For 6 years, Downtown Performing Arts Center has presented Alan Menken's A Christmas Carol, bringing together community talent both on stage and off. The 7th annual production will be no different. Audiences have gotten used DPAC's exciting and visually beautiful interpretation of Dickens' classic tale. What they may not know about is the talent behind the scenes that helps to make the show so stunning. Artist Director Jordan Brennan is in charge of all costuming, and when he isn't making them himself, he calls on Denise Carr, of New Hope, Pennsylvania to help.
Denise, a freelance seamstress specializing in costumes, first worked with DPAC in 2010, creating a set of 20 orphan costumes for Annie, DPAC's opening season at the Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre. She has worked on costumes for Brennan every summer since then. Seven years ago, Denise performed as a caroler in A Christmas Carol, and while watching the Santa Tap dance number, she decided that one day, she would be a Santa Tapper. She started taking Adult Tap classes at DPAC and became part of the dance number two years later. This year her two daughters, Sydney, a senior at New-Hope Solebury High School, and Cheyenne, a freshman, will join her on stage in the tap number.
Being a part of the DPAC is like being with extended family for Denise and her daughters. This will be a particularly special year for the Carr family, as Denise is making a new set of costumes for the Santa Tap dancers. Walk into her home, and it is what she calls "organized chaos." Fabric and designs are laid out everywhere, and no one in the household is allowed to touch or move anything.
Whether it is being behind a sewing machine, on stage in tap shoes, or being in the audience, when people are involved with DPAC, there is always a real sense of community. And DPAC is bringing even more to the Bucks and Hunterdon County communities next year. They are building Music Mountain Theatre, an indoor theatre in Lambertville which will bring performances to audiences all year round. An opening is scheduled for spring of next year.
A Christmas Carol will be presented by Curtain Up Productions and the Downtown Performing Arts Center and winter clothing drive to benefit Fisherman's Mark in Lambertville, NJ will take place on Friday, December 16 at 7:30, Saturday, December 17 at 3 pm and 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 18 at 3 pm at the South Hunterdon Regional High School Theatre located at 301 Mount Airy-Harbourton Rd. in Lambertville, New Jersey. Tickets are $18.00 for adults, $13.00 for children (12 and under) and seniors. Special rates are available for groups of 12 or more. Reserved seating for A Christmas Carol may be purchased in advance online at
www.downtownpac.com. Tickets for both productions will also be available at the door prior to each performance.
Written by Anya Madding
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