December 2 & 3, 9 & 10
Now in its 90th season, the Municipal Opera Company of Allentown is putting on a special holiday production to celebrate the organization’s longevity. Full of dance numbers, familiar songs and cozy nostalgia, White Christmas will be presented at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, complete with snowfall sifting from above.
Based on the classic musical with Bing Crosby, White Christmas follows two army buddies who’ve become Broadway superstars. While their motive in following two lovely ladies to an inn in Vermont is romantic, they arrive to find that their old commanding officer is now running the inn. However, without a picturesque blanket of snow, guests aren’t tempted, and their old comrade is near ruin. It’s up to the entertainers to lend their fame to a marvelous show and turn the inn’s luck around. “It’s Americana at its best,” says director Rody Gilkeson.
If the movie is one you watch every December, there’s something fresh to be gained from the live production: an additional handful of songs not heard onscreen. “They sound like they could have been hits from the ’50s,” Gilkeson assures the purist. “They keep the traditional sound.” As with all great musicals from this era, tap dancing is central and flowing gowns are a must. With Santa Claus suits at the ready and powdery snow primed to float from the rafters, the warmth of this holiday favorite glows with cheer by and for the theater-loving community.
As MunOpCo prepares to launch a summer theater program for youth next year, a spring gala featuring the parody revue Forbidden Broadway will celebrate the Lehigh Valley’s support. “I don’t want to see MunOpCo leave the area,” Gilkeson says. “After I’m dead and gone, I hope it can still be putting on shows like White Christmas for audiences to enjoy.”
$25; Seniors: $22; Students: $15 | Sat: 8 p.m. | Sun: 2 p.m. | Scottish Rite Cathedral | 1533 Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.437.2441 | munopco.org
