The Glory of Christmas

"The Glory of Christmas" is an annual musical performance of the story of the birth of Jesus which is performed at Christmastime at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California in the United States.

It has been produced annually since 1981 and the widely advertised stage spectacular has become a holiday tradition in southern California.

The play consists of a large cast of adults and children as well as many live animals. A few scenes come complete with angels flying directly over the heads of the audience.

Performance style

The performance is done in the style of traditional Christmas pageants done each year at many churches, but on a grand scale that straddles the quality and feel of a Broadway show. The elaborate costumes such as those of Roman centurions or the Three Wise Men are professionally designed and produced. The musical numbers include popular Christmas music such as "What Child is This", "Silent Night", and "Mary Did You Know?", as well as elaborate orchestral and organ accompaniment. The vocal style of the performances range from operatic to gospel.

pecial effects

The performance is punctuated with the generous use of large animals (like camels and horses), angels (as many as seven at once) on high-speed flying gantry, as well as a high-volume smoke-machine (used to generate a notably convincing storm-cloud twenty feet above the audience).

Perhaps the most impressive effect is the departure of the angels. In each scene that involves angels, they exit in a rapid flight to the farthest and highest points in the crystal cathedral (each some 150 ft. from the center of the audience and roughy 90 ft. above the floor)

Ballet

Throughout the performance, dancers perform ballet-type movements and various interpretive dance choreography.