Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Infobox Musical
name=THE RADIO CITY
CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
subtitle=Starring The Rockettes
music=Mark Waldrop
Mark Hummel
lyrics=Mark Waldrop
Mark Hummel
book=Mark Waldrop
Linda Harberman
productions=1933-2006 New York City
1994-2003 Tour
2007 75th Celebration
2008-Present New York City 2008-Present Tour

The "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" is an annual show that is held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. The show is held during the Christmas season. It is seen by more than a million visitors a year. The show uses over 140 performers, lavish costumes and an original musical score. It presents a combination of special effects, music and dance during various acts. The featured performers are the womens precision dance troupe known as the Rockettes. The show runs for six weeks from November 9 to December 30 and has, over the many years since it was first presented, become an annual tradition in New York at Christmas time.

History

The Christmas show has grown and changed over the years. It began in 1933 as the live holiday show between movie screenings. This was just one year after the opening of the Music Hall in 1932. The show was created the Music Hall's stage producer Leon Leonidoff. It consisted primarily of The Rockettes' "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers", choreographed by their founder, Russell Markert, and "The Living Nativity". These scenes have continued in every edition of the annual show up to the present day. The Christmas show, like all the Radio City stage shows, was produced and choreographed by Leonidoff and Markert through the early decades of the Music Hall's history.

In 1979, after the Music Hall ceased showing feature films, the Christmas show was transformed from a 30-minute stage feature into a hit stand alone 90-minute show. It incorporated many new scenes and additional acts have since been regularly added. Technology that did not exist in 1933 has been incorporated to bring the show up to date with many special effects, including the 3-D film which now opens the show.

In addition to the show's annual presentation at Radio City, road companies have presented a touring version in theaters throughout the United States, in cities from Fort Lauderdale to Costa Mesa. The first Christmas Spectacular outside of Radio City was presented in Branson, Missouri at the Grand Palace Theatre in 1994. The Rockettes, having been originally founded in Kansas City (where they were called the Missouri Rockets), literally returned home for the extravaganza. The show was very successful and launched a national tour the following year. The original touring show was presented in conjunction with Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation and lasted from 1994 to 2003. In 2008, a new tour consisting of the 2007 edition will be launched, playing at arena venues around the country.

Outline of the show

"Note: This outline is for the 2007 75th Celebration show only."

The Christmas Spectacular begins with a performance from the Radio City Rockettes performing the new opening number called "Ring Out Those Bells". Before the song is over, Santa appears on stage and they have lift off. Once they lift off it is time for the 3-D movie where the audience sees Santa Claus flying to New York City from the North Pole in his magic sleigh. Once he arrives there, we see him flying in his sleigh around some of New York City's landmarks. The sights include the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. We see Santa heading towards the Radio City Music Hall, for his annual visit. When watching this film, it is important to wear the 3-D glasses that the Music Hall gives to its patrons.

Once Santa arrives at the Music Hall, the movie ends and the show really begins. Santa appears on stage and acts as host. His first act as host is to introduce the Rockettes. The dance group then performs their recently added opening number "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (Rock and Dance Version).

Santa than announces the act called "Every little girl's dream", which is a scene from "The Nutcracker. "The scene involves a little girl dreaming about opening her presents on Christmas Day, and dancing with the six-foot tall toy bears and rabbits that she finds in the unwrapped boxes."

Next is one of the show's original acts from 1933, "The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers", again performed by the Rockettes. The toy soldier costumes worn in the act are the same design as the original 1933 performance, although each costume is made for the individual dancer.

The next dance number starts with The Rockettes out in front of Radio City with a big double decker tour bus. They go all over New York on the bus singing the new number "New York at Christmas". The bus arrives at Times Square where the Rockettes finish off their dance with on-stage fireworks.

The next act is where Santa is on a street corner where two boys, Ben and Patrick, come up to Santa. Ben asks Santa for help to find a present for their sister. Patrick claims that it isn't Santa. But Santa influences Patrick that it is the real deal wit the number "I See Santas' Everywhere". Then they take off on a blizzard to the North Pole.

At the North Pole, Santa arrives with Ben and Patrick. Santa says for them to find a gift in the warehouse. He says "When it is really the right gift, you don't find the gift... the gift finds you.". Then the Rockettes perform the number "The Ragdolls".

It is time for liftoff. Santa and his reindeer (Rockettes) take off on Christmas Eve to deliver the presents. Ben and Patrick magically return home.

