The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

All’s quiet on the NPAC’s Western Front

I would imagine many of you are familiar with the story which inspired the stage production coming to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center this Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.  The production is entitled All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. This is one of those shows I discovered and we decided to bring to Van Wert even though it was not a familiar title.  However, the story obviously resonated with our audience, based on our early sell-out status.

The setting is the Western Front, Christmas 1914. Out of the violence of World War I comes a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht,” what most of us know as “Silent Night.” Thus began the extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, and peace; at least for a short period of time! All is Calm tells a remarkable true story told in the words and songs of the men who lived it.

As the story goes, and as will be depicted Sunday afternoon on our Central Insurance Stage of the Niswonger, soldiers who were fighting each other in Belgium during the “Big One” put their arms down, sang songs, shared poetry, letters, and tales of their family members with each other.  This remarkable time of peace which began on Christmas Eve 1914, created their own spontaneous cease-fire which became known as “the Christmas Truce.” Sometimes spontaneity works better than politicians trying to arrange something!

Carols were sung, trees were lit with candles, food and drink were passed around, pictures were taken, a game of soccer was played, and basic humanity was shared among these fighting soldiers, all because of Christmas — Jesus’ birth.

This show is the last Christmas event of the year at the Niswonger. We’ve once again enjoyed wonderful times with you during the season with shows like “Christmas Wonderland,” The Nutcracker, “Michael McDonald,” and now All is Calm. In all, over 5,500 people will have enjoyed Christmas at the Niswonger this year.

If you are fortunate to have a ticket for All is Calmthis Sunday afternoon, I encourage you to come when the doors open to the lobby at 2 p.m. as the Van Wert High School Select Choir will be singing carols and Christmas songs in the lobby, leading up to the 3 p.m. start of the show. If you don’t have a ticket, you might come to the doors at 2 and see if any performer tickets got released. You might get lucky!

After a small time off from presenting concerts and shows, we return in the new year to offer 12 more wonderful events, beginning with National Geographic’s extraordinary underwater photographer David Doubilet and his wife, Jenn, on January 27. These shows are always amazing with the photos and stories behind them. This one is also a Sunday afternoon show at 3 p.m.  Many other amazing concerts and shows are packed into the first half of 2019. Here’s a concert alert: Travis Tritt’s acoustic concert of March 2 is selling very quickly and looks to be sold out soon. Get your tickets quickly.

And don’t forget, a Niswonger gift card may just be an outstanding gift for someone this Christmas.  Let them choose what they want to see.  There truly is something for everyone to enjoy!

FINÉ.

POSTED: 12/13/18 at 9:49 pm. FILED UNDER: News