MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Beutler (405) 232-7575
Oklahoma City— ‘Tis the Season for all things merry and bright, and your Oklahoma City Philharmonic kicks off the holidays with an all-new extravaganza, “A Very Merry Pops,” Dec. 1-2 at the Civic Center Music Hall.
Headlining this year’s concerts will be Grammy Award winning gospel group Take 6 and Oklahoma’s own Sandi Patty.
“Our new ‘A Very Merry Pops’ is really standing on the shoulders of the past 30 years,” said OKCPHIL Music Director Alexander Mickelthwate. “Our founder and Music Director Emeritus Joel Levine produced a show that was simply fabulous. When I first saw it in 2017, I thought I was at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.”
This year, while still bringing an all-new production, the show will draw upon audience favorites from Christmases past.
“Last year was our first attempt at creating something new,” Mickelthwate said. “We are continuing to create our own new traditions, but will pay tribute to certain fan favorites. And I am excited to tell you the tap-dancing Santa’s are coming back!”
Mickelthwate commissioned a new medley he calls “Kris Kringle’s Okie Jingle.”
“When I was growing up in Germany, we had our own traditions,” he said. “Now I am a full-fledged Oklahoman, and embracing a new set of traditions. Recently, I saw Darcie Lynne perform “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” which was originally recorded by Gayla Peevey back in the ‘50s. The audience loved it! And there’s the B.C. Clark Jingle everyone here can sing from start to finish. So put those elements with the tap-dancing Santas, along with a few other surprises, and I think everyone will love our new Christmas gift to Oklahoma City.”
“A Very Merry Pops” is part of The Chickasaw Nation Pops Series, and runs Friday & Saturday Dec. 1 & 2 at 8 p.m. at Civic Center Music Hall, with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.
Tickets are on sale now at www.okcphil.org or by phone at (405)842-5387.
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