Sing Hosanna! is hoping to hail the holiday season on a positive note Dec. 4 with its fifth annual A Hosanna! Holiday Celebration.

The performing arts group is offering two sessions for its dinner theater and basket auction.

Session I is at noon and Session II is at 6 p.m. Both sessions feature a menu that includes soup, baked steak or lemon chicken with walnuts, baked potato, tomato corn salad, holiday bread, Black Forest cake and a beverage.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for Session I, which boasts an encore performance of the hilarious comedy, "The Arranged Marriage" by the Sing Hosanna! Players.

It will feature Stephanie Kobil, Rod Gasch, Harry Benson, and Carrie Persichini. Gasch, who appeared in the summer performance, got involved with Sing Hosanna! when his children were cast in "Oliver" this spring.

"It would seem we spend so much time focusing on activities for our children, this is just a bit of fun for myself," said Gasch. "It is a great group of folks and I find the process an enjoyable one.

"The show is great family fare and a comical farce about marriage. Throw in some handcuffs and outrageous costumes and it is 45 minutes of fun entertainment," he added.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the second session, which includes a performance of "Sounds Like Christmas" by the Sing Hosanna! Singers. The program is a collection of Christmas songs with arrangements by Huntsinger, Smith, Knight and Goeller.

"This project is a popular Sing Hosanna! event. It is an elegant outing. We use linens and china, all surrounded in candlelight," explained the group's founder and director, Ralph Christy Jr.

"Many of our patrons did not see the comedy 'The Arranged Marriage' by Gary Arms when we did it this past summer, but those who did loved it, so we are repeating it for the first Session - but with a 'Christmas' twist."

"The themed baskets are valued at about $50 each and we will have about 20 to 25 baskets up for silent auction at both sessions," said Christy. "The merchandise is donated with themes and auction items ranging from ladies' watches to gardening items and holiday themes, kitchen and children's themes and bathroom themes," he added.

The proceeds from this event, along with the other Sing Hosanna! special events held over the past year, will be added to the group's building fund campaign.

"Sing Hosanna! has been looking to purchase a building to call our home base, and where we can perform some small-scale productions and other events," Christy said.

Sing Hosanna! is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in Butler.

Projects include Broadway-style musicals with casts consisting of 100 Butler County residents, dinner theater, festivals, sporting events, food sales, concerts, performing arts camp, and musicals depicting the life of Christ.

Membership is open to all ages. Visit the group online at:

www.butlerarts.org.

Monetary donations and building material donations to add to the building campaign are welcome. For more information, write to Sing Hosanna!, PO Box 390, East Butler, PA 16029 or call 724-285-3653.+

WHAT: A Hosanna! Holiday CelebrationWHEN: Noon and 6 p.m. Dec. 4WHERE: Greenwood Village Fire Hall, 110 Old Eberhart RoadTICKETS: Available at May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St. and Dr. Stephanie Kobil's Office, 257 Pittsburgh RoadINFO: For information, reservations or to charge tickets, call 724-287-8362 by Nov. 29COST: $17 adults, $7 children 10 and younger