly exuberant, which gets on the nerves of the other choir members,” O'Donnell noted.
She said she's far from having ever been a cheerleader. “Playing Dede is fun and I get to stretch my acting abilities with a lot of humor,” she added.
A choir member who is “a harried mother of a very large family” is being portrayed by Alisha Stephenson of Butler.
“She tries to keep the household together over the phone while at choir practice but doesn't seem to be very successful,” Stephenson said.
“Trying to keep a straight face while saying the lines is a challenge because some of them are quite humorous,” she said.
Stephenson gets to share the stage for this show with her 17-year-old son, Malachi, a junior at Butler High School. His character is Ron, a sarcastic cameraman.
Audience members can anticipate a dinner menu featuring ambrosia salad, ham loaf, baked potato with butter and sour cream, green beans, rolls with butter, holiday cookies, iced tea, lemonade and coffee.
WHO: Sing Hosanna!WHAT: “Christmas Choir” by Pat CookWHEN: Noon Aug. 17WHERE: St. Peter's Parish hall, 127 Franklin St.TICKETS: $22 for adults and $7 for children 10 and younger, by reservation only before Aug. 14. Tickets are available from cast members or at May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St.CALL: 724-290-8900
