The holidays are arriving a little early at the Fremont Centre Theatre as Young Stars Theatre Academy (YSTA) welcomes Happy! Merry! Joyous!, a one-man show written and performed by Fringe veteran and self-proclaimed “caroling nerd” Jim Blanchette, for two performances September 19 and 20.
Blanchette, who has previously directed Mary Poppins and Newsies at YSTA, takes audiences behind the scenes of a world most people never knew existed: the life of a professional Christmas caroler.
Drawing from 30 years of caroling stories and holiday trivia, Blanchette hilariously chronicles everything that goes into preparing for caroling season. From rehearsals, costumes and vocal training to navigating restaurant patrons, impossible song requests and the unexpected realities of spreading holiday cheer for a living.
Following its Fringe run earlier this year, audiences called Happy! Merry! Joyous! “a gem of the Fringe” and “funny, charming, enlightening, a little bawdy, and ultimately quite unexpectedly moving.” Another audience member raved, “I laughed until my face hurt. And even cried a bit.”
Funny, occasionally alarming and surprisingly heartfelt, Happy! Merry! Joyous! may leave audiences wanting to become professional carolers themselves, or never wanting to hear another Christmas song again!
Audiences can choose between two versions:
Saturday, September 19 — “Naughty” Version
The uncensored version of the show, intended for adult audiences and not suitable for children.
Sunday, September 20 — “Nice” Version
A PG-13, kid-friendly version of the show for families who want to join in the fun.
Tickets are available now on their website.
Come discover what really happens when Christmas caroling becomes a profession, and why for some people, the holiday season starts in July.
