Addison (TX) – WaterTower Theatre is pleased to announce, Ella’s Swinging Christmas: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. A one-woman show, streaming on-demand November 27, 2020 through January 3, 2021. Ella’s Swinging Christmas is a musical treat for all ages featuring Dallas, TX singer and actress phenomenon, Feleceia Wilson (formerly Feleceia Benton). Wilson introduces the WTT audience to a uniquely reimagined experience of jazz vocalist and scat virtuoso Ella Fitzgerald’s incredible “Swinging Christmas” album, just in time for the holidays. Ella Fitzgerald recorded the epic holiday 18-tracks, with a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. It is her only complete album of Christmas tunes on Verve Records. This marks WaterTower’s third digitally captured theatrical piece.
Feleceia Wilson will perform seventeen of Fitzgerald’s exceptional arrangements of Christmas classics like “Jingle Bells”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. She is accompanied by an aptly skilled trio of musicians including Kwinton Gray (piano), KJ Gray (upright bass), and Jackie Whitmill (percussion). There will also be a beautiful duet performed with Shane Peterman, Producing Artistic Director at WaterTower Theatre.
WaterTower Theatre’s Ella’s Swinging Christmas: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald concert features lighting design by Ryan Burkle, assistant lighting designer, Cameron Casey, production and costume design by Ryan Matthieu Smith, David Castell as Sound Engineer, Kennedy Styron as Production Manager, and Cinematography by Chris Duncan. WaterTower is pleased to again be working with Director of Cinematography David Singer, the Co-Founder, CEO at Academy of Storytellers and Story & Heart, and Music Supervisor Vonda K. Bowling.
WaterTower implemented strict social distancing and very robust safety standards exceeding those of both the CDC and the state of Texas for rehearsal and the filming of this production.
Patrons will be able to enjoy Ella’s Swinging Christmas: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald from the comfort and safety of their own homes from November 27, 2020 – January 3, 2021. All season ticket holders will receive their digital tickets as part of their 25th season ticket subscription. Single tickets are on sale now. Purchase all tickets on WaterTowerTheater.org.
WaterTower has been deeply impacted by the current crisis, as have all arts organizations during recent months, but we are looking forward to the future. Until we can gather together at WTT, we will continue to provide North Texas artists with safe work opportunities, and our patrons with safe ways to enjoy professional theater. In 2020, WaterTower plans to evolve from “Theatre that builds community”, to “Community the builds theatre.” Please join us by supporting WaterTower as we kick off our 25th Anniversary Season with this spectacular holiday show.
Performance details:
ELLA’S SWINGING CHRISTMAS: A TRIBUTE TO ELLA FITZGERALD Show Streaming Dates: November 27, 2020 – January 3, 2021
Ticket Prices: $16 – 48-hour access for single viewers
$26 – 48-hour access for multiple viewers (Family Style)
(If you plan on viewing Ella's Swinging Christmas with others, we suggest purchasing a 'Family-Style' ticket.)
Subscribers and current ticket holders will receive access to watch the filmed theatre event once the show is available for viewing. Single tickets purchased after the video is available will be sent viewing access within 24 hours of purchase. Tickets are available online at www.WaterTowerTheater.org, or by phone at 972-450-6232.
How/Where to Buy Tickets: Online: www.WaterTowerTheatre.org By Phone: 972.450.6232 Fax: 972.450.6244 Email: boxoffice@watertowertheatre.org
In-person ticket purchases are not available currently.
Box Office Hours Performance Weeks: Monday – Friday 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. Non-Performance Weeks: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Closed Saturday & Sunday
About WaterTower Theatre
Founded in 1996, WaterTower Theatre (WTT) is one of Texas' leading professional theatre companies and one of the flagship arts institutions in North Texas, having played an important role as a leader in developing new talent and encouraging the growth of the DFW artistic community through its commitment to hiring local artists. In March of 2019, Shane Peterman joined WTT in his current leadership position as Producing Artistic Director. WaterTower Theatre is consistently recognized for its artistic excellence by the Dallas Theatre League, DFW Theatre Critics Forum, The Dallas Morning News, The Dallas Observer, D Magazine, The Column, and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, among others. WaterTower Theatre has a subscription base of more than 1,100 subscribers and serves an audience of over 24,000 patrons annually.
WaterTower Theatre is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, that relies on its ticket income and generous donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government organizations to produce world-class live professional theatre and to offer community engagement and arts education programs. WaterTower Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of the Town of Addison, The Civic League, The Shubert Foundation, TACA, Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. WaterTower Theatre’s current 2020 -2021season is also supported, in part, through the generosity of its many civic, corporate, and foundation donors including AMLI Residential Addison, FASTSIGNS Carrollton, Guaranty Bank, ONCOR, and individual donors Don and Barbara Daseke, The Bob Downs Family, Stan Graner and Jim McBride, Phillip and Janeva Longacre, Kathy Messina and Gary Goodwin, Janiece and Jimmy Niemann, Karol Omlor, Jack and Libby Swindle, Deborah and Craig Sutton, and Ron and Donna Whitehead.
###