An Original Crossroads Production
Directed by Rick Sordelet
WHEN: December 8-18; 8 PM, December 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17; 3 PM, December 11, 17, and 18
WHERE: Crossroads Theatre, 7 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick
TICKETS: $40; $65 for opening night including a reception. Two children under 12 with purchase of adult ticket admitted free of charge. Purchase online at www.CrossroadsTheatreCompany.org or call 732.545.8100.
Five holiday traditions—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Incwala—are woven into one celebration of the human spirit through lively song, dance and audience participation at Crossroads Theatre Company in the all new production Holiday Jubilee.
Seven performers of different backgrounds travel home for the holidays but become stranded together at an airport during a blizzard. As the performers share their holiday traditions with one another through song and dance, they discover their common thread: the need to connect with family and friends during this special time of year. The audience participates in the journey with the particular engagement of children throughout the show, with special kids’ activities pre-show and during intermission.
Playwright Sibusiso Mamba, who wrote and starred in Crossroads’ Train to 2010, conceived the story for Holiday Jubilee. Mamba also performs as a Swaziland businessman trying to get home in time to be with loved ones for the holidays.
Local talent from the Musical Theater Department of the Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School performs on the Crossroads stage alongside several Broadway veterans. Returning from last year’s Holiday Jubilee are Colleen Hawks (Broadway -Shrek), Gemini Quintos (Broadway - Annie) and Stephen Agosto (National Tour - Beauty and the Beast.) Jeanel Leblanc, a senior music major at Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Aaron Boykin, a recent Rutgers graduate also return for this year’s Holiday Jubilee. Four students from Crossroads affiliate educational program Bodies and Music also join the youth choir.
Returning to direct Holiday Jubilee is Rick Sordelet, also a renowned Broadway fight-choreographer. “I eagerly look forward to once again leading a talented group of artists sharing their special talents for the holiday season.” Gail Lou returns as musical director, with Colleen Hawks as choreographer.
Holiday Jubilee, comments Producing Artistic Director Marshall Jones, III, re-envisions traditional holiday programming as a multicultural celebration of a shared holiday spirit. “In times of ethnic/religious divides, the show is particularly timely,” Jones said. “We are pleased to provide holiday programming that caters to our multi-ethnic, multi-faith community.”
Founded in 1978 by Ricardo Khan and L. Kenneth Richardson, Crossroads Theatre Company embraces the vision that African-American theater is intended for a broad-based, diverse audience. As a major force in the development of new ideas and the introduction of formerly marginalized writers, Crossroads produces works that enrich and diversify the representation of African American culture on the American stage. Crossroads has produced more than 40 world premieres and received the Tony Award® in 1999 for Outstanding Regional Theatre in the United States.
