Placer Community Theater Holiday Gala & Fundraiser at Placer Community Theater

Join us for a Festive Evening of Christmas Stories, live music, wine, beer, finger foods, and dessert! The fundraising event will feature live music and readings of short stories and poems.
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry is a beautiful, emotional, and sentimental tale about the value of love, generosity, inner beauty, and sacrifice. Della and Jim, a young married couple living in abject poverty, must sell their most treasured possessions to afford to buy each other Christmas presents. Through an ironic twist of circumstances, not everything goes to plan, and the couple finds themselves with useless gifts. Their sacrifices, however, are a reassuring symbol that love is more important than material possessions and that the sentiment behind the gift is more important than the gift itself. A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES This piece, written by Dylan Thomas, is a charming, anecdotal reminiscence of Christmas from the author's viewpoint as a young boy. It is a lyrical and evocative portrayal, nostalgic of ‘simpler times.’ The story vividly captures many aspects of the Christmas season, including a romantic view as he looks out his bedroom window “into the moonlight and the unending smoke-colored snow.”
A VISIT FROM SAINT NICHOLAS Popularly known as ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ by Clement Clarke Moore. It is a favorite American classic and undeniably one of the most beloved poems of the holiday season. It takes us on a journey as we prepare and highly anticipate a visit from our merry friend, jolly old Santa, and his fabled flying reindeer.
Our Actors! John Watson is a San Francisco native with decades of community theater experience; he has acted in “Barefoot in the Park” and “Greater Tuna.” and in other roles, including Grandpa in Sierra Stages', “You Can’t Take It with You” and Professor Plum in “Clue on Stage" at the Nevada Theater. He will be one of the two emcees at the event. Sandra Rockman has been our region's veteran community theater actor and artist since 1978. She has directed over 40 plays, including “Our Town” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” She also teaches improvisation in Nevada County. Scott Divine is a seasoned actor and a student of the late, great Ed Claudio; He's played Hamlet, Macbeth, and other Shakespeare characters and directed several of Shakespeare's plays. Dave Atkinson is a versatile performer with a stand-up comedy and improvisational theater background. He has played multiple roles in productions like “Greater Tuna” and “The War of the Worlds.” Dave is also a musician and will be one of the event's emcees. Our Musicians are the fine, classically trained Auburn Symphony Cellist George Weis, internationally known soprano Rufina James, and the English-American Harpist Liz Baxmeyer. 

There will be a silent auction, and surprise gifts will be given to a few lucky audience members!