Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival has launched its “Muse of Fire Project,” an educational initiative that lets high school students from across the Lehigh Valley and beyond take part in a fully-produced Shakespeare play.
The project’s inaugural production, “Much Ado About Nothing,” will take place on the main stage at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, which is located on the campus of DeSales University in Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County.
The project is an expansion of PSF’s educational outreach, giving high school students the opportunity to perform on a professional stage and work with professional directors and artists.
Following weeks of rehearsals at the Allentown Public Library, the young artists will present a modern take on Shakespeare’s witty romantic comedy.
“When you bring together talented high school students from across multiple districts and give them the tools to not just perform ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ but to truly inhabit it, something magical happens,” sad director Kim Carson, PSF’s director of education and community engagement. “Students who may have seen Shakespeare as a barrier are now breaking through it with courage, creativity, and passion. These young artists are proving that classical theater isn’t locked in the past. It’s alive, vital, and waiting for the next generation to carry it forward.”
The project gives students hands-on experience in all aspects of theatrical production, whether they act, build, design, or run crew.
Shakespeare’s spirited comedy offers a tale of two courtships. Beatrice (Jocelyn Kluesner of Central Bucks High School South) and Benedick (Jackson Mascio of Saucon Valley High School) elevate the art of the quarrel in their duel of glittering wordplay, while Claudio (Hakeem Qayyum of Parkland High School) and Hero (Adryan Sein Diaz of Dieruff High School) have their true love put to the test by the villain Don John (Sam Skinner of Moravian Academy Upper School). Plots are challenged by comical officers, as honor and desire collide to create much ado about laughter and love.
The cast includes Elijah Christie, who is homeschooled; Jade Lopez of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts; Jenna Le-Verges of Dieruff High School; Matthew Monroe of Parkland High School; Gage Reichard of Dieruff High School; Cailey Sylvester of Freedom High School; and Marilou Vasquez of Dieruff High School.
The crew includes Gwen Jones of Southern Lehigh High School as stage manager; Meredith Christie, who is homeschooled, as assistant stage manager; Lennie Vargas of Parkland High School as costume coordinator; Christine Dauster of Parkland High School; Haley Jacob of Notre Dame High School; and Parker Rosado of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts.
Assisting the students are assistant director Rachael Szabo and lighting designer Henry Ingles, both from DeSales University.
The production runs 90 minutes with no intermission.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The audience can share light refreshments with the cast and crew following Sunday’s performance.
Tickets cost $10.
Mainstreet Brass holiday concert
Mainstreet Brass will present its annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the historic Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is located at 323 Nazareth Pike (Route 191) in Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County.
The program will feature stylized arrangements of beloved carols and seasonal music from around the world.
Mainstreet Brass, ensemble in residence at Central Moravian Church and the brass ensemble for the annual Bach Festival in Bethlehem, will present a varied collection of familiar and not-so-familiar carols expertly arranged for the group by Roger Harvey, former trombonist and staff arranger of the legendary Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, and Richard Price, Mainstreet Brass’ recording engineer. Arrangements of seasonal music by members of the Mainstreet Brass will also be featured, including two ancient carols from the remote Hebrides of Scotland and a suite, with narration, from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
“We’re delighted to once again host Mainstreet Brass for this special holiday concert, a wonderful way to step out of our busy December schedules and enjoy a spirited concert filled with holiday classics and some surprises,” said David Ruhf, cantor at Trinity Hecktown. “It’s sure to inspire and delight.”
A reception with savories and sweets will follow the concert, a time to meet the musicians and gather with friends and fellow audience members.
Admission is $10 at the door and will support the church’s charitable programs.
Vienna Boys Choir
Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem will welcome the internationally acclaimed Vienna Boys Choir to Baker Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Celebrated for its angelic tone, musical precision, and centuries-old legacy, the choir returns to the Lehigh Valley with a festive program perfect for the holiday season.
Known worldwide for its pure sound, the Vienna Boys Choir features boy sopranos and altos ages eight to 14, representing 31 countries united by their extraordinary musicianship. With roots dating back more than 600 years, the choir has produced many of history’s greatest musical talents, including Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert. Its yuletide performance blends classical elegance with joyful celebration, offering a wide-ranging program of Baroque masterpieces, Austrian folk songs, sacred hymns, contemporary favorites, waltzes, polkas, and more.
The choir’s warm spirit, stunning vocal blend, and impeccable technique create a moving and memorable experience for audiences.
Founded in 1498, the Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most storied musical institutions in the world. Based in Austria, the ensemble maintains a rigorous performance schedule across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, sharing its tradition of musical excellence and cultural heritage with global audiences. With a commitment to education and artistic development, the choir continues to shape future generations of vocalists.
Tickets cost $45 to $55.
Celtic Christmas
Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem will celebrate the season with Seán Heely’s Celtic Christmas at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Baker Hall.
