Broadway-Style Holiday Cheer Comes To The Encore

The Encore Musical Theatre Company kicks off a month of joyful seasonal events with MERRY & BRIGHT, a delightful holiday concert starring Broadway's GEOFF AND Chelsea Packard. In what promises to be a fun and festive evening, this talented couple will perform many holiday favorites, such as It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, O Holy Night and Winter Wonderland.

Chelsea Packard (a/k/a Chelsea Krombach), currently an Associate Professor of Musical Theatre Voice at the University of Michigan, has performed on Broadway in such shows as WICKED, BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL, and the original casts of PROMISES, PROMISES and HANDS ON A HARDBODY. She was last seen on The Encore stage in the sell-out, Back to Broadway summer concert, STANDARD TIME.

Currently an Assistant Professor of Acting/Directing at the University of Michigan, Geoff Packard has appeared on Broadway in BANDSTAND, MATILDA, ROCK OF AGES, and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as well as the First National Tour of WICKED. This past summer, "Geoff blew the roof off of The Encore," says the theatre's marketing director, Jessica Grové, referring to Packard's spirited direction of BROADWAY ROCKS!"

"We are increasingly impressed with the work being done at The Encore," says Geoff. "We love being there, whether we're on stage, behind the scenes, or in the audience." Chelsea agrees. "The community of artists and friends at The Encore collaborate with a deep sense of love and family, and an abundance of joy."

With musical direction by the multi-talented TYLER DRISKILL, Merry & Bright is another Encore concert you won't want to miss.

In keeping with the season, on December 18th, SANTA will be making his annual visit to The Encore Theatre! Come out and bring the kids for free cookies, hot cocoa, and a photo with Santa - don't forget your camera!

The Encore continues their giftbag of seasonal events with an OPEN HOUSE on December 31st. Starting at 10am, the community is invited to tour the newly renovated space and mingle with coffee, doughnuts and music. At 1pm, a family concert will be performed in The Maas Theatre, The Encore's beautiful new performance space, and the day closes out with a Happy Hour in the lobby bar, complete with live band. Free to the community, it's a wonderful opportunity to check out Dexter's exciting new creative hub.

Ringing in the New Year is A STANDARD TIME NEW YEAR'S EVE, a return engagement of the summer's sell-out concert, filled with memorable melodies made famous by the likes of Sinatra, Clooney, Martin, Davis and Ella. Once again headlined by Broadway stars Dan Cooney and Chelsea Packard, other returning performers include Bryana Hall, Chris Joseph and David Moan. With an amazing jazz band, also led by Encore favorite, Tyler Driskill, there will be music, dancing, hors d oeuvres and champagne flowing until midnight - oh, and the Orange Bowl game on the large flat screen TV in The Encore lobby!

Merry & Bright will run for three performances only, December 16-17 at 7:30pm and December 18 at 3pm; A Standard Time New Year's Eve will run December 31st from 8pm-midnight. Tickets for all holiday events are currently on sale, and can be purchased online at www.theencoretheatre.org/, by calling 734-268-6200, or by visiting the box office at 7714 Ann Arbor Street (see website for current box office hours). Proof of Vaccination or a Negative COVID Test is required for all events.

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