David Brewster, Andrea Olsen, Alexis Meeker and Landon Toth of Spokane Valley Summer Theatre's Big Band Christmas previewed the 2023 show through interview and song. The holiday production runs this weekend at University High School.
This year's story takes the audience behind the scenes in the Claus household and features The Pinetones, the children's choir from Ponderosa Elementary, as singing gingerbread children.
As the primary creative force behind Big Band Christmas, Olsen talked about how she curates the song selection and develops a new narrative through-line each year. The show is now in its third year at SVST and is quickly establishing itself as an annual community tradition.
Brewster is SVST's music director and is conducting the 17-piece orchestra for this show. He explained how the musicians are featured onstage and are likewise an integral part of experience.
Both Meeker and Toth have appeared in prior SVST musicals — Toth most recently in Bright Star and Meeker most recently in Grease. This marks their second time taking part in Big Band Christmas, and they are among the approximately one-dozen vocalists who were personally tapped to take part in this year's show.
Big Band Christmas is directed by Yvonne A.K. Johnson, the executive-artistic director at the Idaho Central Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center (ICSVPAC).
Ahead of the interview, Toth sang “Believe" (from the 2004 film Polar Express) live in the SPR performance space accompanied by Brewster on piano. Following the interview, Meeker sang "When a Child Is Born" with Olsen on backing vocals; Olsen then sang "With All of Your Heart" from the TV series Schmigadoon.
Spokane Valley Summer Theatre’s Big Band Christmas opens this Friday (Dec. 15) and runs until Sunday, December 17. There are four performances over those three days, all at the University High School theatre (12420 E 32nd Ave) in Spokane Valley.
Tickets and more information are available through the Spokane Valley Summer Theatre website or by calling the box office (509) 368-7897.
