The ARTx3 Campus and its volunteer performers are bringing holiday music, stories and more to the stage with “Miracle on Main: A Holiday Special.”
Performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 in the Catherine M. Bellamy Theater at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St.
Inspired by holiday variety shows on television, “Miracle on Main” includes singing, dancing and comedy skits.
The show, first presented in 2022, is also an opportunity to showcase the talent of local performers outside of the scripted and heavily rehearsed plays and musicals, according to a news release.
Bethany Gere and Kayla Earnest direct this year’s show. Gere’s directing credits include this summer’s production of “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” and Earnest with this spring’s staging of “The Secret Garden.”
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“‘Miracle on Main’ is a community talent show and this is the second time we have been able to put together a show like this for our organization,” Gere said. “We really wanted to give a chance for people to be able to perform who can’t commit to a full rehearsal schedule. Plus, who doesn’t love a heartwarming holiday show to kick off such a special time of year for so many people?”
The performers range in age from 6 years old to adult, with a mix of newcomers and theater veterans.
“With this show, we have so many new performers,” Gere said. “I don’t want to give too much away but we will have everything you can think of, from instrumentalists to ventriloquists. This is also a special type of show because we are able to lower our age limit to 6 years old to give our littlest performers their first taste of the spotlight.”
In addition to Earnest and Gere, the cast includes Lajoiy Ajayi, Addie Ashcraft, Isaiah Austin, Patchez Black, Emily Burris, Allison Carraway, Lindsey Collins, Langston Cosner, Laura Cosner, T’waun Dockett, Rory Earnest-Lake, Kamiah Fair, Geoffrey Gallinero, Melody Gere, Kaleb Hughes, Ivy Joyner, Brandt Lunsford, Bree Lunsford, Brooks Lunsford, Heather Lunsford, Avery Martin, Caleb Menard, Violet Myers, Terrance Ricks, Amber Robinson, Kasey Rowland, Greg Simmons, JC Spinks, Sawyer Terry, Hazel Thompson, Madelyn Thompson, Oliva Thompson, Whitney Tippy, Teanna Williams, Andrea Woodfield and Maleah Woods.
This year’s “Miracle on Main” features two new large-group performances. One is a reader’s theater piece to “Olive, The Other Reindeer,” in which performers act out the beloved storybook by Vivian Walsh and J. Otto Seibold.
The other big piece in the show is a community choir.
“This has been a passion project for me,” Gere said. “I chose the song ‘Christmas Wish’ because of what it stands for. We all need more love and unity in our lives and I thought this was the perfect song to embody that. We have so many talented performers that we can’t wait for you to see.”
“Miracle on Main” is the final show of the ARTx3 Campus’ theater season. This year, the campus celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 242-seat Catherine M. Bellamy Theater.
Tickets are $20 each. To purchase, visit artx3.org/all-events/miracle-on-main or call (870) 536-3375. Tickets may also be purchased in person at ASC during business hours and before each performance.
Details: Lindsey Collins, Interim Director of the ARTX3 Campus, at lcollins@artx3.org or (870) 536-3375.