Universal holiday stories

NEW ARVADA CENTER VIDEO OFFERS DIVERSE SLATE OF HOLIDAY STORIES

Sue Leiser in 2010 file photo. Pictured: Sue Leiser reads stories to children at a local bookstore in 2010.

'Religion is universal. Holidays are universal. And happiness should be universal.'

By John Moore, Senior Arts Journalist

During this unprecedented year that put a stop to traditional indoor theatre, the Arvada Center has been busy creating a wide variety of alternative storytelling experiences. Already this holiday season, the Arvada Center has offered the radio play “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” the original full-length virtual holiday comedy “The Family Tree,” and opened an online art market offering homemade holiday crafts by local artists.  

“We are very proud of the variety of holiday programs the Arvada Center has produced,” Communications Director Marcus Turner said. “However, when we looked around, one area that we felt was missing was a program geared toward families.” 

The Arvada Center’s “Innovation Task Force” brainstormed the possibilities, mindful that every family celebrates the holiday season differently and each according to their own beliefs, traditions and rituals.The result is “Stories and Songs to Celebrate the Season,” a multi-denominational online video experience that is now available on demand through January 3.

This program is not intended to be “something for everyone,” Turner said. All of it is meant to be meaningful to everyone.

“This program will hopefully open your eyes to a holiday that you maybe didn’t know before,” he said. “That is the great joy of this holiday season: We can celebrate and learn.”

Jim HuntStories and Songs to Celebrate the Season” features stories and performances by the Kwanzaa Committee of Denver; veteran actor Sue Leiser reading short Hanukkah tales; Jim Hunt (pictured right), a member of the very first Arvada Center acting company in 1976, returning to present a story for Christmas; and an appearance by Santa Claus.

“We were proud to work with a variety of partners on this project, including Rabbi Benjy Brackman and the Chabad of NW Metro Denver and the Denver Kwanzaa Committee,” Turner said. “Our sincere hope is that families have an experience with their children that will engage in conversation about different types of holiday celebrations.”

'The Family Tree' offers live holiday comedy from safety of home

Leiser tells the story of “The Forgotten Menorah,” a gentle tale of Jewish pride and self-acceptance. “It’s about this little menorah who’s been forgotten in an old antique store,” Leiser said. “He knows that he is different because people come into the store and look at all of the other beautiful candlesticks that had just one candleholder. And and because he had nine, he would say to himself, ‘What’s the matter with me?’

“Well, the little menorah just sat by himself on a high shelf, where it was never seen or dusted. After a while, it had cobwebs growing between its fingers. Well, one day a customer brings in this huge menorah for its annual cleaning, and it was the first time the little menorah ever saw anyone who looks at all like him. And so the big menorah tells him the meaning of the menorah. And he says to him, ‘You must be proud that you are different.’ And so the little menorah cleans himself up and stands tall."

It’s a sweet, happy story. And "right now, what we need most is to be happy, because there is too much unhappiness surrounding our world," Leiser said. "These stories are for everyone because religion is universal. Holidays are universal. And happiness should be universal.”

Julie PayneStories and Songs to Celebrate the Season” is directed and curated by Julie Payne (pictured right) of both the Arvada Center’s Theatre Education division and Front Range Youth Symphony.

“Julie brought a wealth of experience in producing programs for children and families to this project,” Turner said. “Having adapted and written many different plays for children with her husband, David Payne, she reached out to local actors to tell these holiday stories."

The program was originally conceived as an in-person event designed to showcase a diverse slate of holiday celebrations, but it went through several iterations as positive COVID cases rose sharply this fall.

A married couple's Christmas in 'Wales'

“As newer, stricter health guidelines were handed down, we knew we had to re-evaluate how this program could still take place,” Turner said. “We felt it was important for us to offer our family audiences some kind of holiday entertainment, so we settled on a virtual program that would be available for families to view as many times they want.”

John Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the U.S. by American Theatre Magazine during his time at The Denver Post. He is now contributing reports for the local theatre community for ArvadaCenter.Org. Reach him at culturewestjohn@gmail.com.

