See what it means to experience Christmas the Irish way when the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center welcomes Christmas in Killarney: An Irish Christmas Celebration to the Mainstage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8.
The Irish village of Killarney comes alive in the 1920s with world-class Irish dancing, classic Christmas songs, and a heartwarming story about love, family, and tradition during this spirited stage production. Marvel as Irish dancers leap through the air and tap their feet to the music of the season. Enjoy favorite holiday songs including “Joy to the World,” “Hark the Herald Angels,” “Oh, Holy Night,” “Sleigh Ride,” and many more.
Created by the 2009 World Champion of Irish Dance Scott Doherty and worldwide touring Irish musician Chris Smith, Christmas in Killarney combines the excitement of Irish dance with the harmonies of traditional Christmas classics. The creative team includes Broadway director Jeff Whiting, Emmy Award-winning set designer Jason Ardizzone-West, arranger Gary Lensenmayer, costume designer Sarah Cubbage, and New York-based lighting designer Aaron Porter.
A special holiday mix of Mendel Center Wassail, made with Lake Michigan Vintners cider, will be served as part of the cash bar.
Tickets for Christmas in Killarney: An Irish Christmas Celebration start at $35. They may be purchased at www.TheMendelCenter.com/events and through the Mendel Center box office at 269-927-8700 option 1 or in person weekdays from noon – 2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m. The box office is also open two hours before show times in the Mainstage lobby.
Patrons who purchase tickets at the same time to Christmas in Killarney and to the Dec. 1 performance of The Baltimore Consort presents Wassail, Wassail! Music for the Yuletide Season will receive 25 percent off regular prices when the code JINGLE25 is used at checkout. Not applicable on Club Mendel seating.
This event is part of The Mendel Center’s Discovery Series and is funded in part by the Gast Young People’s Performance Endowment. This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
***
Mendel Center 2023-2024 Season Sponsors
Stage Side Sponsors: Meijer, Sturgis Bank, TPC Technologies, Wales Wealth Management Group,
Platinum Sponsor: CK Catering, Forte Coffee
Media Partners: 97.5 Y Country, 98.3 The Coast, The Herald Palladium, The Lake 95.7 MailMax, News/Talk 94.9 WSJM, Rock 107 WIRX, SuperHits 103.7
Preferred Partner Hotel: The Boulevard Inn & Bistro
Artistic Partners: Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Twin City Players
***
About the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center
The Lake Michigan College Mendel Center raised the curtain on its first Mendel Center season performance in the fall of 1992. Since then, it has presented performances and guest speakers to more than half a million patrons in the 1,559-seat Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre. Grand Upton Hall, first opened in 1979 and fully renovated in 2019, is a 13,700-square-foot venue serving the community as the host site for meetings, banquets, trade shows, weddings, and other celebrations. The 229-seat Hanson Theatre, which was renovated in 2020, hosts numerous Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department performances as well as a variety of Mendel Center and community events.
The Mendel Center is 30 minutes from Niles and 40 minutes from the Kalamazoo and South Bend areas. It is located on the Lake Michigan College campus at 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan, one mile east of I-94 (Exit 30) and one mile west of the US 31 Bypass (exit 24). Its GPS mapping address is 1100 Yore Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI.
Posted October 28, 2023