Dec 16: Christmas Presence in the Valley Credits

ACT ONE
Ron - Robert Farrar Capon: Advent
Lance - Go Tell It On The Mountain
Ron - Sufjan Stevens: Tube Socks
Jonathan - The Lowly Shepherd Boy
Ron - Frederick Buechner" Emmanuel
Sheree - O Emmanuel
Rebecca - Mike Mason: Christmas In July
Leora - Love Came Gently
Lance - Maybe This Christmas
Ron - Howison: Reverie
Michael - Huron Carol
Ron - Annie Dillard: Feast Days
Jeremy & Sheree - Cloakroom

ACT TWO
Michael - The Little Drummer Boy
Lance - Disturber
Ron - Mike Royko: Pretty Well Picked Over
Leora - It Don't Cost Very Much
Jonathan, Jer, Lance - Once In Royal David's City
Rebecca - Jellema: Four-Square
Mike, Ron, Rebecca Karl Petersen: Night Watch
Lance - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Joseph's song)
Mike, Ron - Rainer Maria Rilke: Joseph's Suspicion
Michael - What Child Is This (instr)
Rebecca - Madeleine L'Engle: O Sapientia
Sheree - Silent Night
Leora - Jesus What A Wonderful Child

Requested readings are posted at Oblations

Dec 12: Christmas Presence credits

ACT ONE
Nelson - Christmas Time Is Here
Michael - All Hail And Welcome
Ron - William Nicholson: "Christmas Drinks Party"
Sheree - O Emmanuel
Ron - Frederick Buechner: Emmanuel
Carolyn - Is Bethlehem Too Far Away?
Ron - David Sedaris: Santa's Little Helper (the Ryan edit)
Nelson - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Trish - Annie Dillard: God In The Doorway
Carolyn - Do Not Be Afraid
Ron - David Kossoff: Seth
Ruth - O Holy Night
Ron - Frederick Buechner: Gabriel
Sheree - Silent Night
Leora - It Don't Cost Very Much

ACT TWO
Nelson - I Saw Three Ships
Carolyn - What Kind Of King Is This?
Ron - Mike Royko: Pretty Well Picked Over
Michael - Good King Wenceslas
Trish - Mike Mason: Christmas In July
Leora - Love Came Gently
Ron - Dina Donohue: No Room At The Inn
Carolyn - Christmas Must Be Tonight
Ron - John Henry Faulk: A Child's Christmas in Texas
Leora - What A Wonderful Child
Ron - Ron Klug: Joseph's Lullabye
Sheree - What Child Is This?
Ron - Robert Louis Stevenson: Christmas Prayer
Michael, Ruth, All - Silent Night

THE PLAYERS
Carolyn Arends joined us tonight, and - a long-standing tradition - debuted a brand new Christmas song, "What Kind Of King Is This?" Beautiful. Also first CHRISTMAS PRESENCE this year for CP veteran Leora Cashe, who rocked the house with "Jesus, What A Wonderful Child!" (the one that's on the "Christmas Presence" CD), husband Jaye Krebs on the grand piano. First ever PT appearance for Ruth Gill, who sings with the Vancouver Bach Choir, and regaled us with a glorious "O Holy Night" and played the HT pipe organ for our closer, "Silent Night." Returning from previous nights were Michael Hart, Sheree Plett, Nelson Boschman, Spencer Capier, Becca Robertson, Rick Colhoun and Brett Ziegler. And joining me reading tonight was Trish Pattenden, who you've seen in THE FARNDALE CHRISTMAS as well as her Jessie-nominated turn in LETTICE & LOVAGE - a high point was her take on Mike Mason's brand new "Christmas In July."

