An old-fashioned Christmas is coming your way

In a year that demands new ways of doing things, the American Readers Theatre in collaboration with The Presby Players Community Theater will present its first-ever online Christmas show, a ticketed event, on Dec. 18 through 20.

Musical director Sandy Stalter will be one of the singers in the cast of 15, in addition to providing the piano accompaniment.

“We recorded all of the songs individually,” she said. “Each singer had an hour long timeslot to do their performance. I accompanied each singer on the piano, except for the two songs that I sing, for which I pre-recorded the piano accompaniment. I’m excited that I get to sing in this one!”

She said most of the songs will be classic Christmas songs that should be familiar to the audience.

The show, “An Old Fashioned Christmas,” was videotaped in Port Jervis at Marsh Hall, the home of The Presby Players Community Theater.

“It was like filming a movie as compared to performing ‘live’,” said the artistic director, Jeffrey Stocker. “We had to concern ourselves with light and sound for the camera.”

Stocker said he had to make sure each singer was focused correctly in the frame, and errors had to be edited.

“Sandy and I feel like we entered a new way to present our very talented performers,” he said. “This was been a learning experience for everyone involved. I must confess I miss live performing and live audiences. My Christmas wish is that we get a vaccine ASAP.”

The online event will be shown at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20. A $20 ticket, good for the entire household, is available online at our.show/ARTXmas.