'Stories and Songs to Celebrate the Season'

  • What: A virtual holiday celebration for all ages
  • Director: Julie Payne
  • Dates: Available through January 3
  • Cost : $9 per household (can be viewed as many times as a family wants)
  • Information: 720-898-7200

TO ORDER ONLINE

Home,Reignite the Arts,Art at Home,Support Arvada Center Artists,Virtual Auction,Donate Now,Donate Now,Corporate Giving,Art Circle,2023-2024 Theatre Season,Renew,Visit Us,COVID-19 Entry Policies,View All Events,Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express,I Do! I Do!,Sylvia,Roland Bernier: In Other Words,Word Play,Elf - The Musical,Amplify: A Breakbeat Testimony,Amplify: Museo de las Americas,Spring Pottery Sale,The Liar,Animal Farm,Kinky Boots,Stick Fly,Amplify: Japanese Arts Network,Cleo Parker Robinson Dance presents Summer Suite,Big Band Royalty,Jeffrey Siegel: American Pianistic Treasures,Lola Montejo: After Another After,Floyd D. Tunson: Ascent,Anthony Garcia Sr: Pigment,A Tribute to the Boston Pops,The CJRO presents A Night of Sizzling Soul with Larry Braggs,Pink Martini featuring China Forbes,Carlou D,Pamela Webb: Hand + Hammer,Lauri Lynnxe Murphy: Seeing the Trees For the Forest,Pink Progression: Collaborations,Imprint: Print Educators of Colorado,528.0 Regional Juried Printmaking Exhibition,Wood.Works,Carley Warren: Three Pieces,Viral Influence: Art in the Time of Coronavirus,Brady Smith: (Don’t be embarrassed by) Your Trouble with Living,Melody Epperson: 100 Years + 1,Blurring The Line,Dawes,Melissa Etheridge,Narkita Gold: Black In Denver,Australian Pink Floyd,José González,Art of the State 2022,Into The Woods,Rockley Instrument Sale,Elle King,Madeleine Peyroux In Concert,Jeffrey Siegel: Franz Liszt - Satan or Saint,One Sheet,The River Bride,Fine Art Market,Holiday Pottery Sale,The History of African American Music Part 3,Hazel Miller and the Collective: Christmas with Soul,Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,Amplify: Nu-World Contemporary Danse Theatre,Colorado Abstract +10: A Survey,Fairy Tale High Tea,Gary Staab: Second Nature,Wendy Kowynia: Following the Thread,Flora: Scientific Botanical Illustrations of Colorado Plants,Compared to What with Robert Johnson & Marion Powers,Denver Gay Men's Chorus: Divas, Icons and Justice Warriors,The Trumpet Greats,Charlotte's Web,Arts For All Gala,The Book Club Play Sooper Credit Union Community Foundation Fundraiser,Art + Science,The Book Club Play,Damn Yankees,Our Town,Bueno: Mark Bueno,Jeffco Schools Foundation High School Art Exhibition,Dining Partners,Amplify,Amplify Performers,Theatre,Upcoming Shows,2023-2024 Theatre Season,Performances for Students,Auditions,Million Dollar Quartet Auditions,Holiday Plays,Galleries,Current Exhibitions,Wood.Works Know Before You Go,Gallery Events,Upcoming Exhibitions,Art Sales,Art Submissions,Viral Influence Call for Entry,Big Draw Colorado,Sculpture Field,History Museum,Archive,Education,View All Classes,Summer Camps,Full Day,FAQ,Spring Break Camps,Classes for Kids,Classes for Adults,Ceramics,Late Fall Ceramics Workshops,Front Range Youth Symphony,Dance Academy,Arts Day,Arts Day Outreach,Ageless Adults,Scholarships,Yesterado,Teen Intensive 2021,Yesterado,Field Trips and Outreach,ECE Field Trips,K-5 Field Trips,Middle and High School Field Trips,Outreach Programs,Music and Dance,Jeffrey Siegel,Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra,Summer Concerts,Front Porch Series,AEDA Summer Concerts,Humanities,On Their Shoulders We Stand,Private Event Rentals,Straight Talk Series ,Straight Talk with Philip Sneed,COVID’s toll on Colorado theatre: 224 productions and counting ,Straight Talk with Lynne Collins,Straight Talk with Rod Lansberry,Straight Talk with Phamaly, Buntport, Colorado Shakes and Rocky Mountain Rep,Straight Talk with Creede Rep, Town Hall, Candlelight and Theatre Company of Lafayette,Straight Talk with Aurora Fox, BDT Stage, Cherry Creek Theatre and Misfits,Straight Talk with Su Teatro, Vintage, Backstage and