Celtic Yuletide To Play San Francisco's Marines' Memorial Theatre 12/13-1/1

Celtic Yuletide - starring internationally renowned Irish tenor Michael Londra (Riverdance on Broadway) - is preparing to sweep San Francisco Bay Area audiences away to the music, dance and heart of Ireland during the holidays. 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. Press night is Tuesday, December 13. Tickets for Celtic Yuletide range in price from $35 - $70. Premium tickets, Celtic 4-packs and family matinee prices available - see below for more details. Tickets are available starting Sunday, August 28th at the Marines' Memorial Theatre box office, by phone at 415-771-6900 and on the Web at marinesmemorialtheatre.com .

With the excitement of world class Irish Dancers, internationally renowned Irish musicians and special guest artists Sephira, Celtic Yuletide is a family friendly, high energy holiday treat bringing the best of Ireland to the San Francisco stage.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to be performing in the City by the Bay," says Londra, a native of Wexford, Ireland. "It's one of my favorite places to perform and I'm excited to be bringing an Irish Christmas to San Francisco audiences. I can't think of a nicer place to spend this holiday season."

Hailed as "one of the greatest Irish singers of our time," Londra will perform traditional, heartwarming Irish carols like "Winter, Fire and Snow" and Gaelic versions of Christmas songs everyone loves, including "Silent Night" ("Oiche Ciuin") and "The Wexford Carol." The evening will also feature Celtic songs of a new Ireland, including Londra's popular classical crossover song "Beyond the Star," which has been recorded and performed by choirs worldwide. Not to be forgotten, carols familiar to U.S. audiences - including "O Come Emmanuel" and "In the Bleak Mid Winter" - will also be heard.

Accompanying Londra will be an 11-piece orchestra and Irish band featuring world class Irish musicians, and the fiddle playing frenetic reels and heartbreaking ballads, a bodhrán (the national drum of Ireland) driving the rhythms, low whistles, and the haunting, plaintive uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes) hailing back to days of yore with its haunting intonation as well as a traditional Irish guitar take the stage.

More than a concert, Celtic Yuletide will 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. Featuring Londra's 16 piece Orchestra, Irish Legend Frankie Gavin and his Celtic super group 'De Dannan and the musical sisters of Sephira, "Beyond Celtic" is a brilliant, live variety musical performance like none other recreating music from around the world with Celtic inspiration. "Beyond Celtic" is produced by Mindfox Productions, International Media and Celt Productions. 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. Press night is on Tuesday, December 13.

Tickets for regular performances range in price from $35 - $70. 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).

Tickets are available starting Sunday, August 28 at the Marines' Memorial Theatre box office, by phone at 415-771-6900 and on the Web at marinesmemorialtheatre.com . Group tickets are available by calling 415-447-0184.

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