“Home for the holidays” is the theme of this week’s Artfully Edmonds column as the community welcomes the Gothard Sisters back for their 2014 Celtic Christmas performance. The air will be filled with electricity and excitement as Willow, Greta and Solana take the ECA stage to demonstrate the showmanship that won them the Best New Irish Artists in the 6th annual Irish Music Awards, as reported by My Edmonds News.

The refrain of community generosity is close behind as we note how many of our venues have offered to be drop-off points for the Edmonds Food Bank, including The Phoenix Theatre, Cascade Symphony Orchestra, and Driftwood Players – among others.

Gallery doors are open this week ~ the theatres are lit up ~ dancers are waiting in the wings ~ and Edmonds’ own Cascade Symphony Orchestra is tuning up for a delightful concert hosted by Maestro Michael Miropolsky.

So – in calendar-roster sequence – here’s how to entertain everyone who comes to visit and all the members of your family this week:

Tonight! Thursday, Dec. 11 ~ 7:30 p.m.

Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA)
410 4th Ave. N.
Christmas With the Gothard Sisters

It’s going to be a sparkling performance! This unique Celtic Christmas program will be filled with Irish dance and music for the whole family! Featuring songs from the ancient tradition, old Celtic carols and modern classics, the Gothard Sisters entertain the ECA audience with beautiful music, Irish step dancing, silly tricks and more.

They offer a spectacular selection of their performance highlights in this YouTube video.

You remember them performing as little girls at the Edmonds Saturday market. But now that they are grown up you can’t tell them apart? There’s Greta on guitar and violin/fiddle, vocals, and Irish dance; Willow plays the violin/viddle, bodhran, mandolin, and joins the vocals and Irish dance; and Solana takes the lead vocals, performing violin/fiddle, bodhran, and Irish dance.

These young ladies step lively, and their performances are filled with fun, laughter, and joy – the perfect ingredients for the season.

Seeing this performance would make such a delightful gift for teen-aged grandchildren – and the whole family. Tickets are available here.

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Cole Gallery
107 5th Ave.
Annual Holiday Party!
Saturday, Dec. 13th
10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Proclaiming it the Season of Joy, Cole Gallery is throwing its doors open for its Annual Holiday Party. Denise Cole, gallery owner, has fabulous new art to show off and complimentary sweets and savories.

During the festivities the work of guest (in-action!) artists will be offered:
10:30 ~ 12:30 Michelle Waldele Dick
11:00 ~ 1:00 Kate Steiger
12:30 ~ 2:30 Scott Gellatly
2:00 ~ 5:00 Mike Wise
4:00 ~ 6:00 Andy Eccleshall

Cole Gallery events are always merry! See you there!
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Saturday, Dec. 13
2:30/7:30 p.m.
Sno-King Community Chorale (SKCC)
Holiday Magic
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Community singing ~ what better way to get into the Spirit of the Season, and there is no more established group than the Sno-King Community Chorale.

Come join the chorale in singing favorite holiday selections from their “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” CD and take the opportunity to purchase the SKCC Holiday disk at a reduced price.

It will be so fun to sing with the Chorale! Tickets are available through the ECA website here.

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Driftwood Players
James Wade Theatre
950 Main St.

There is so much going on at the Wade James Theatre this time of year – and it just keeps getting better! Besides “Miracle on 34th Street” which is playing to full houses, a community sing-along has been added to the venue’s holiday offerings.

Sunday, Dec 14 ~ 7 p.m.
3rd Annual Holiday Sing-Along

Benefiting the Edmonds Food Bank, the Driftwood Players invites the community to come join them for an evening of holiday music in the Spirit of Giving, as they gather around the piano and share songs and stories. The Driftwood Players Sing-Along is hosted by Michael Corey and is a wonderful tradition for many Edmonds-area families.

Treat yourself and your children to this fun occasion and don’t forget that the Wade James Theatre is the perfect place to drop off letters to Santa!

Your admission to this festive celebratory evening is a donation to the Edmonds Food Bank.
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Playing Through Sunday, Dec. 21
Miracle on 34th Street

There are certain Christmas traditions for children that just can’t be overlooked, and bring to them the story of “Miracle on 34th Street” is just such a tradition. You’ve probably watched this holiday classic on the silver screen, or as a rerun on TV – but what could be better than bringing the family to see a live performance of “Miracle on 34th Street” !

My Edmonds News has followed the exciting story of how this wonderful production arrived in Edmonds, under the direction of Nikki Fey-Burgett and we just can’t tell you how heart-warming this story is.

See earlier coverage of the venerate performance company’s 2014 holiday achievement here.

