Community Spotlight

Christmas Revels Goes to Scotland

by Becky Bailey

Christmas Revels Goes to Scotland

The stark modern lines of Hopkins Center’s Spaulding Auditorium will be transformed into the craggy, mist-shrouded Scottish highlands for Revels North’s 35th annual Christmas Revels, with shows December 17 through 20. Each year, Revels takes its audiences to a different time and place to experience how that corner of humanity embraces the winter solstice with music, dance, and stories. This year, that time and place is 18th-century Scotland. The show—a simple story weaving together Scotland’s evocative traditional music, dance, storytelling, and poetry—is performed by a chorus of some 80 Upper Valley adults, teens, and children as well as guest artists from the Upper Valley and beyond.

“When you first see the set on stage and then see the performers in costume, there’s a magical moment when everybody’s different visions are coming together, not just mine,” says Revels Artistic Director Maureen Burford. “There are always some surprises because you can’t possibly predict every stroke of the brush of every artist and performer. You have to work to not be too hard on yourself and to let those magical moments happen.” “This is the point everybody has been waiting for all year,” says set designer Carl Choquette, who has built Hopkins Center sets for 15 years. “For many people, it’s their main artistic outlet, and they are really upbeat. It’s not just their job—it’s their passion.”