Requested readings are posted at Oblations

Dec 11: Christmas Presence credits

ACT ONE
Garth - Go Tell It On The Mountain
Ron - Robert Farrar Capon: Advent
Sheree - O Emmanuel
Rebecca & Ron - William Gibson: Butterfingers Angel
Paul - I Heard The Bells
Ron - John Lekich: A Keen Sense of Occasion
Jeremy - Cloak Room
Ron - David Kossoff: Seth
Sheree - Silent Night
Ron - Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Christ Climbed Down
Garth - Christmas Song (Alleluia)

ACT TWO
Ron - George Carlin: Holiday Message
Nelson - Santa Claus is Coming To Town
Ron - David Sedaris: Macy's Christmas Elf
Garth - Glory To The Earth Is Comin' Down
Sheree - No Snow
Garth & Rick - What Child Is This (instrumental)
Ron - Loren Wilkinson: Simeon
Rebecca - Mike Mason: Christmas In July
Paul In The Bleak Midwinter
Garth - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Ron - Ron Klug: Joseph's Prayer
Sheree - What Child Is This

THE PLAYERS

Garth Bowen is working on a Christmas album, so we were eager to have a listen to some of those tunes, both old and brand new. In addition to the two re-conceptions of traditional tunes she played us last year, Sheree Plett brought in two Christmas tunes she's penned in the past couple weeks, and at the last minute we added her husband Jeremy Eisenhauer to the roster when we found out he had a brand new tune in his back pocket as well! And Paul Hiller (you may remember him from that hot little country swing band we had onstage for CHICKENS) brought us a gorgeous, Vince Guaraldi-inspired "I Heard The Bells" and a heartbreaking, delicate "In The Bleak Midwinter" beautifully in keeping with the gentle tone of the evening's home stretch. All ably aided and abetted by our Christmas Presence House Band - Nelson Boschman, Becca Robertson, Brett Ziegler, Kenton Wiens, Rick Colhoun and the just-barely-back-from-touring Spencer Capier.

Requested readings are posted at Oblations

Dec 10: Christmas Presence credits

ACT ONE
Nelson Boschman & the band - Christmas jazz
Ron Reed - Nicholson: "Christmas Drinks Party"
Michael Hart - Huron Carol
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - Be Ready When He Comes
Ron Reed - "Clay"
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid
Michael Hart - Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Ron Reed - Tom Carson: "Snow Angel"
Richard Osler - The Gift
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - Fortify Me
Ron Reed - Ferlinghetti: "Christ Climbed Down"
Michael Hart - Light Of The Stable

ACT TWO
Nelson Boschman & The Band - Christmas jazz tune
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - You Better Run
Ron Reed - Rudi Krause: one way
Michael Hart - Mary's Boy Child
Ron Reed - Buechner: "The Annunciation"
Michael Hart - What Child Is This / O Little Town of Bethlehem
Richard Oslter - Advent poems
Michael Hart - Polish Carol
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - Please Come Home For Christmas
Ron Reed - Lekich: "A Keen Sense Of Occasion"
Michael Hart - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Ron Reed - Falke: "Child's Christmas In Texas"
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners - Today
Ron Reed - Dillard: "Feast Days"
Michael Hart - Candle

*

THE PLAYERS

Michael Hart has been a Christmas Presence essential since the whole thing got started in the atrium at Regent College, thirteen or fourteen years ago. His gorgeous Christmas album, "Dulcimer Light," is in constant rotation at the Reed house every December: check it out at his website, as well as other albums such as Desire, Lord of the Mountain, The Heart of the Matter, Soulkeeper, and True.

Steve Dawson has joined us several times over the years, first drawn into the PT orbit by his brother-in-law Wyndham Thiessen. One of the workingest musicians in Canada (and half of "Zubot & Dawson" - the latter half, in fact), you can read about his newest release (and listen to some of the tunes!) at Black Hen Music. Where you'll also find Jim Byrnes - including streaming audio of three of the tunes he and The Sojourners sang for us last night: "Fortify Me," "Today" and "Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid," the latter "a nod to the 27th Psalm" and a glorious answer to "Clay." (Also check out Jim's Myspace page.) This summer somebody pointed me to Jim's latest CD, "House Of Refuge," and it instantly became the record of the year for yours truly. I sent Steve a fan email (he produced and plays on the record), one thing led to another, and last night all five of the boys joined us onstage. And didn't it rain!

Marcus Mosely, Ron Small and Will Sanders became The Sojourners when they joined JB for the "House Of Refuge" sessions, but they've sung together in all sorts of contexts over the years. I first heard the three of them as featured vocalists with the amazing Good Noise Gospel Choir, which Marcus co-Artistic Directos with Gail Suderman. A recent Christmas concert at my home church, Fraserview MB, is still being talked about, and I'd tell you to make sure and go to their upcoming gigs at the Cathedral - except they're already sold out! Watch the blog (or sign up for my Soul Food email) for word of their future performances.

