November 15, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Come celebrate the holiday season Broadway-style with music, theater and dance as the Oregon Symphony welcomes back Yuletide Celebration, a Bank of America Pops family concert featuring symphonic holiday music paired with theatrical production numbers on Dec. 14 through 17 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Dec. 13 at Salem’s Smith Auditorium. Media support is provided by Northwest NewsChannel 8, News Radio 750 KXL, and Oregon Business Magazine.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural run of performances, which played to nearly sold-out houses, Yuletide Celebration returns this year with an expanded schedule filled with new and more lavish productions, an outstanding cast of professional actors, singers and dancers, as well as local talent, stunning costumes and eye-catching sets. This year’s concerts are hosted by vocalist and Broadway star Judy McLane, and feature Symphony Principal Tuba JaTtik Clark; tap dancers from the Jefferson Performing and Visual Arts Magnet High School; and juggler Matt Henry and renowned tap dancer Stephanie Cadman, who delighted audiences last December.
The new production blends favorites with extravagant new numbers, including “The Enchanted Toy Shop,” a heart-warming story of toys that come to life on Christmas, and “The Three Yuletide Tenors,” in which three tenors perform favorite holiday songs in operatic style. The Symphony, led by guest conductor Alastair Willis, will perform arrangements created specifically for Yuletide Celebration, including holiday favorites “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “Mr. Santa,” a holiday adaptation of the 1960s hit “Mr. Sandman,” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Concert-goers who attended last year’s Yuletide Celebration will enjoy the return of the comedic “Shopper’s Lament” and the chorus line of tap-dancing Santas.
This year, the Symphony is partnering with Northwest NewsChannel 8 in support of their annual holiday toy drive; on-air KGW television personalities are scheduled to make appearances at each concert. Adding to the Symphony’s tradition of collecting donations of non-perishable food for the Oregon Food Bank, donations of new, unwrapped toys for the Northwest NewsChannel 8 Toy Drive will also be accepted at all Holiday concerts.
The Westminster Presbyterian Church Concert Bell Choir, directed by David Greger, will be ringing in seasonal favorites in the Prelude programs that are held in the lobby of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall prior to each concert. Their program includes arrangements of “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” and the “Arab Dance” from “The Nutcracker.”
Yuletide Celebration was created for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1986 when discussions with local dance and theater companies led to the idea of creating a show that would incorporate elements of all three art forms while keeping the focus squarely on the orchestra. Now in its 17th year in Indianapolis, Yuletide Celebration is one of the orchestra industry’s major success stories. In 2000, the orchestra sold more than 43,000 tickets to 27 nearly sold-out shows.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 and 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. An additional performance is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. in Salem’s Smith Auditorium. Tickets range in price from $23 to $65 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Judy McLane, a native of Pennsylvania, currently resides in NYC and has appeared on Broadway in “Kiss Of The Spider Woman,” “Aspects Of Love” and “Chess.” Her national and international tours include the Baker’s Wife in “Into The Woods,” the Narrator in “Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” with Donny Osmond, Mrs. Baskin in “Big,” and “Side By Side By Sondheim.” Ms. McLane has performed as a soloist with many symphony orchestras including the Bolshoi Orchestra in Moscow, the National Orchestra of Lyon, France, St. Louis, Detroit, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and “Chess In Concert” at Carnegie Hall.
Some of her other roles include Victor / Victoria in “Victor/ Victoria,”
Aldonza in “Man Of La Mancha,” Nancy in “Oliver!”
Luisa in “Nine,” Florence in “Chess,” Lily in
“Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde” (all at Paper Mill Playhouse); Eva
Peron in “Evita” (Papermill & St. Louis MUNY); Fiona in
“Brigadoon,” Rebecca in “Rags,” Mrs. Walker in
“Tommy” (American Musical Theatre of San Jose); Mary Magdalene
in “Jesus Christ Superstar” (Sacramento Music Circus); and
Ann in 1940’s “Radio Hour” (Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis). She appeared as Darla on “Another World.”
Alastair Willis was appointed The Douglas F. King Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony in the spring of 2002 after having held the post of Assistant Conductor since September 2000. He previously held the position of Assistant Conductor with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras and Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra.
In 1999, Mr. Willis was honored as one of six up-and-coming conductors chosen to participate in the American Symphony Orchestra League's National Conductor Preview in Salt Lake City. He was awarded a conducting fellowship to attend the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he studied and collaborated with Seiji Ozawa, Robert Spano, and Sir André Previn, among others. Mr. Willis also has studied with David Zinman, David Robertson, Murry Sidlin and Ivan Fischer and has collaborated with other eminent conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas, James Conlon and Jorma Panula.
During the 1999-2000 season, he made his guest-conducting debut with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and appeared with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In the 2000-2001 season, Mr. Willis guest-conducted the Chicago Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, the Seattle Chamber Players, and the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra's Opening Gala Weekend. In the 2001-2002 season, Mr. Willis returned to the Indianapolis, Chicago and San Antonio symphonies and debuted with the Knoxville Symphony and Oregon Symphony. He appeared with the San Diego Symphony, the Hartford Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony and the National Youth Orchestra Festival in the summer of 2002. In the 2002-2003 season, he will return to conduct the San Antonio Symphony in two subscription weeks alongside his varied duties with the Seattle Symphony.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has selected Mr. Willis to be one of a small group of talented conductors to work with its Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen for its premiere season of conducting workshops in September 2002.
Born in Acton, Massachusetts, Mr. Willis lived with his family in Moscow for five years before settling in Surrey, England. He received his bachelor's degree with honors from England's Bristol University and continued his studies at Kingston University, where he earned a post-graduate Certificate of Education degree, teaching classroom music from grade school to high school levels. In 1994, he was awarded the Salveston Baton Prize for his work with several youth orchestras in and around London. He won a scholarship in 1996 to study with Maestro Larry Rachleff at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, graduating with a Master of Music degree in 1999. In addition to assisting Maestro Rachleff, he spent three years as Principal Conductor of the Campanile Orchestra, one of Houston's finest community orchestras.
Mr. Willis currently resides in Seattle.