The final act is the "Living Nativity", one of the shows original scenes. Special effects are used to dramatize the birth of Christ. This has a new narration by Ben and Patrick, reading to their sister. The scene is also called "One Solitary Life".

The show ends with a show stopping number called "Let Christmas Shine" where everything is silver. The audience is asked to turn on the lights, to light up the theatre, that the theatre employees gave them on their way to their seat.

Current Scenes

* The Parade of the Wodden Soldiers (1933 - )
* The Living Nativity (1933 - )
* The Nutcracker (1979 - )
* Here Comes Santa Claus (1996 - )
* Ragdolls (1996 - )
* The Tweleve Days of Christmas (2006 - )
* Ring Out the Bells (2007 - )
* New York at Christmas (2007 - )
* Magic is There (2007 - )
* I See Santa's Everywhere (2007 - )
* Let Christmas Shine (2007 - )

Former Scenes

* Sleigh Ride (1980s)
* The Rockette Christmas Carousel (1980s)
* The Night Before Christmas (1980s)
* The Christmas Song (1980s)
* Christmas in Los Angeles (1980s - 1985)**
* We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1980s - 1989)
* They Can't Start Christmas Without Us (1980s - 1991)
* Beginning of Santa's Journey (1980s - 1991)
* A Christmas Carol (1980s - 1995)
* Christmas in New York (1986 - 1998)
* The Story of Christmas (1990 & 1991)
* We Need A Little Christmas (1990 - 1993)
* Carol of the Bells (1990 - 1998)
* Ice Skating in the Plaza (1990 - 2006)
* Santa's Toy Fantasy (1991 - 1998)
* Santa's Gonna Rock & Roll (1994 - 2004)
* Santa & Mrs. Claus: In Concert (1998)
* Santa's Workshop (1998 - 2006)
* White Christmas in New York (1999 - 2006)

(**The song "Christmas In Los Angeles" was originally written by the Sherman Brothers for Lawrence Welk's 1980 Christmas TV special.)

DVD

It has been announced that on November 4, 2008 the 75th Celebration of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular will be released on DVD. The DVD will include not only the 60-minute version broadcast on NBC, it will contain the entire 90-minute show. Many of the scenes in the 75th Celebration edition preserved on the DVD are unique and will not be repeated in future shows. The DVD is entitled"The Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring the Rockettes".

Recordings

A cast recording of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" is now in stock. It was recorded in 2000 and features the music from the 1999 and 2000 shows. Here is the track listing:

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

1. Overture

2. Santa's Gonna Rock And Roll 3. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 4. First Letter: Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers 5. Second Letter: So Many Santas

6. New York At Christmas: A Melody of Songs

7. The Man With The Bag

8. Toyland Ball

9. Welcome Christmas 10. Suit up the Reindeer 11. The Nativity: A Melody of Songs

There have been rumors that there will be a New Cast Recording of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. A CD has been released called "Radio City Music Hall Presents Songs of Christmas" which is the 1990 show.

Radio City Music Hall Presents Songs of Christmas

1. A Christmas Fanfare

2. Christmas Is Coming: Melody of Songs

3. A New York Christmas: Melody of Songs

4. Sing A Little Song Of Christmas

5. A Christmas Sleigh Ride: Melody of Songs

6. Ringing Of The Bells/Carol Of The Bells

7. A Children's Christmas: Melody of Songs 8. Christmas Classics: Melody of Songs

9. One Solitary Life

10. The Glory Of Christmas: Melody of Songs

Another CD has been released called 'A Radio City Christmas' with just Christmas songs from famous stars who have performed on the Radio Ciy stage. There has been no confirmation yet about a new cast recording of the show. The idea of recording of the 75th Celebration was discarded due to the producers of the show putting the show on DVD (see above).

ources

*cite book|last=Sherman|first=Robert B.|authorlink=Robert B. Sherman|title=|year=1998|publisher=Camphor Tree|location=Santa Clarita, Calif.|id=ISBN 0-9646059-3-7
*Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes program guide
*The Radio City Rockettes: A dance through time. Published by Msg entertainment 2006
*Christmas in New York:A Pop-Up Book By Chuck Fischer. Published by Bullfinch Press

External links

* [http://www.RadioCityReservations.com "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" showtimes and ticket information]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Christmas-Spectacular-Starring-Rockettes/dp/B001D395NG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1222382545&sr=8-1 The "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" 2008 DVD release information on Amazon.com]