Tickets for “Miracle on 34th Street” are available online at edmonds-driftwoodplayers.org or by calling the box office at 425-774-9600.
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Trinity Lutheran Church
6215 196th St. S.W.
Music Fills the Holidays at Trinity
Friday, Dec 12 ~ 7:30 p.m.
So Fair and Bright

Featuring: The Sacred Music Chorale
Program: An exciting Christmas program featuring beautiful choral arrangements and rich instrumental accompaniment.
Tickets here.

Saturday, Dec 13 ~ 7:30 p.m.
A Festival of Lessons & Carols
Featuring: Vocalpoint! and The Northwest Boychoir

Program: Patterned after the Christmas Eve observance at King’s College in England. Nine Christmas readings which lead up to the nativity and followed by traditional Christmas songs performed by the choir.

Tickets: Call 206-524-3234

Sunday, Dec 14 ~ 7 p.m.
Come Darkness, Come Light

Featuring: Riley Gray as accompanist to more than 70 student-musicians, including members of Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, as well as student instrumentalists and narrators.

Program: Rene Clausen’s Psalm 100, Edward Henderson’s Joyous I Saw Three Ships; What Sweet Music by Eleanor Daley, and much more. The concert will also include the annual candlelight carol.

Tickets information. contact Norma Aamodt-Nelson, Minister of Music at 425-778-2159

Thursday, Dec 18 ~ 7:30pm
20th Anniversary Mukilteo Christmas Concert
Benefits: Neighbors In Need Ministry ~ addressing poverty in our neighborhoods,

Featuring: Kwan Bin Park, violinist and artistic director of Mukilteo Christmas Concert for the past 20 years; and violinist Yuri Namkung, twice invited to perform with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Also performing will be the Prima Voci Seattle Girl’s Choir

Program: J.S. Bach solo violin Sonata in A minor, Prokofiev Sonata for two violins, and O Holy Night by Adams.

Ticket information: Call Norma Aamodt-Nelson, Minister of Music at 425-778-2159
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Monday, Dec. 15 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Pre-concert lecture by Dave Beck ~ 6:30 p.m.
Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA)
410 4th Ave. N.
Cascade Symphony Orchestra (CSO)

Holiday Concert features
Vivaldi, Dvorak, Gershwin and much more!

Cascade Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Concert features excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”, and popular holiday melodies in the form of a sing-along.

CSO Music Director Michael Miropolsky and Concertmaster Pamela Liu will be featured in the Vivaldi Concerto for Two Violins in A minor. Beverly Setzer, CSO Principal Clarinet, will again enthrall audiences with her solo in the Seletsky/Marcus Channuka Medley. The orchestra will continue with two “Slavonic Dances” by Dvorak. Lighter works by Gershwin, Liszt, Anderson, Glinka and Sousa and others will fill out the program.

Demand for tickets through the holiday season and beyond run high, so Cascade Symphony urges patrons to return to the ECA box office any tickets they will not be using. As such returned tickets become available, they will be offered to the public at the CSO table in the lobby adjacent to the Will Call window on concert night.

CSO Food Bank Gifting Opportunity

For those who are unable to obtain a ticket for the Holiday Concert, Cascade Symphony Orchestra will hold an open dress rehearsal at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Although there is no charge for the rehearsal, CSO requests that attendees – in keeping with the holiday spirit – bring a non-perishable food item, which the orchestra will donate to the Edmonds Food Bank.

The ticket link for this event is here.
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The Phoenix Theatre
9673 Firdale Ave.
Hallelujah Girls

By Jones, Hope, Wooten
Playing through Dec. 21

Mistletoe, merriment, and misunderstandings abound in The Phoenix Theatre’s holiday production “Hallelujah Girls” which has enjoyed an exceptional reception as this popular comedy stage grows in stature.

Read the My Edmonds News review of “Hallelujah Girls” – we’re sure you’ll agree – the production is a perfect treat for the holidays.

Remember: Wine is available before the show, and during the intermission. Plus, patrons who donate canned goods and non-perishables will receive a concession stand treat!

Tickets for “Hallelujah Girls” can be purchased here.
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Olympic Ballet Theatre
Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Dec. 19, 20 and 21
Four Evening and
Matinee performances
The Nutcracker

Artistic Directors Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev invite you to experience the thrill of Olympic Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker”.

Edmonds Center for the Arts will be all dressed up for this special occasion as Clara wakes up to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magic and the toys come alive to dance and celebrate.

Edmonds-area children will delight in this timeless classic.

The ballet will performed to the musical magic of the Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets for “The Nutcracker” are available through Olympic Ballet.

— By Emily Hill

Emily Hill is an author and long-time resident of Edmonds. She is retired from a career in public information and news media relations. If you would like your event listed, or featured, in Artfully Edmonds, Emily invites you to contact her at arts@myedmondsnews.com.