For the 9th Annual Around Cincinnati Christmas Special, Lee Hay has assembled a wonderful collection of local musicians, actors, authors and more to celebrate the words, music and spirit of the season. Airing Sunday, December 22 from 7:00-9:00pm, here's what you'll hear as you prepare for Christmas week. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
John Morris Russell, conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is this year’s guest reader of “’Twas the Night before Christmas.”
Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin, Dayton area poet and Paul Laurence Dunbar scholar, reads his “A Meditation: The Appetite of Peace; The Appetite of Light”
Other holiday poetry readings and stories by Around Cincinnati contributors Barbara Gray, Rick Pender, Ron Esposito and Jane Durrell.
Local author Shelley Shepard Gray reads a letter from her Christmas book, “Peace: A Crittenden County Christmas Novel.”
Ring IV: A Cincinnati Keyboard Christmas for Public Radio: Selections from local musicians appearing on the final RING cd, including Steve Schmidt, Ricky Nye with Kim Taylor, Michael Chertock with Catherine Fishlock, Julie Spangler, Chris Comer Trio, Papa Loves Mambo.
Holiday songs from other local musicians including Raison D’Etre; Seabird; the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral; Adelee & Gentry; Rosemary Clooney (with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra); Cincinnati Pops Orchestra; The Bluebirds Big Band; Adagio Trio; Bobby Fischer and Michael Ronstadt; Ric Hordinski & Monk; Ekimi.
Soprano Maria Valdes and pianist Marcus Kuchle, Director of Artistic Operations at Cincinnati Opera, perform “Ave Maria,” recorded in Cincinnati Public Radio’s Corbett Studio.
Scenes performed in our studio by local theatre companies:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company – a scene from “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!" with actors Billy Chace, Justin McCombs, and Sara Clark.
New Edgecliff Theatre – Annie Kalahurka performs a scene from “The 12 Dates of Christmas.”
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati – “Jingle Bells” from “The Day Before Christmas,” directed by Angela Powell Walker.
Playhouse in the Park – a scene from “A Christmas Carol” by actors Bruce Cromer (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Craig Wesley Divino (Scrooge’s nephew, Fred).
Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati – the song “Take Me Around the World” from “Around the World in 80 Days” performed by Ken Early and Michael G. Bath.
Hour 1:
Ekimi 'Minute Noel'
John Morris Russell 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'
Van Ackerman
Roberta Schultz
Raison D'Etre 'Angels We Have Heard on High'
Barbara Gray 'In the Bleak Midwinter'
Robyn Carey-Allgeyer
Choir of Christ Church Cathedral 'In the Bleak Midwinter Rejoice!'
Ricky Nye & Kim Taylor 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Bobby Fischer/Michael Ronstadt 'Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella'
Ric Hordinski
Monk Coventry 'Carol How Like a Winter'
Ekimi 'Sing Out, Christmas Time is Here'
Kevin Rowinski
Rick Pender 'Christmas Sparrow'
Frank Johnson
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra 'I Believe'
Rosemary Clooney & Cinti Pops 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'
Playhouse in the 'A Christmas Carol'
Seabird 'Go Tell It on the Mountain'
Jim Stump
Papa Loves Mambo 'Little Drummer Boy'
Jeff Seibert
Angela Powell Walker
Children's Theatre of Cincinnati 'Jingle Bells'
Ron Esposito 'Interrelationship'
Ekimi 'Minute Noel'
Hour 2:
Cincinnati Opera 'Ave Maria'
Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin 'A Meditation: The Appetite of Peace, the Appetite of Light'
Michael Chertock/Catherine Fishlock 'DivinumMysterium'
Julie Spangler/Roger Klug 'I Saw Three Ships'
Brian O'Donnell
Cincinnati Ballet
Shelley Shepard Gray
Chris Comer
Chris Comer Trio 'Do You Hear What I Hear?'
Jim Nolan
The Bluebirds 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer'
Ensemble Theatre 'Take Me Around the World'
Jane Durrell 'family Christmas in Italy'
Kelly Blewett
Adelee & Gentry 'Waiting for Christmas'
Annie Kalahurka '12 Dates of Christmas'
Klingon greeting
Adagio Trio 'The Cherry Tree Carol/the Holly & the Ivy'
Steve Schmidt 'Ave Maria'
Ekimi 'Minute Noel'