Orchestra offers rock 'n' roll to Cape for Christmas

There are your traditional and time-honored Christmas productions like "The Nutcracker" and "A Christmas Carol," and then there is Trans-Siberian Orchestra's holiday offering coming to Cape Girardeau next month.

"Christmas Eve and Other Stories" is co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and by KFVS12, celebrating its 50th anniversary.

A holiday-themed rock show, "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" features an orchestral string section, a full rock band, several vocalists, a narrator, pyrotechnics and a light show.

This definitely isn't Tchaikovsky's Christmas tradition.

Through all of this onstage showmanship, the show also tells a story. It's the story of an angel's visit to Earth 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus and the angel's search for something that best represents Christmas.

"Christmas Eve and Other Stories," which has been playing to audiences since 1999, is based on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 1996 debut album of the same name.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra was born out of the metal band Savatage, which recorded a song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" in 1995 in response to the war in the Balkans. The single was successful enough to lead the band's guitarist, Paul O'Neill, to recruit Savatage keyboardist Jon Oliva and musician Robert Kinkel and form a Christmas-based rock band. O'Neill is now the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's composer, lyricist and producer.

Oliva and Kinkel also compose for the group, and Kinkel is also co-producer and keyboardist.

In addition to "Christmas Eve and Other Stories," the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has released "The Christmas Attic" and their latest album, "The Lost Christmas Eve." Some of the songs from these albums have been incorporated into the live show.

This is the first time the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has performed at the Show Me Center. The venue's director, David Roth, said he is ecstatic about being able to bring the show to Cape Girardeau.

"We are extremely fortunate to have a date at all," he said. "We're the smallest city on their tour."

Roth saw the show last year in Dallas and St. Louis and was so impressed that he knew he had to try to bring it to the Show Me Center.

"It's absolutely awesome," he said. "It's an all-out assault on the senses."

Tickets for "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" go on sale at 9 a.m. Oct. 9 at the Show Me Center Box Office, 1333 N. Sprigg St., and at Show Me Center ticket outlets at Schnucks in Cape Girardeau and PMac Music in Cape Girardeau, Paducah, Ky., and Carbondale, Ill.

One dollar of every ticket sale will go to the United Way of Southeast Missouri, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

"We're thrilled because it's supposed to be the most amazing show you'll see anywhere," said Nancy Jernigan, executive director of the United Way of Southeast Missouri.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

What: "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

When: Nov. 17

Where: Show Me Center

Info: Call 651-5000