MIRACLE ON 34th STREET Comes To The Spencer This Holiday Season

Miracle on 34th Street is set to play The Spencer Theater in Alto this holiday season. 

“Miracle on 34th Street” is, as all of us who love the 1947 classic film know, the story of how believing in the spirit of Christmas and not being jaded by its stress-inducing commercialism is truly a very sane idea!

The miraculous dream of Santa does come true on the Spencer Theater’s stage in a Broadway musical version of the beloved “Miracle on 34th Street” tale on Saturday, December 3rd at 7 p.m.
Sticking close to the movie version, which won Academy Awards for ol’ Santa as well as its director, the touring song & dance adaptation is by the Equity Acting troupe of the famed Barter Theatre Company, which has previously had such luminaries as Gregory Peck and Patricia Neal share its stage.

In “Miracle,” Macy’s department store in New York City finds a nice old man to play Santa Claus as a last-minute replacement for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade’s Santa after the previous hire is found drunk. Now, the man who calls himself Kris Kringle is such a hit with the crowd that the Macy’s parade organizer Doris Walker promptly hires him to sit in the big chair in the store and listen to kids’ wish lists. He is again perfect, seemingly made for the part, until his helpful spirit seems to push too far: regarding requested toys Macy’s doesn’t carry, Kris tells parents to go to Gimbels – Macy’s biggest rival. This causes an uproar among store management, and things snowball to the point at which Kris -- who insists he is actually the real Santa Claus -- ends up in court trying to keep himself from being committed to a mental hospital.

Fred Bailey, a handsome young lawyer, who happens to live across the hall from the Walkers, decides to defend Kris by arguing in court that he is the real thing.

Yes, it is the trial of the century! Not only must Kris prove that he’s telling the truth, but he has a personal test case in Doris and her skeptical young daughter, Susan, a droll child of divorce who thinks the notion of Santa Claus is like playing -- just a silly waste of time. The smart, sophisticated child seems to be a pint-sized adult who never learned the value of faith. For Kris, winning over the serious Susan is his most important goal.....
See how it all turns out...and share the joy! Excellent seats ($79 & $76) are available to “Miracle of 34th Street” on Saturday, December 3rd at 7 p.m. Call the Spencer Box Office at 575.336.4800 or go online to www.spencertheater.com for tickets. Next Up:

• Saturday, December 17 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. The Nutcracker Ruidoso Dance Ensemble ($28). Under the artistic direction of Deborah Rogers, this original adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic features gorgeous sets & costumes and outstanding dancers. The rising young talent Simon Pawlek will star as the Cavalier. A delightful Christmas gift for the entire family.
• Wednesday, December 21 at 7 p.m. Flying J Wranglers Christmas Special ($30) Western yodeling, vocals, fiddle and guitars in a program of traditional favorites, spirituals like Go Tell It On The Mountain, Beautiful City and new and classic western/cowboy Christmas songs including Corn, Water & Wood, Christmas For Cowboys, Riding to Ruidoso; instrumentals and homespun comedy.

• Saturday, January 28 at 7 p.m. Stayin’ Alive Bee Gees Tribute ($69 & $66). Considered the world’s number one Bee Gees tribute band, Stayin’ Alive features a gifted trio of singers backed by studio musicians who wholly capture the sound mystique, distinctly blended harmonies, and the immediate experience of the famous brothers live in concert. Blockbuster tunes include Night Fever, Jive Talkin, How Deep Is Your Love, You Should Be Dancin, Nights On Broadway and more.
The same evening, a pre-performance Disco Buffet featuring hot items of the ‘70s disco era like Swedish meatballs, green beans almondine, Green Goddesss Salad, etc. will be provided in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per-person.

• Saturday, February 4 at 7 p.m. The Texas Tenors ($79 & $76). Three ruggedly handsome men in Stetsons who sing tenor, this trio of heart-throbs were first discovered in 2009 winning TV’s reality show “America’s Got Talent.” They now enjoy international repute as powerful entertainers who weave effortlessly from John Denver to Puccini, Merle Haggard to Leonard Bernstein. A public pre-performance Barbecue Brisket Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person.

• Sunday, February 12 at 6 p.m. Guild Valentine Soiree ($50). Taking place on the elegantly decorated stage of the Spencer Theater, the celebration includes a gourmet three-course dinner, a complimentary cocktail and dancing to the Michael Francis Trio.

• Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m. Damn Yankees, The Home-Run Broadway Musical ($79 & $76). Home-runs, hit songs and a sizzling siren named Lola have made Damn Yankees a musical comedy favorite for years. Winner of 8 Tony Awards, this musical featuring 30 singers, dancers and orchestra musicians is about a young 1950s baseball zealot who sells his soul to the Devil to help his favorite team win the pennant only to realize there’s more to life than homeruns. Filled with hit songs like Whatever Lola Wants and You Gotta have Heart.

