Church, Sorg Opera House partner to present Middletown Community Christmas

Breiel Church and the Sorg Opera House have partnered to present the inaugural A Middletown Community Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 8 and Sunday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Sorg.

“It makes perfect sense for us to work within the region and in the community to present programming that’s suitable for the building, and that fits the spirit of the building. It’s a holiday event, and it’s a great fit for the theater and for downtown,” said Chuck Miller, board president/chair of the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group.

The musical will include a choir, a small orchestra, dance, guest soloists, and a drama inside “a local coffee shop” in Small Town America in the days leading up to Christmas. Produced by Breiel Church, the high-quality, festive production will introduce the community to a memorable holiday production for the whole family. Also, the Sorg will be decorated for the holidays. Guests are invited to attend a reception following the performance with complimentary homemade cookies and punch.

“Middletown is on roll for the holidays … it’s part of the fabric of Middletown,” Miller said of the various holiday events in town and Light Up Middletown.

Dan Schaub, worship and active adults pastor at Breiel Church, said he hopes the program will become an annual holiday tradition.

“We’ve pulled in people from the community. A couple of our guest artists are Kip Moore and Audrey Whitaker-Wright. They are both from the Middletown community, and are both very well known in the community,” said Schaub, who also serves as the musical’s director.

He said a dance team from Centerville will perform, as well as various orchestra and band members from different high schools and churches in the area. The focus of the evening will center on a drama production, which was written by Loann Burke, who grew up at Breiel Church and lives in Miamisburg.

“This was handwritten for us. The drama is the piece that weaves the program together. The music is tied to that, along with the dance that will be done,” Schaub said.

He said the more than 125 volunteers involved with the show wanted to bring a music hall-quality performance to Middletown at a reasonable cost. The $6 ticket price helps to offset some of the costs of the production.

Audiences will hear familiar songs like “Oh Holy Night,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “Joy to the World,” as well as newer, contemporary pieces like “Follow the Light,” and “Christmas Tells Me So.”

“I would encourage the community to come out and see it, because music speaks to people in many different ways, and I think it will help pave the way for them to have a wonderful experience this Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to bring family and to invite friends. My hopes are that this becomes a tradition, and people say, hey, are we going to A Middletown Community Christmas this year?” Schaub said.

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HOW TO GO

What: A Middletown Community Christmas

When: Saturday, Dec. 8 and Sunday, Dec. 9. Show times are at 7 p.m., nightly. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Where: Sorg Opera House, 63 South Main Street, Middletown

Cost: Tickets are $6 each

More info: Visit www.sorgoperahouse.org and www.breielchurch.org. Tickets are available at www.cincyticket.com. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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