Counterweight,Straight Talk with Local Theater Company, Theater 29, The Source and Equinox,Straight Talk with the Denver Center, Jesters Dinner Theatre, Glenwood Vaudeville Revue and Germinal Stage-Denver,Actors' union issues safety guidelines for re-opening,Straight Talk with square product, Forge Light, Springs Ensemble Theatre and Coal Creek Theatre of Louisville,Straight Talk with the Fine Arts Center, Miners Alley Playhouse, Dangerous Theatre and Lone Tree Arts Center ,Straight Talk with Lake Dillon Theatre Company, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company and Northglenn Arts,Straight Talk with The Catamounts, Bas Bleu and Thingamajig,Straight Talk with Curious Theatre Company,Straight Talk with OpenStage, Firehouse and Adams Mystery Playhouse,Straight Talk with Platte Valley Players and Theatreworks,Straight Talk with Parker Arts, Stories on Stage and Thunder River ,Staight Talk 2 with Philip Sneed: This much is uncertain,Pivoting With,Pivoting with The Black Actors Guild,Pivoting with ... Emily Van Fleet and Nathan Jones,Pivoting With ... Tammy Franklin and the Curtain Playhouse,Pivoting With Nick Sugar and the Town Hall Arts Center,Pivoting With Helen Murray and the Aurora Fox,Pivoting with Edith Weiss and Christy Montour Larson,Pivoting With Scott RC Levy and the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company,Pivoting with Todd Debrecini for Halloween,Pivoting with Ashley Campbell,Pivoting with Meghan Anderson Doyle,Pivoting with Jenna Moll Reyes,Pivoting with Erik Fellenstein,Pivoting with Ray Bailey ,Pivoting with Tara Falk,Community News,Inside the Arvada Center,Director's Notes: A Midsummer Night's Dream,All About Printmaking Techniques,Humans of the Arvada Center: Meet Collin Parson ,Arvada Center Makes Masks,Christina Noel-Adcock,"Bright Star" cast unveils video as message of hope,Humans of the Arvada Center: Meet Christine Moore,Humans of the Arvada Center: Steven Cogswell,Humans of the Arvada Center: Ashi K. Smythe,City of Arvada to install new sculpture in Hoskinson Park,Humans of the Arvada Center Jessie Page,Here are the 2019-20 Henry Award nominations,Arvada Center to Offer Students World’s First Zoom Musical,Humans of the Arvada Center Cal Meakins,Humans of the Arvada Center: Adam Stolte,Supreme Court workplace ruling hits home for Lisa Leafgreen,'Time for talk is over': Arvada Center launch 'Amplify' series to raise black male voices,Humans of the Arvada Center Jon Olson ,New Arvada Center, Aurora Fox seasons reflect current complexities,It's virtually impossible not to have fun in our summer camps,News roundup: Who The Denver Actor's Fund DEAR Fund has helped,Humans of the Arvada Center: Abygail Rosales,Pink Progression Collaborations: Jina Brenneman and Margaret Kasahara,Pink Progression: Julia Rymer and Drew Austin,Revealing The Dialogue,Amplify Epiode 3 launches, series expanding to include black women,Photo Blog: Sweeney Todd Rehearsals,Humans of the Arvada Center: Gabriel Morales,Pink Progression: Sangeeta Reddy and Jodie Roth Cooper,Front Porch Series Kickoff,Cleo Parker Robinson dances back in the box with Arvada Center,Amplify turns the mic over to local Black women ,Beth Malone bringing 'joy bomb' to Arvada Center oon September 4,Theatre news: Live streaming panel Monday on a big new 'Idea',Humans of the Arvada Center: Meet Emily King,Amplify Women Episode 2,Special Book Honors Special Dance Teacher,Arvada Center pivots to radio-play series for fall ,amplify-series-comes-to-powerful-conclusion,How COVID is impacting individual artists,Take a stroll through 'Sculpture in the Field',Arts In Education Week,Colorado Theatre News: Miscast pivots to CAST ,Essay: Was the Aurora Fox a safe house on Opening Night? ,Lessons from a summer of outdoor theatre in the time of COVID ,Humans of the Arvada Center: John Hamilton,Theatre news of the week: DCPA launches Recovery Fund,Zachary Andrews take a one-man bite out of 'Dracula',Spotlight Manos Soap,Doreen Montalvo in Denver: Compassion and grit,What