Home for the Holidays with AFT
Featuring
Doc Heide, Chris Irwin,
and Claudia Russell
Friday, December 28 - 7pm
Saturday, December 29 - 4pm & 7pm
Monday, December 31 - 4pm & 7pm
Now in its sixth incarnation, "Home for the Holidays with AFT" will feature Doc Heide, Chris Irwin, and Claudia Russell. This trio of AFT favorites will present an evening of songs and stories gathered from their own diverse holiday scrapbooks. The all-new concert for 2012 will play for five performances December 28th, 29th and 31st. "It all started as a opportunity to extend that holiday feeling beyond Christmas morning," said Holly Feldman, AFT Manager of Marketing, of the beginnings of "Home for the Holidays with AFT." "So many people talk about the 'let down' that follows shortly after the 'build up' to the holiday season. Our 'Home for the Holidays' concert has been very popular with folks who cherish the season of giving and don't want to see it end on December 25th."
"That's the really special thing about this particular show," said performer Doc Heide. "We get to reinvent it every year by bringing in new combinations of diverse and talented artists. Claudia, Chris and I have all sung on stage together, but never with this delightful material in this format. AFT primarily does book musicals these days, so it's a real treat to dust off our acoustic guitars and sing folk-style with good friends."
This year's performers all live in the San Francisco Bay Area and will rehearse out there for the show. "It doesn't exactly look like Christmas out here, so we'll have to drink plenty of ice tea to cool ourselves down," Doc said.
Claudia Russell is an outstanding singer and songwriter who has shared stages with Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Loudon Wainwright III, Steve Forbert, Tish Hinojosa, Kris Kristoffersen, Willie Nelson, Darryl Purpose, Peter Rowan, Rosalie Sorrels and Bill Staines, among many others. Claudia has performed for thousands as cast member in several productions at AFT, including Old Friends, Goodnight Irene, Fish and Whistle, and Sometimes a Song. The last time Claudia appeared in "Home for the Holidays" a review noted that she and Scott Wakefield "redefined audience participation with their rendition of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas.'"
Chris Irwin returns to AFT this winter for his 16th production. Favorites have included Lumberjacks in Love, Goodnight Irene, and the original cast of Guys On Ice. He last appeared in "Home for the Holidays" in 2008 with Eric Lewis. A Tennessee native, Chris is a regular at the "Fishstock" and "Woodwalk" concert series every summer in Door County, and released his debut CD "Find My Keys" in 2005. Earlier this year he was honored to appear in the Atlanta premier of "Ring of Fire," the Johnny Cash tribute show.
AFT co-founder Doc Heide has helped write several of AFT's most popular shows, including Belgians in Heaven, Guys & Does, and Packer Fans from Outer Space. Among his three CD's is 2009's "Christmas in Door County" with Eric Lewis, which led ChristmasReviews.com to dub them "masters of the contemporary acoustic idiom." This coming year will be Doc's 40th season performing with AFT and its predecessor troupe The Heritage Ensemble.
Evening performances of "Home for the Holidays with AFT" are scheduled for 7pm on December 28th, 29th and 31st. Matinee performances will be at 4pm on December 29th and 31st. Tickets for are $20 for adults and $12 for children. Advance tickets are available by calling (920) 854-6117, online at www.FolkloreTheatre.com, or by stopping in the AFT office, which is located at the Green Gables Shops in North Ephraim. All seats are General Admission. Any remaining tickets will be sold at Gibraltar Town Hall beginning 45 minutes before each performance. As a special holiday treat, each show will also feature a drawing for gift certificates from local businesses.
