Ordway to Present IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS This December

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is excited to present its 2016 holiday show, Irving Berlin's White Christmas. The Ordway-produced musical will run Dec. 8-31 for a total of 30 performances. Tickets for the holiday classic start at $41 and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at 651-224-4222 or in-person at the Ordway ticket office.

Based on the 1954 Technicolor film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, this sparkling musical will dazzle audiences with big dance numbers and the unforgettable music of Irving Berlin. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act. But when they follow two singing sisters to Vermont with romance on the mind, they discover that the nearly bankrupt lodge the sisters were scheduled to perform at happens to be owned by their former army commander. This holiday classic includes some of Irving Berlin's biggest hits, such as "Blue Skies," "I Love a Piano," "How Deep Is the Ocean" and, of course, the perennial favorite, "White Christmas."

The cast for the Ordway's holiday show will feature Dieter Bierbrauer as Bob Wallace, Ann Michels as Betty Haynes, Brian Sostek as Phil Davis and Jenny Piersol as Judy Haynes. Also featured are James Detmar as General Waverly, Natalie Tran and Valerie Wick alternating in the role of Susan Waverly and Thomasina Petrus as Martha Watson.

Rounding out the cast are Gary Briggle, Brooke Davis, Larissa Gritti, Caroline Innerbichler, Richard Ooms, Randy Schmeling, Lisa Bartholomew-Given, Jessica Fredrickson, Reid Harmsen, Kayla Jenerson, Brad Madison, Louise Madison, Abigail Magalee, Joey Miller, Kole Nelson, Kevin Nietzel, Rudolph Searles III and Krysti Wiita.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas is directed and choreographed by James A. Rocco, Ordway's vice president of programming and producing artistic director.

"White Christmas is one of the most requested shows in the history of the Ordway, and we're so excited to bring our own production to St. Paul this December," said Rocco. "The holiday season is about being with the ones you love and coming together as a community, and that's exactly what this show is about."

Irving Berlin's White Christmas features music and lyrics by Irving Berlin with a book by David Ives and Paul Blake. The production's creative team includes Jeff Rizzo (musical director), Raymond Berg (associate musical director), Anna Louizos (scenic design), Pamila Gray (lighting design), Andy Horka (sound design), Carrie Robbins (costume design), Lynda Salsbury (additional costume design), Rick Polenek (props design), Robert A. Dunn (hair and make-up design) and Reid Harmsen (casting).

Irving Berlin's White Christmas is sponsored by Frauenshuh. The show is part of the Ordway's 2016-17 Musical Theater Series, sponsored by Bremer Bank. For tickets and more information, visit www.ordway.org.

The Ordway is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Paul's most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway's Music Theater and Concert Hall attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway's mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve more than 50,000 students annually. Together with Minnesota Opera, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances. For more information, visit www.ordway.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.