And then there was our amazing house band; Nelson Boschman on piano (Keeping Time, Vol. 1), Brett Ziegler on keyboards, Kenton Wiens and Rick Colhoun on drums and percussion, and Becca Robertson on bass.

I've known Richard Osler for years, but it was reading his recent book "Again, No More: Poems Of Africa" that prompted me to invite him to join us for Christmas Presence. Carolyn Arends has posted several of Richard's Africa poems and stories in her online journal. For copies of his book (which includes a cd of the poet reading his own work), contact Richard directly at osler@shaw.ca. Thanks, Richard!

For other Christmas readings, check out Oblations

Dec 10: Songs In The Night Christmas

Songs In The Night Christmas Service
West Point Grey Baptist
Sun Dec 10, 7pm

Most years I take part in a swell Christmas evening at West Point Grey Baptist. This year's Sunday performance of Christmas Presence precludes that for me at least, but any of you who aren't required on the PT stage tomorrow night may want to check out this marvelous line-up: Allen DesNoyers, Tammy Enockson, Al McKay, Autmn Stevick, Ryan McAllister, Dan McAllister and the Songs in the Night Band.

Dec 12: Extra CHRISTMAS PRESENCE Performance!

The two Vancouver performances of CHRISTMAS PRESENCE listed in our season brochure are sold out, but fear not! We've added a special performance in the Holy Trinity sanctuary (right above the theatre) on Tuesday December 12! Carolyn Arends, Spencer Capier, Leora Cashe, Michael Hart and Sheree Plett and Ron Reed will be joined by Ruth Gill (from the Vancouver Bach Choir) and Trish Pattenden (LETTICE & LOVAGE, THE FARNDALE CHRISTMAS CAROL) for a "Raise The Roof" benefit performance for Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a small congregation facing a whopping huge bill for urgent repairs to the leaky roof, ill-fitting windows and ageing guts of the handsome (but elderly) heritage building that is their (and Pacific Theatre's) home.

There's lots of room in the sanctuary - I figure we can crowd ten or fifteen thousand people in there easy - but you'd be smart to book your tickets now at the Pacific Theatre box office: 604 731-5518.

There are still tickets left for CHRISTMAS PRESENCE IN THE VALLEY, PT's seasonal shindig slated for Clearbrook on Saturday December 16. Call the PT box office for those tickets as well!

Dec 12: Extra CHRISTMAS PRESENCE Performance!

The two Vancouver performances of CHRISTMAS PRESENCE listed in our season brochure are sold out, but fear not! We've added a special performance in the Holy Trinity sanctuary (right above the theatre) on Tuesday December 12! Carolyn Arends, Spencer Capier, Leora Cashe, Michael Hart and Sheree Plett and Ron Reed will be joined by Ruth Gill (from the Vancouver Bach Choir) and Trish Pattenden (LETTICE & LOVAGE, THE FARNDALE CHRISTMAS CAROL) for a "Raise The Roof" benefit performance for Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a small congregation facing a whopping huge bill for urgent repairs to the leaky roof, ill-fitting windows and ageing guts of the handsome (but elderly) heritage building that is their (and Pacific Theatre's) home.

There's lots of room in the sanctuary - I figure we can crowd ten or fifteen thousand people in there easy - but you'd be smart to book your tickets now at the Pacific Theatre box office: 604 731-5518.

There are still tickets left for CHRISTMAS PRESENCE IN THE VALLEY, PT's seasonal shindig slated for Clearbrook on Saturday December 16. Call the PT box office for those tickets as well!

Hunter S. Thompson & Ron Reed, "Work and Art"

When you work with your hands, you're a labourer,
When you work with your hands and head, you're a technician,
When you work with your hands, head, and heart, you're a craftsperson,
When you work with your hands, head, heart and soul, you're an artist.
- Adapted from a speech given by Hunter S. Thompson

When you're out of work, you're a theatre artist.
- Ron Reed