With the Palladium celebrating our 18th season – yes Virginia, we opened in 1998! – our historic theater has established some wonderful holiday traditions.
It starts this weekend with our annual weekend of dance and holiday magic that’s known as The Nutcracker. St. Petersburg Ballet, AKA The Academy of Ballet Arts, has been presenting this production for 38 years. And seeing the Nutcracker performed in St. Petersburg, Florida, by our own ballet company is very fitting, since the ballet itself is set on a magical Christmas Eve in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1872.
Other venues offer road productions of this classic, but at the Palladium you’ll see the best dancers in our area – and Clara is always danced by one of our own! It’s a great event for families and dance lovers. Our beautiful lobby is transformed into a Christmas Village with a marketplace. Our backstage is swarming with excited young dancers and parents.
I hope you’ll make The Nutcracker at the Palladium part of your holiday tradition this year. There are four performances starting Friday and running through Sunday afternoon. Pick one and join us.
Another family treat is the Expressions Academy of Dance Holiday Extravaganza, coming on Saturday, Dec. 10. This program is a mix of tap, jazz, acrobatic and includes a mini-production of The Nutcracker. Again, all the dancers are local.
Last year, the Heralds of Harmony became part of the Palladium’s holiday season. They return with more a cappella holiday music on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. If you love barbershop harmonies, and great chorale music, this show is perfect.
Adults need some holiday entertainment too, and Una Voce, the Florida Men’s Chorale, is filling that stocking. Una Voce’s holiday show is called We Three Queens – what they are billing as a “Madcap holiday musical adventure.”
We wrap up the season with two annual events – Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday, on Thursday, Dec. 15. This annual show brings out jazz lovers and holiday music lovers in equal numbers. You’ll hear fresh versions of holiday classics, including excerpts from Duke Ellington’s jazz Nutcracker. Nate, our own star who is now winning fans both around the U.S. and in Europe, always brings some great talent with him. This year’s show features New York jazz singer, Molly Ryan and the star reed man, Dan Levinson, who has played with Dick Hyman, Mel Torme,Wynton Marsalis and many others. Rounding out the band are Palladium favorites, James Suggs, John Lamb and Mark Feinman.
We close the holiday season with another perennial favorite, St. Petersburg Opera’s Seasonal Sparkle, which features an orchestra, chorus and special guest soloists. More on this show in a future blog. Shows are Sunday, Dec. 18 and Monday evening, Dec. 19.
Then, our staff takes a two week break to enjoy the holidays. For tickets and information on all of these shows call the box office at 727 822-3590 or follow this link to our website.
And thanks for making The Palladium part of your holiday tradition.
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