by Lorie Lewis Ham
Christmas shows are popping up all over the Valley, including CenterStage Clovis’ production of Plaid Tidings, performing the first weekend of December in Clovis, CA. Plaid Tidings is a fun and different sort of Christmas show–KRL took a moment to chat with the show’s director, Scott Hancock, about the show.
Details on how to win a 4 pack of tickets to the show at the end of this post!
KRL: What is Plaid Tidings about?
Scott: Plaid Tidings is the semi-sequel to the wildly popular Forever Plaid. The “Plaids” come back to earth one more time to perform the Christmas show they never got to do in life. At first they’re not sure why they’ve been given this second chance at a return to earth, but through a lot of humor and heart, they realize their mission is to spread joy and Christmas spirit to a world desperately in need of just that.
Cast of PLAID TIDINGS left to right: Darren Tharp, Kyle Dodson, Brandon Crane, and Adam Kitt
KRL: Are there Christmas songs in the show we will recognize?
Scott: Absolutely. One of the things I love about this show is that it is unapologetically a Christmas show. One number in particular, Psycho Christmas, is a medley of over 10 Christmas songs all rolled into one frenetic (and somehow beautiful) medley.
KRL: Who is in this cast? Is this the same cast that was in your last production of Forever Plaid?
Scott: The cast is comprised of Adam Kitt, Darren Tharp, Kyle Dodson, and Brandon Crane (Plus a few surprises.) Adam and Brandon are brand new Plaids, while Kyle and Darren reprise their roles from the original cast.
KRL: I know you have directed Forever Plaid several times, but have you ever directed Plaid Tidings before?
Scott: No, this is my first experience with Plaid Tidings. It has been so much fun to revisit this very special group.
KRL: Why did Centerstage Clovis decide to do this show?
Scott: When we did Forever Plaid in the fall of 2013 it was very successful. We’ve always wanted to mount the sequel, and since it’s a Christmas show, this just seemed like the perfect chance to do it. We’re wanting to expand our live theater offerings to more than just one summer show, so this is our first attempt at a Holiday timed and themed show.
FOREVER PLAID rehearsal
KRL: What is your favorite part of the show?
Scott: That’s a tough one, because there’s so much to love about this show. I guess my favorite part is the overall “the underdog gets to finally win” theme that runs through the show. As far as moments in the show, the ever-popular (revamped) Ed Sullivan Show sequence is my favorite.
KRL: What was the hardest part of directing this show?
Scott: The hardest part of directing this, I would have to say, is making it stand alone from the original. There were a lot of “insider” jokes and comments that would’ve made sense had the audience just seen the original. Since that’s not the case, we had to edit and refine the text to make this a stand alone piece that doesn’t make anyone feel cheated that they didn’t see the original.
KRL: Is there anything else different about your production of this show? Any special touches that maybe companies don’t always do?
Scott: We always strive to put our own spin on every show we do. In this case, we’re using a full jazz combo for accompaniment, we’ve added a female character to the show that adds a lot of humor, and a lot of audience interaction.
KRL: Why only 4 performances?
Scott: Since this is our first swing at a Christmas show, we decided that just one weekend would suffice. People’s schedules this time of year are so crazy, so we thought just one weekend would be the best route to go.
KRL: Dates, times, location, ticket prices, and where can tickets be purchased?
Scott: Shows are Thursday, November 30, Friday, December 1, and Saturday December 2. Each day has an 8:00 p.m. show, plus a 2:00 p.m. matinee on December 2. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.centerstageclovis.com.
We are doing the show at the Clovis Veteran’s Memorial District Auditorium, 808 Fourth St., Clovis. (Right across the street from the MET on the Clark campus where we do our summer shows.)
To enter to win a family pack of 4 tickets to any performance of this fun show, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Plaid Tidings,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 27, 2017. Be certain to include your email address with each entry and what date you wish to attend–do not enter if you cannot attend. Tickets will be waiting for the winner at will call to be picked up the night of the show.
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Would love to see this show!
We have a winner!