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Eye on the Arts by Glen Parsons

Happy holidays!

I hope you’re looking forward to all the hustle and bustle of the season! It’s surely coming fast! I hope you’ll find several events you’ll enjoy from the arts community. Here are some of them I know you’ll find fun and inspiring!

Starting on Sunday, the Albert Lea Art Center will hold its first open house with their Festival of Trees display, “ Christmas on Broadway,” from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Art Center, and again on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The display will run through Dec. 30. The Art Center hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., always free and open to the public.

Beginning on Thursday and running through Dec. 16 “A Christmas Carol,” directed by me, will be performed at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. This classic tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim has been around for years, but it’s always a heartwarming reminder of how kindness, generosity and goodwill can touch your heart! I have a powerful cast and a superb Scrooge, who are having a blast putting the show together!! We hope it will be one of those “not to be missed” events all ages can enjoy. Oh, there are four ghosts to contend with, so maybe 8-year-olds and older will not be scared, but for kids younger than that, it might be risky. The show dates and times are: Dec. 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are all at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec 10, is a 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets are selling fast! The box office is open Thursdays from 3:30 to 6 p.m. or you can call the box office at 507-377-4371. The ACT website also has ticket sales at actonbroadway.com, and tickets are also sold at the CVB office right across the street. I hope you’ll make an effort to see it. I think you’ll like it.

“Winter’s Grace,” a cantata for Christmas, directed by Sue Jorgensen and sung by the combined choirs of First Presbyterian Church and First Lutheran Church, will be performed on Dec. 10 at First Presbyterian and on Dec. 17 at First Lutheran. Both concerts will be during their 10 a.m. church services. A six-piece instrumental ensemble will accompany the singers.

Also being performed on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church will be the cantata “Bethlehem Morning.” This choir is made up of singers from many area churches combining their voices in celebration of Christmas morning.

I hope you will find joy and enjoyment in all the artists who share their talents with us in celebration of the holiday season!

Glen Parsons is an Albert Lea Community Theatre board member and director.