A public pre-performance Stadium Dogs Buffet featuring Omaha Beef dogs and 21 condiments (everything you’d find at a professional ballpark), nacho salad, crabby fries with Old Bay Seasoning, etc, will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

• Saturday, March 3 at 7 p.m. Las Cruces Chamber Orchestra ($59 & $56). Under the artistic direction of Maestro Lonnie Klein, the orchestra performs Mozart’s Violin Concerto #5 in A Major K 219 with featured soloist Eva León on violin; Mozart’s Symphony #35 in D Major “Haffner” K 385 among other grand works.

• Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives ($79 & $76). Barn-burning honky tonk and hillbilly rock is the hallmark country roots sound of Marty Stuart, the four-time Grammy winning star who first became a chart-topper in the 90s. Performing with his rustic The Fabulous Superlatives band on vocals, banjo, steel, upright bass, drums & guitar, Stuart will share some of his greatest hits like Tempted, Honky Tonker, Arlene, Hillbilly Rock, The Wiskey Ain’t Workin’ and This One’s Gonna Hurt You.

The same evening, a public pre-performance Fried Chicken Buffet will be provided in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

• Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. Country Royalty: Jason Petty & Carolyn Martin Pay Tribute To Hank Williams & Patsy Cline ($69 & $66). Jason Petty, the 2003 Obie Award winning star of Hank Williams: Lost Highway joins forces with Carolyn Martin, the 2008 Western Swing Female Vocalist of the Year in tribute to two of country music’s greatest legends. A public pre-performance Short Ribs Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person.

• Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. Spencers Theatre of Illusion ($59 & $56) Honored as the International Magicians of the Year and the Performing Arts Entertainers of the Year, the mind-boggling Spencers brings a new twist to magic that infuses amazing illusions with high-technology lighting and music, a magnificent set design and dramatic theatrical elements. A public pre-performance Roast Turkey Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.
• Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Coppélia Ruidoso Dance Ensemble ($28) A true marriage of romance and hilarity, Coppelia is a full-length, heart-warming story about two young lovers and a romantic toy-maker who thinks he has magical powers. This original adaptation by RDE features gorgeous sets & costumes and outstanding dancers.

• Saturday, May 5 at 7 p.m. Gary Puckett & The Union Gap ($69 & $66). A major force on the airwaves starting in the 60s, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap forged a series of massive chart-topping ballads with earnestness and melodrama. They garnered six consecutive gold records and 10 top Billboard hits for Young Girl, Woman Woman, Lady Willpower, Over You and This Girl Is A Woman Now. Expect these songs and other hits at Puckett’s gig at the Spencer.
That same evening, a publicv pre-performance Angus Burger Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

Get your season tickets now! Call the Spencer Theater at 575.336.4800 or go online to www.spencertheater.com. (The site allows for secure ordering). You may also request a brochure with show descriptions be mailed to your home or business.

WAYS TO ORDER/ BUY TICKETS

GO TO THE BOX OFFICE: at the theater at108 Spencer Road, 108 Spencer Road, Airport Highway 220, Alto, NM. Business hours are 9 a.m-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For tickets or information call (575) 336-4800 or toll free at 888.818.7872.

ON THE WEB: www.spencertheater.com. The site offers secure ticket ordering.
BY FAX: series and single tickets can be ordered by fax at (575) 336-0055.
BY E-MAIL: single tickets may be ordered at boxoffice@spencertheater.com.
BY MAIL: Donna Clarke, Box Office Manager, Spencer Theater, 108 Spencer Road, Alto, NM 88312.

Winter Season 2011-2012 is sponsored in part by The Hugh Bancroft Jr. Foundation, The Lodge at Sierra Blanca, the Inn of the Mountain Gods, Sierra Blanca Motors, Ruidoso Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, R.D. & Joan Dale Hubbard Foundation, Ventanas, The Enjoyment of Fine Southwestern Living, Rainmakers, New Mexico Magazine, Ruidoso.net, MTD Media radio stations KRUI-1490 AM, KIDX 101.5 FM, KNMB–96.7 FM, KTUM 107.1 FM, KWES 93.5 FM, KBUY 1360 AM and KWES 1450 AM Fox Sports; KEDU 102.3 FM, KOBR Channel 8, Burt Broadcasting in Alamogordo KZZX 105.3 FM, and the publicity support of Ruidoso News, Ruidoso Free Press, Ruidoso.net and Ruidosoattractions.com.

Spencer Theater is a world-class performance hall located in the Sacramento Mountain settlement of Alto, about 12 miles north of downtown Ruidoso. Unique architecture, outstanding acoustics, intimate seating, and excellent artistry are the Spencer’s celebrated features. The elegant, award-winning hall, which first raised its curtains in 1997, seats 514, with no seats farther than 67 feet from the 4,770 square-foot stage. The Spencer also has a 964 square-foot outdoor stage that can seat 1,500. From its Spanish mica-flecked limestone face to the crystal lobby, the building itself is a work of art. Free public tours are offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year.

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