Christmas Revels
Returns To Sanders Theatre
December 12 - 30

This winter, "The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice" travels to Thomas Hardy’s beloved Wessex to celebrate the season with familiar carols, anthems and rounds, country dances, West Gallery music, a seriously funny mummers play, morris dancing, and lots of old favorites in novel settings.

Presented at Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square from December 12 - 30, the production is directed by Patrick Swanson with musical direction by George Emlen. Free Parking for "Christmas Revels" patrons is available at the nearby Broadway Garage.

This year’s holiday celebration, in which “Church meets Tavern,” features an 80-performer ensemble. including England's Mellstock Band (above) -- four renowned singers replete with motley string and wind instruments (including the notorious bass “serpent”).

Joining them will be Revel's own lusty Village Quire, the feisty Casterbridge Children, The Pinewoods Morris Men, Cambridge Symphonic Brass Ensemble, actor Richard Snee, musician Bruce Randall, soloist Mary Casey, and musician and song leader David Coffin.

"Christmas Revels" will feature both sacred and village music, poetry and stories, and old favorites like the ancient and mysterious Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, Susan Cooper’s poem, The Shortest Day, The Boar's Head Carol from Oxford, and Revels’ rousing and participatory signature piece, The Lord of the Dance.

Founded in 1971 by musician and educator John Langstaff, Revels produces large-scale seasonal and community celebrations drawing on traditional music, dance, rituals, and folktales from around the world. This year, productions of "The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice" will be presented in: Cambridge, MA; Hanover, NH; Houston, TX; Tacoma, WA; Washington, DC; Oakland and Santa Barbara, CA; Portland, OR; and Boulder, Colorado.

Revels also produces the annual "SummersDay Revels" in Boston with the Friends of Fort Point Channel as well as the annual "RiverSing" along the Charles River in Boston and Cambridge, in collaboration with the Charles River Conservancy.

Related Events --

Dinner and Performance
Revels and UpStairs on the Square in Harvard Square are offering a festive Christmas Revels Dinner Package combiningg tickets with a fixed-price meal. For information call 617-972-8300, ext. 29.

"Inside Revels" Discussions
On December 19 and 20, pre-show discussions on “The Serpent” will be held at 6:15 p.m. in Sanders Theatre with BSO musician Douglas Yeo and Mellstock Band member Phil Humphries. There is no additional charge to attend the discussions.

For tickets and information, call 617-496-2222 or visit www.revels.org.

-- OnStage Boston