In these current days of COVID before mass vaccination, live performance outlets are still extremely limited or nonexistent with the state s recent return to Phase 3, Step 1.
Fortunately, many artists, musicians, actors, producers and others in related areas here and with Worcester area ties were determined to keep going. Often that meant finding innovative ways to express themselves and to continue to engage and entertain us.
O Donovan brought us GBH Presents A Christmas Celtic Sojourn ONLINE with Brian O Donovan. The Hanover Theatre engaged its new THT Rep and the BrickBox Theater for A Christmas Carol Reimagined, while Music Worcester presented a Virtual Messiah Sing. New voices emerged.
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O donovan
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn is an on-stage gathering to celebrate light in Celtic style during the darkest time of the year. Each December, the show draws on Celtic, Pagan, and Christian traditions to celebrate the season. Hosted by Brian O Donovan, and featuring some of finest singers, dancers, and musicians from around the Celtic World, this television program was recorded in 2019 in front of a sell out audience at the historic Cutler Majestic Theatre in downtown Boston.
Episode Duration: 56 minutes and 46 seconds
Episode Number: 2020
Holiday Events for the Whole Family: The lights continue to shine
Common Content
HOLIDAY ART DISPLAY: The “From Russia with Art Holiday” exhibit will be on display at The Picture Place, 320A Harvard St., Brookline, through Dec. 30.
The exhibition is open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.
The exhibition is curated by Olesya and Jerry Koenig and Tom Coppi. Masks and social distancing are required. Etchings, oil paintings and mixed media will be on display.
Featured artists are Anatoly Dverin, Alexander Korman, Misha Lenn, Stanislav Nikireev, Alexander Vetrov, Irena Makoveeva, George Lapchinsky and Vladimir Vorobyov.
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center to remain dark through June 2021
Wicked Local
NEW BEDFORD – Zeiterion Performing Arts Center will extend the postponement of indoor performances through June 30, 2021, prioritizing safety for the audience, staff, artists, and crew in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. More than a dozen performances have been rescheduled for late 2021 and early 2022. The Z will continue to offer virtual performances and classes during this closure. Like many venues across the country, we have made the difficult decision not to present shows inside the theater through June 2021 to ensure safety for all,” said Rosemary Gill, executive director, Zeiterion Performing Arts Center. “But rest assured, the show will go on. We’ve worked with artists and agents to reschedule these postponed shows, and we’ll be adding new shows soon. Thank you for your support and patience as we navigate this uncharted territory. We look forward to seeing you in 2021!”
The tumultuous upside-down, inside-out year of 2020 is finally grinding to a conclusion. Happily, it’s going to end with a much-loved tradition still intact, albeit in a slightly different form. “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn,” the holiday-themed variety show created and hosted by Brian O’Donovan, and usually presented live from multiple locations each year, is retitled as “A Virtual Christmas Celtic Sojourn” this time around.
The 2020 show will be pre-recorded, featuring O’Donovan hosting, telling a story or two, maybe reciting a poem, along with his Christmas Celtic Ensemble and a roster of guests, some, through technical wizardry, performing from other countries. It will be streamed, Dec. 15-20, with the show emanating from the stage of the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, and will have separate intros from O’Donovan each night, suggesting that the performance is coming from the usual different venues.