Celtic Yuletide Calls For Entries From SF Bay Area Choirs

Celtic Yuletide - starring internationally renowned Irish tenor Michael Londra (Riverdance on Broadway) - is now accepting entries from San Francisco Bay Area choirs to perform with Londra on-stage at the Marines' Memorial Theatre at select performances in December.

To enter, choirs must record a video of them performing a holiday song and upload it to YouTube or Vimeo. MP3 (audio) recordings are also accepted. Send video clips links or MP3s to beyondthestar@michaellondra.com. Be sure to include the choir name and contact information. Deadline for submission is Friday, October 7.

Upon reviewing all the entries, Londra will choose seven adult choirs and five youth choirs to participate in the final round of competition to be held at the Marines' Memorial Theatre in early November. The six winning choirs (five adult choirs and one youth choir) will be invited to join Celtic Yuletide on-stage during one of the following performances: Saturday, December 17 at 2 p.m., Sunday, December 18 at 7 p.m., Thursday, December 22 at 8 p.m. and Friday, December 23 at 2 p.m. (youth choir performance), Tuesday, December 27 at 8 p.m. and Friday, December 30 at 8 p.m. Winning choirs will perform three musical numbers of their own as well as join Londra in singing "The Road Not Taken."

Celtic Yuletide will feature traditional, heartwarming Irish carols as well as Gaelic versions of Christmas songs everyone knows and loves. More than a concert, the showwill also feature some of the best Irish stepdancers in the world, including featured dancer Owen Barrington, the 2008 Senior Men's World Irish Dance Champion and Riverdance alumnus, whose style has been compared to the Lord of the Dance himself, Michael Flatley. Other special guests include international stars, Sephira, the incredible duo from Ireland who are known for their beautiful voices as well as the mastery and excitement of their violins. Sisters Joyce and Ruth O'Leary have toured the world with their music, including two years on the road with Celtic Thunder. Beginning August 11, PBS will air "Beyond Celtic," a spectacular new special starring Londra and featuring Londra's 16 piece Orchestra, Irish Legend Frankie Gavin and his Celtic super group 'De Dannan and the musical sisters of Sephira. For airing dates, visit KQED.org.

Celtic Yuletide will play a limited engagement at San Francisco's Marines' Memorial Theatre (609 Sutter St., 2nd floor) from December 13, 2011 - January 1, 2012. Performance schedule is: Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. Wednesdays , Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. There is a special family matinee on Friday, December 23 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for Celtic Yuletide range in price from $35 - $70 and are available starting Sunday, August 28 at the Marines' Memorial Theatre box office, by phone at 415-771-6900 and on the Web at www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com. Premium seats are available for $100. A Celtic 4-pack ($5 off the price of each ticket) is available for all performances (excludes Premium seating and New Year's Eve performance). Tickets for the special family matinee on December 23 at 2 p.m. range in price from $15 - $70 (excludes Premium seating). Group tickets are available by calling 415-447-0184.

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