Christmas shows at the Niswonger

The Christmas season has always been a special time for the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.  We have had the pleasure of presenting some very special Christmas concerts over the past ten years and this year is especially exceptional based on the advance ticket sales.

The season starts Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend. It was a late addition to our season planning, but one I knew we shouldn’t pass on once it was announced. Country artists Phil Vassar and Kellie Pickler are teaming for a Christmas tour and we were fortunate to land a prime date for them to perform at the Niswonger for you. There are currently 20 tickets remaining, so act now if you want to see this one!

The next Friday, December 1, we are fortunate again to have landed one of the most cherished Christmas stories of the past century: Rudolph: The Musical. This Broadway style stage show is a live dramatization of the beloved TV show most of us have loved watching year after year. The characters will look just like the animated characters and will include the music which became immortalized in our annual Christmas listening lists since its debut in 1964.

This is a very family friendly entertaining and lesson learning show that will warm your heart.  It’s the perfect show for everyone to relive those cherished Christmas memories!  Less than 200 seats remain for this one.

Back from very popular demand, The Texas Tenors now bring their “Deep in the Heart of Christmas” show to the Niswonger.  The first show at 7:30 p.m. on December 9 sold out long ago. We have since added a second show — a 3 p.m. matinee — and it is filing up quickly. If you call for tickets, ask which show has the better tickets for you.  Because of the additional show, we may have some seats available at either option. This is a hot one!

A rare Thursday night show on December 14 features another mega-popular Christmas show with Michael W. Smith and Jordan Smith and accompanied by the Lima Symphony Orchestra. I have a feeling this one will be an exciting, fun, and very meaningful Christmas show. This tour just began this past weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. A trumpet playing friend of mine flew out to Omaha to play the concert and had rave reviews. He actually said that Jordan Smith, winner of TV’s “The Voice”, is absolutely incredible. This past Sunday, this duo, along with singer Amy Grant, sang The National Anthem for the “Sunday Night Football” game in Denver. It was extremely well done. Unless we are able to release some performer holds, this one is sold out.

We finish this year’s extraordinary Christmas line-up of concerts and shows with another cherished Christmas story, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Nearly everyone knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his transforming experiences, as told in the 1843 original story. This is a brand new stage production for us and should be another great show to bring the entire family to at the Niswonger. It will share the message of how Christmas can transform people from a Scrooge to a lovable, caring person. It’s a story that lives forever and is still pertinent for us to ponder at Christmas and always. A Christmas Carol will be presented December 17 and begins at 3 p.m. on that Sunday. We then take a week off before Christmas for everyone to prepare their hearts and homes for the big day.

This is quite an extraordinary line-up of Christmas entertainment for all of us at the Niswonger. As always, we will be decorated to the hilt and provide many fun surprises in the lobby as you arrive. We want Christmas to be an memorable experience for the entire family at the Niswonger.  Here’s to a wonderful Christmas season filled with Thanksgiving, love and lots of music!

FINÉ.