Sioux City artists give classic poem a musical Facebook makeover in time for the holidays
Dressed in a festive, Christmas-inspired suit jacket and bedazzled, blue tie probably wouldn’t earn him any “Best Dressed” plaudits, but it will certainly put Donny Short in a festive mood.
Which is good, since the veteran director will soon be presenting “A Visit from St. Nicholas” — a new holiday production that presents Clement Moore’s classic poem and setting it to popular seasonal carols as a virtual offering.
The show will be accessible at the Betty Strong Encounter Center’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/sclandc) beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“We would ordinarily do this as a regular show,” Short, who has been a director, music director, and choreographer for LAMB Arts Regional Theatre for nearly 20 years, explained. “Now with COVID, it will be online only.”
Luckily, Short is becoming an old hand when it comes to adapting with new media. After all, he is also a fifth grade “virtual teacher” with the Sioux City Community School District.
“If I can communicate with elementary school kids, I think I can handle theater folk,” he said.
Indeed, Short enlisted the help of many of his theater friends to participate in “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”
These performers included Brian Hamman, the Rixner family, Angela Iversen, Wayne, and Onnastasia Blum, Matt Cihak, Leslie Werden, Jen Parra, Ian Curtis, Josie Kasik, and Allysa Collett.
View the full article by Earl Horlyk on the Sioux City Journal.