Drawn from two short stories by O’Henry, Gifts of the Magi is a charming musical about the prevailing power of selfless love, the kind of show warmed by sentiment and humor - perfect for the holiday season. The plot opens on Christmas in the city, but for Jim and Della, two newlyweds in love, the prospects are bleak, as both are out of work and penniless. To afford nice presents for each other, both secretly part with their most precious belongings to buy the perfect gift.
Della loves her hair as a prized possession. However, she desperately wants to buy a Christmas gift for her husband, Jim, but with only $1.87 to her name. To solve her problem, Della cuts her hair and sells her precious locks to buy a watch chain for Jim, a gift he would truly cherish for his heirloom pocket watch.
Jim is also in a bind while shopping for his wife’s Christmas gift. They're poor, so he can't afford to get Della what she deserves. After walking through the marketplace, he sells his pocket watch to buy her a beautiful comb. On Christmas morning, they are both shocked to learn of the ironic outcome.
In addition to Jim and Della’s story, there are glimpses of various city folk going about their holiday business, and the hilarious plight of a cheerful bum named Soapy, who wants only to get arrested so he can spend the night in a cozy cell. The tuneful songs are neatly tied together by a newsboy-narrator, Willy, who adds his own melodious contribution and informative observations to the delightful proceedings!
Tickets are $32.50 in advance and include a full course dinner and live theater show. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. nightly, with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. To order tickets, call 800-927-9083 or visit www.fln.org/tickets. Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church is located at 8445 Greiner Road in Williamsville.
Darren Litz has been Director of Performing Arts at Family Life since 2002. A music educator for 16 years, Litz previously was the director of the Vocal and Music Theater Studies program at Bradford High School in Pennsylvania. Litz has produced, directed, and choreographed numerous productions for public schools and community organizations in the Bradford area. He also has served as guest conductor and clinician for music festivals across New York and Pennsylvania.
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About Family Life Ministries, Inc.
Family Life Ministries is devoted to strengthening individuals and families through Christian radio broadcasting, concerts, educational and social programs, counseling, and the performing arts. Headquartered in Bath, N.Y., Family Life was founded in 1957, and provides various activities and programs for youth, singles, adults, and seniors.
Family Life owns a Christian radio network of 22 stations and 50 translators broadcasting in regions of New York and Pennsylvania. Established in 1983, the radio network is a listener-supported broadcaster currently reaching a potential listenership of 3.8 million.
For more information on Family Life, visit www.fln.org.
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