APA ringing in holiday season Tuesday

Tom Titus

If you haven’t yet gotten into the holiday spirit, you’ll have a good

chance to do so Tuesday.

That’s when the music department of Huntington Beach High School’s

Academy for the Performing Arts presents its annual Sounds of the

Season holiday concert in the school auditorium.

“The concert will be family oriented and have something to lift

everyone’s holiday spirits,” declared event director Gregg Gilboe.

The program will feature student performances by the Academy for

the Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Music Ensembles, vocal

classes and the Huntington Beach High School Oiler Band, along with

the Surf City Singers. There even will be a few laughs, courtesy of

skits from the mirth-making troupe known as Comedy Sportz.

Selections will include many holiday favorites, including “Stille

Nacht” (that’s “Silent Night” in German), “Sleigh Ride” and, for

members of the Jewish faith in attendance, “Chanukah, Oye Chanukah.”

The grand finale will be a quickie -- more than 200 students

singing 20 Christmas carols in two minutes.

The instrumental and vocal concert will unfold at 7:30 p.m. in the

auditorium of Huntington Beach High School, 1905 Main St., Huntington

Beach. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students and

senior citizens.

Additional information is available by calling (714) 536-2514,

ext. 602.

*

The Huntington Beach Playhouse has announced a few changes in its

2005 season schedule -- one of which is the elimination of the annual

Shakespeare in the Park production, due to low attendance in the

past.

Another switch is the final show of the season, opening in

November. It’s called “Let Him Sleep Till It’s Time For His Funeral,”

a comedy by Peg Kehret.

This play tells the story of a fellow’s upcoming 50th birthday, an

event he is not looking forward to. In an effort to try to lift him

out of the grave of his depressing thoughts of impending senior

citizenship, his wife decides to throw him a funeral, invite all his

friends, and show him how much he means to everyone.

Naturally, this leads to a series of misunderstandings, of which

playhouse patrons will learn more when the time comes.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.