With singing and dancing, humour and good cheer, the Christmas for a Cause show happening tomorrow (Thursday) will not only get you in the holiday spirit but will help out those less fortunate, too.
It's the fifth year for Christmas for a Cause (CFC), a show that Coquitlam's Amanda Assalone has organized with a group of musical theatre friends to raise money for the homeless. Since they started the group has raised $7,000, which has been split equally between First United and the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver.
"When we started it we wanted to do something at Christmas because we both wanted to perform, and why not do something that can help the community around us?" Assalone said.
She teamed up with pal Joel Ballard of Port Coquitlam, a recent graduate of Langara College's Studio 58, and his sister, Jianna Ballard (the trio all know each other through performing and teaching at the Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts in Coquitlam), as well as three more friends from Vancouver, Richmond and Delta.
"We all have a musical theatre background so we'll be singing, acting and dancing Christmas songs, but we try to make them a little different than how you would normally see them," Assalone said.
There will be classics, of course, like O Come All Ye Faithful, but they'll be mixed in with cheekier tunes like Leroy the Redneck Reindeer, Bette Midler's version of Winter Wonderland and the popular Australian carol Six White Boomers.
"We're also doing Jingle Bells, but there's a bit of a twist in it so you have to see it," Assalone said.
The group of six is volunteering their time, and Assalone said their rehearsal and performance space has also been donated.
"We have been very blessed with the amount of volunteers willing to help us every year with this project," Assalone said.
Christmas for a Cause is on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. at Eagle Ridge United Church (2813 Glen Dr., Coquitlam). Admission is a suggested $10 donation.
