For those who love the play and movie “Elf,” the Odessa High School Broncho Legacy Choir has just the ticket — it’s Christmas concert titled “Sparkle, Jolly, Twinkle, Jingly.”
The show takes its name from the opening song. Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Odessa High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at ohschoir.ludus.com and are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. They can also be purchased at the door.
Director of Choirs Ginger Storey said there are 13 vocalists, two managers and one sound technician. There are also musicians — Stephanie Carter on piano, Ian Chavez on drums, Caleb Williams on bass and Johnny Saldivar on guitar.
Choreographers are Tammie Locklar and Haley Trevino.
They have been working on the show since early fall. Associate Choir Director Stephanie Burton has been teaching the students the music and getting them prepared.
Since “Sparkle, Jolly, Twinkle, Jingly” is the opening number, the choir thought they would use it as the show title.
There are pop, country and jazzy Christmas songs included, along with Christmas classics. Group numbers and solos will also be featured, along with costumes.
“We’re doing some Bing Crosby. We’re doing some Michael Buble. We wouldn’t be a Christmas show without some Michael Buble, but then we’re also doing Kelly Clarkson and some more of the … modern pop stars and some country musicians as well,” Storey added.
Storey said she’s looking forward to the show.
“It’ll be fun. I think it’s going to be fun working with Ms. Burton, because it’ll be our first show together and seeing her vision of things. I don’t know how different of a direction it’ll go, but it’s her show and let her kind of dream big,” Storey said.
She added that people should turn out to see the concert.
“It’ll be a great start to their holiday season and on that Saturday show, especially, it’s before the parade so people can come here and watch the show and then go out and watch the parade and support both choir and our bands. We’d love to have them for that. But I think it’s going to be a fun show,” Storey said.
The City of Odessa’s Parade of Lights will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2.
Ayven Nichols, a 17-year-old senior, said he’s been in Legacy for three years.
“We’ve had big changes since my previous years, but I think all in all, it’s going to go smoothly and well. We have a good group of people that will help that,” Nichols said.
He added that Burton has done a good job, rehearsals have gone well and all the work has been worth it.
“It’s a big production and we take a lot of time out of our day and money doing fundraisers, so if people are just looking for anything that would be entertaining in the slightest, even if they don’t like choir or dancing, it’s still a really fun show. … It’s not just like your average choir concert. It’s more energetic. … We’re all around the stage and we’re doing big movements. There are solos and there’s group numbers and it’s really fun,” Nichols said.
He added that he really likes the music this year.
“It’s more jazzy this year for Christmas than what we’re used to, but it’s still really good. We also have ballads, which are slower songs that aren’t jazzy. Our opener is very energetic, and it’s jazzy, so I think it’s going to be a good start to the show,” Nichols said.
Madison Barnett, a 17-year-old senior, is also in her third year in Legacy, but she helped out as a freshman assisting in all their shows and rehearsals.
Barnett said she enjoys being part of Legacy because it’s like a family.
“I love making music. That’s been my passion since I was little and it’s nice to be around other people that have the same passions as me. We get along and become a family in that way,” Barnett said.
She added that she enjoys all the music that the directors pick.
“The songs that we pick are typically pretty popular like stuff that you would hear on the radio. It’s not like going to a choir concert. It’s like you’re going to see a professional concert and it’s really fun. You not only get to hear the songs, but you get to see us up there. You get to see all the hard work, the payoff and like the family up there,” Barnett said.
The performers are also going to be dressed as Christmas characters like Mr. and Mrs. Claus, angels, nutcrackers, candy canes, elves and gingerbread.
“Our outfits are pretty freakin’ cute,” Barnett said.
Students are off for the week of Thanksgiving, so the concert will be right around the corner when they get back. Barnett said the directors trust them to practice on their own.
“That’s what makes this group so important is the ability and the trust that the directors and the kids have with each other to practice on our own, so that way when we do come back, we are able to start show week earlier because they trust us to practice on our own and to get it together,” she added.
Barnett noted that the music program is always in need of new people.
“If you’re afraid of performing or singing, there are people around you that are great with moral support and they’ll be alongside you every step of the way, so don’t be afraid to join,” she added.
This is Burton’s first Christmas show at OHS.
“I’m really excited because they wear costumes, and to me, that makes it so fun and vibrant. It gives it a little more Christmassy mood. It’s just more spectacular. I also like that we partner with theater department. They help backstage, making it more of a theatrical production overall with the costumes and the backstage crew,” Burton said.
She added that the students are really hardworking and passionate.
“We have a lot of fun. There’s just a lot of joy in their singing and in their performing,” Burton said.
She added that she’s really excited about the production.
“I think it’s going to be so much fun. I like that it’s at the beginning of December. I hope that a lot of people will come and I really think it’s going to put them in the Christmas spirit. Just the title, Sparkle, Jolly, Twinkle, Jingly, … that’s really what we’re trying to bring with this show is just a lot of sparkle and fun,” Burton said.