Led by award-winning Scottish fiddler Seán Heely, this high-energy holiday performance will feature a cast of acclaimed Celtic musicians and dancers who bring the spirit of Scotland and Ireland to life.
The audience will experience the magic of Christmastime and winter solstice traditions through thrilling fiddle tunes, soaring bagpipes, and vibrant Celtic dance.
Heely, a U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, celebrated Irish fiddler, Scots Gaelic singer, and harpist, will lead an ensemble of outstanding guest artists on a musical journey across the Celtic world. From ancient Gaelic carols and heartfelt seasonal songs to lively Irish reels and festive favorites, the program will combine timeless melodies with contemporary flair. With kilts, tartan, and joyful movement, the evening promises to warm hearts and lift holiday spirits.
The audience is invited to begin the festivities early with a free 6:30 p.m. pre-show performance by Bethlehem’s Liberty High School Bagpipe Corps in the Butz Lobby.
Tickets cost $45.
ASO Holiday Pops
Alli Mauzey
The Allentown Symphony Orchestra will present its annual “Holiday Pops” at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown.
A sell-out every year and now an Allentown holiday music tradition, the audience will enjoy classics, carols, sing-a-longs, and special guest artists, dancers, a spotlight high school chorus, and Santa.
The orchestra is conducted by Diane Wittry.
Performers will include Broadway singer Alli Mauzey, community vocalist Kendal Conrad, narrator Jaciel Córdoba, and special guest Richard Warmkessel.
The spotlight high school choir will be the Emmaus High School chorale, directed by Julie Zimmer.
The concert also will feature El Sistema Lehigh Valley Chorus, directed by Amanda Haag; The Choir of the Mediator, directed by Anthony Hahn; and dancers from Accent School of Dance, directed by Karen Rich.
Tickets cost $30 to $81.
Venetian Christmas
Vox Philia will present its annual Christmas concert, “A Venetian Christmas,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Immanuel United Church of Christ, which is located at 99 South Waverly St. in Shillington, Berks County.
The concert will feature two major works by the brilliant Antonio Vivaldi. Alongside his famous “Gloria in D Major” (RV589), the choir will perform his lesser known “Magnificat” (RV 610). Both pieces will be accompanied by members of Berks Sinfonietta.
The choir also will perform two settings of “O Magnum Mysterium” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Alessandro Scarlatti. 2025 is a significant anniversary year for both composers: the 500th anniversary of Palestrina’s birth and the 300th anniversary of Scarlatti’s death. According to Vox Philia’s artistic director, David McConnell, these may well be the first performances in the Reading area of Vivaldi’s “Magnificat” and Scarlatti’s motet.
“Vivaldi’s fame arguably rests on his two most famous works, the ‘Gloria’ and his ‘Four Season’ violin concertos,” McConnell said. “But he wrote so much magnificent music, and we are excited to perform his ‘Magnificat,’ which I find dramatic and deeply moving.”
Tickets cost $15 for adults and $5 for students. All ticket revenue will be donated to the “Code Blue” initiative of Reading-based New Journey Community Outreach. A representative will speak at the concert to talk about its work in the community. Vox Philia has donated ticket revenue from two concerts each year, usually to local charities, since its first concert in December 2012.
Tickets are available online or at the door.
Berks ‘Nutcracker’
Berks Ballet Theatre will celebrate 50 years of holiday magic with its production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium, which is located at 15200 Kutztown Rd. in Maxatawny Township, Berks County.
For five decades, audiences have been swept away by Clara’s enchanting journey in which a cherished nutcracker comes to life and whisks her into a world of sparkling snow, delectable sweets, and the timeless beauty of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
This milestone season shines brighter than ever, featuring the artistry of Berks Ballet Theatre’s company dancers, special guest performers, and the live accompaniment of the Reading Pops Orchestra.
Performances will be at 1 and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets cost $40.
Satori solstice
Nora Suggs
Satori, a mixed ensemble of winds, strings, and piano, which plays both traditional and contemporary chamber music, will present “Shakuhachi Solstice” at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Charles A. Brown Ice House, which is located at 56 River St. in Bethlehem.
Described as “a moment of zen in the holiday rush,” the concert will feature Nora Nohraku Suggs on the shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese bamboo flute. Suggs will perform solo shakuhachi music from the courts and monasteries of old Japan. The music is peaceful, meditative, calming and introspective.
Suggs received her Jun-shihan and Shihan shakuhachi accreditations from the New York City Kyo-Shin-An dojo of Dai-Shihan James Nyoraku Schlefer and has also studied with Dai-Shihan Kurahashi Yodo II of Kyoto, Japan, and Dai-Shihan Dr. Riley Lee of Australia.
Tickets cost $10 and are available only at the door.
For more information, call 610-435-6036 or go to www.nohrakumusic.com.