Christmas City Follies Returns To Touchstone Stage For Eleventh Year 12/2-19

Christmas City Follies, an annual holiday vaudeville production, will return to the Touchstone Theatre stage December 2nd-19th. This production features a host of zany and sentimental characters performing exciting new sketches with original and classic holiday music.

Returning to Touchstone's intimate home theatre after featuring onstage at last year's Christkindlmarkt, this year's Follies will include the return of memorable friends like The Old Guy, played by Bill George, Little Red played by returning Follies actor Mary Wright, the Pajama Sisters, and the unforgettable Shopping Cart Ballet. The show will also feature new characters, vignettes, and musical numbers, including a full-cast band ranging from bassoon to ukulele, seasonal re-writes of pop hits, and the hypothesis that Christmas just might be better if there were dinosaurs involved.

"There's no place like home for the holidays!" says director and Ensemble Member Jp Jordan. "It feels great being back in the Touchstone space with Follies. Amazing actor-generated work has always been Touchstone's hallmark, and this year will be no different; we've got all your favorites, plus some new gifts that have yet to be unwrapped."

This year's Follies, part of Touchstone's landmark 30th season, will also focus on revealing the craft and deliberation behind the onstage magic, including the creation of sound effects onstage and more extensive use of live music.

As in years past, Follies will feature a new community guest each evening. This year's special guests include Joe Skull the longest running guest at eleven years, Alicia Ruiz-Orbin from The United Way, Cindy Glick from Just Born, Diane LaBelle from the Lehigh Valley Performing Arts High School, Ruth Marcon a local arts supporter, and Tina Bradford from Tina Bradford Public Relations.

Additionally, this year's Follies will feature the musical talent of local band The Sugarpills with musician Kevin O'Boyle and vocalist Alexis Leon.

Follies runs December 2-19 at 8pm Thursday-Saturday and a 2pm matinee on Sunday. Regular admission is $25, with $15 tickets available to students and seniors; group rates available. Every Thursday night, Touchstone offers "pay what you will at the door," where audience members who buy their tickets at the theatre that night may name their own purchase price. Other tickets may be purchased by phone at 610-867-1689, or online at www.lvartsboxoffice.org.