THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER will sail again at Center for the Arts

One of the most popular holiday shows ever presented by Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts - The Christmas Schooner - will be revived this holiday season.

Described as "a show the whole family will enjoy," The Christmas Schooner is the story of the first Christmas tree ship and the family who risked their lives to fill Chicago with the Christmas spirit; it features a powerful, moving story, an exquisite score of original music and traditional holiday favorites.

The remounting of The Christmas Schooner has been a dream of director Cyndie Verbeten ever since the popular 2014 production. Verbeten has wanted to produce another run of the holiday musical and approached Patience Long, the Center's executive director with the proposal, and was excited to receive support to revive the show.

"We were receiving the feedback from our audiences that they wanted a traditional Christmas show in our December calendar slot," explains Long. "So I was thrilled when Cyndie came to me with the information that many of the cast members from the 2014 production were interested in restaging the musical."

A timely and uplifting tale of love and loss, The Christmas Schooner reminds us of tradition, and our responsibility to celebrate the living while honoring our heritage. The shipwreck of the Rouse Simmons, known as "The Christmas Tree Ship," served as inspiration for the show. Her captain and crew risked the notoriously violent winter lake to bring Christmas trees from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Chicago's German immigrants. Each year, Captain Herman Schuenemann would sell trees right off the ship at the Clark Street Docks, and was known to give free trees to the needy. On November 23, 1912, the ship was swept up in a terrible storm. It was not until 59 years later that she was discovered, lying in 170 feet of water. Today the Rouse Simmons and her cargo of 5,500 well stacked trees remain preserved in the cold, fresh waters of Lake Michigan and her legend has grown over the years.

The Center's 2016 production features David West as Peter Stossel, the hardworking captain whose sense of obligation to the other immigrants causes him to undertake the dangerous voyage each year. Center favorite Alexius Frost is portraying his wife Alma, and Gary Davis is reprising his role as Gustav Stossel. They are joined by young Alex Geraci, who is portraying Karl Stossel as a child - the son of Peter and Alma. Other cast members returning to reprise their roles include Andrew Hosale, Jack Teal, Ted Verbeten, Suzi Richardson, Lydia McLaurin, Victoria Richardson and Jared Taylor.

Tickets are available at the Center's website at www.boroarts.org, by (615) 904- 2787, or stopping by the Center's box office at 110 W. College St. in downtown Murfreesboro. Prices are $15 for adults; $13 for seniors, students and military; and $11 for children. Group tickets are available. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings and 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons.

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