Aaaah, Christmas – the wonderful, magical time of year when we experience the season with the wonder of a child. Such was the delightful surprise that over 160 residents of Pine Valley and environs experienced as the Mountain Empire Creative Art Council's Pine Valley Players presented their first holiday production, A Journey Through Christmas, at Worthington Hall on the grounds of the Pine Valley Bible Conference Center on Saturday evening, December 13.
A Journey Through Christmas was written and directed by Pine Valley resident Dianne Holly (who also designed the extraordinary costumes!), ably assisted by Guatay resident Mary Aragon. Narrated by Christine Siders, the play chronicled Christmas celebrations starting with the Nativity, and proceeding through a Mexican Candlelight procession, a Victorian Christmas, a 1930's Depression-era family scene, and finished with a Soldiers' Christmas, represented by soldiers and their families from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War II, and the present-day conflict. Each tableau was beautifully portrayed by approximately 25 local actors ranging in age from children of seven years to some venerable and bearded Wise Men and a jolly Santa Claus.
Between and during the tableaux, the dozen singers of the all-female choir, directed by Teri Carpentier-Antti (who also provided the piano accompaniment), provided beautifully-sung Christmas selections. At the close of the play, the audience joined the choir in singing some beloved carols.
Before the production, the Free Teen Guitar Class of Alpine Anglican Church, directed by Fr. Keith Acker, provided guitar music for those who were finding their seats and perusing the Art Ornament Auction. Many thanks to all of the local artists who donated the beautiful ornaments and to Marshall and Mary Chapman who organized the auction, and especially to Mark Aragon and Debby Alexander for lighting and sound direction, along with kudos to many individuals and groups too numerous to list here.
Great appreciation and rounds of applause also go the Pine Valley Bible Conference Center for providing rehearsal space (along with the PVIC) as well as a beautiful (and warm!) production venue and to all who attended the play for their support of arts in the backcountry. Our wonderful and supportive advertisers also deserve our most grateful thanks for making this production possible: Father Keith Acker and Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity (home of the Free Teen Guitar Class), Stephanie Wells and The Southern California Center for Youth, Nature, and the Arts (MECAC's umbrella organization), The Mountain Empire Men's Club (for their cooperation in sequencing events), Pine Valley Community Church, Dry Clean USA of Alpine, Perkin's Market in Descanso, Glenn D. Mitchell Realtors of Pine Valley, Curves of Pine Valley, Mountain Market in Pine Valley, Albertsons in Alpine, Nail Spa Plus in Alpine, and Rex Grizzle, D.D.S. in Pine Valley. Thanks for your support of the arts!
A magical evening was enjoyed by all who experienced this first of what we hope will be many theatre productions of MECAC's Pine Valley Players in the Mountain Empire area.