to do: Theatre happenings for October 23,Betty Hart's presidential promise: Build a bigger tent,Theatre happenings October 30,Virtual theatre sprouts a new branch with Arvada Center's 'The Family Tree',Humans of the Arvada Center: Brenna Clendaniel and Sophia Koop,Theatre happenings November 12,the barnstormers are back,On being Black in Denver and all the colors that it brings,Getting to Know: Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales,Theatre happenings November 19: Companies entering cancellation mode,2021 in live theatre: A look into the Crystal Ball,2020 True West Awards: Buntpivot ,2020 True West Awards: Lily Bradford,2020 True West Awards: The Scenesters,2020 True West Awards: Podcastic,2020 True West Awards: Phamaly takes 'Honk' to Japan,2020 True West Awards: Christine Moore,2020 True West Awards: Alive Inside,2020 True West Awards: Michael Ensminger,True West Awards: They Wrote the Book,True West Awards: Rent-A-Pals,True West Awards: Of Spacious Skies,True West Awards: Christopher Page-Sanders,2020 True West Awards: Suffer the little children,2020 True West Awards: Spirit of Giving,2020 True West Awards: Secret Gardeners,2020 True West Awards: Denis Berkfeldt,2020 True West Awards: Amplify,2020 True West Awards: Reclaiming One Star,2020 True West Awards: William Hahn and Jessica Robblee,2020 True West Awards: Lisa Wagner Erickson,'The Family Tree affords actors rare chance to work during pandemic,SCFD: New picture of COVID carnage on metro nonprofits,New Arvada Center video offers diverse slate of holiday stories,20 for 20,Meet the Frasers,Bev Newcomb-Madden: Colorado's feisty, ferocious fairy godmother passes away ,Lucy Roucis' final act is a gutpunch,Reunite the Arts Collin Parson,Jodie Steeves and Nancy Terry,Reunite the Arts Lisa Leafgreen,Remembering John Gratkins,Reunite the Arts: From our CEO,Adapting the Great Gatsby,Small Mouth Sounds returns,Danielle Johnson Q&A,Reunite the Arts Lynne Collins,The Show Must Go On,Diana and Mike Kinsey,Get to Know Kazu Oba,Meet Suzanna Champion,The Gear of Million Dollar Quartet,FRYS and the Symphony,Get to Know Carlou D,Stories From the Studio,Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet Lares Feliciano,21 for 21,An interview with Geoffrey Kent: The Liar,Art of the State 2022 Awards,An interview with Jada Suzanne Dixon: Stick Fly,An interview with Jessica Robblee: Animal Farm,Fast Facts About Kinky Boots,Costume Department Boots Up,Rod A Lansberry Announces Retirement from Arvada Center,Lynne Collins Named Artistic Director of Arvada Center Theatre,Getting to Know José González,2022 Henry Award Nominations,Getting to Know Joan Osborne and Madeleine Peyroux,Sit Under the Stars at the Front Porch Series ,The Many Sounds of Carlou D,The Tunes of the Daniella Katzir Band,Setting the mood: Into the Woods Set Designer Brian Mallgrave,Into the Woods Directors Note,The River Bride Director's Note,What is Magical Realism?,Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet Ana María Hernando,The CJRO Sessions featuring Robert Johnson,Meet Ceramics Artist Luanne Burke,From student to teacher: Hadley’s story,Tackling the Beast,Be Like Belle on Colorado Gives Day,Things to Know About Our Town,Creating the Look of Our Town: A Q and A with Set Designer Brian Mallgrave,Whatever Lola Wants - A Deep Dive into the Damn Yankees Signature Song,The Book Club Play Reads,Arts Advocacy,Volunteer,About Us,Ticketing Policies,Group Tickets,Ticket Discounts,Contact Us,Accessibility,Health and Safety,Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access,IDEA Task Force,Careers,Know Before You Go,Tours,Adopt an Actor 2023,Adopt An Artwork,Temp,Virtual Theatre FAQ,New Website ,Pink Progression Events,On Demand Troubleshooting,Blog,Lorem ipsum,Lorem ipsum 2,Newk’s,Steuben’s Arvada,The Family Tree FAQ,Home for the Holidays,Land Acknowledgement,What To Expect at the Theatre,One Sheet Music,Gift Certificates,Gala,Errors,404,The Family Tree Dining Offers,Privacy Policy,Our Town Synopsis