Revels Houston

Every December, thousands of families find a focus for celebration in performances of The Christmas Revels. Although the material presented has many common strands from year to year befitting a celebration of the Winter Solstice, each production differs from the one before, with the blending of Anglo-American traditions with those of other cultures around the world.

Revels' productions are a result of a unique combination of professional and volunteer talent. The shows' principals have included Appalachian singer Jean Ritchie, foremost mime artist Trent Arterberry, the Philadelphia Renaissance Wind Band (now known as Piffaro), the Dmitri Pokrovksy Ensemble, the Karelian Folk Ensemble, Mexican actress Angelica Aragon, Mayan musicians Huehuetl, and Mesoamerican musicologist Juan Pedro Gaffney, Seamus Connelly, one of the world's foremost Irish fiddlers, and Ainge Minogue, Celtic harpist. A special element comes from the volunteers chosen each year to perform in the chorus, and from the marvelous students who recite, sing, and dance. The interaction of these groups and their interaction with the audience contribute to the sense of joyous involvement and communal celebration which is particular to Revels.

We welcomed to our 2007 performance musicians Eden MacAdam-Somer, Larry Unger, Peter Suk, Ilan MacAdam-Summer and chorus member, Dan Witschey, playing banjo, fiddle, whistle, cello, guitar, drum and bass. Their instruments interacted with the dancing and singing of this American celebration of the music, dance and traditions of Appalachia. 'Shape note' singer and teacher, Suzannah Park, who has performed since she was 12 years old touring Europe and America, was joined by adopted Pawnee storyteller Roxanne Solis-Price as we celebrated in story and song the original peoples of this land; the songs and dances of the 'Shaking Quakers' and the holiday festival of the Jonkonnu."
Video clips of the 2007 production QuickTime Windows Media Format

International musicians, storytellers and dancers from Norway - Smajondolane - and Karelia - The Karelian Folk Music Ensemble - joined with hardanger fiddler, nyclkelharpa, fiddler and guitarist, and our Revels chorus' and actors in a northern celebration of the winter solstice. Our children's chorus re-enacted that well known tale, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and presented traditional pieces including Sankt Stephan's and the Sankta Lucia procession

Video clips of the 2006 production
QuickTime Windows Media Format

In 2005, our 15th year, The Christmas Revels visited the forested and mountainous lands of French Canada. Our 'Quebecois' dancers and musicians, Danse Cadence joined with renowned local actress and storyteller, Jeannette Clift George, to lead us on an exciting and often difficult journey with the 'Voyageurs' as they canoed through the white water wilderness in search of beaver pelts. There they met a dark stranger whose path crossed again with theirs as they returned to the Village of Trois Rivieres for the annual celebration of the 'Temps Des Fetes'.

Watch a video clip of the 2005 production
QuickTime Windows Media Format

Revels Houston welcomed families and friends to 'The Christmas Revels' 2004, a Scottish celebration of the Winter Solstice.

With the 2004 Christmas Revels we travelled back to both the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland in the 18th and 19th Centuries. "The Christmas Revels 2004," involved 78 on-stage performers including musicians, actors, dancers and an adult and a children's chorus. We relived the Scottish culture of the 18th century through dance, song, storytelling and the traditional 'Guisers' play.

We honored the achievements of the different clans as we told their tales, sang their songs, and danced their dances in celebration of the winter solstice.

For the thirteenth season of Revels Houston, we journeyed to Renaissance Italy to celebrate, once again, the winter solstice.

Leonardo Da Vinci was in the middle of perfecting his latest invention, a flying machine, while at the same time endeavoring not be be distracted by Commedia Dell'Arte performances of Arlecchino and Columbia.

In our 2002 production, Revels Houston welcomed families and friends to a Celtic celebration of the Winter Solstice.

A Celtic Christmas celebrated the ancient Celtic peoples who were once widespread throughout Europe but who are best known today from traditions surviving primarily in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, the Isle of Man and from Brittany in France. The Celts, as fishermen, farmers and miners, lived close to nature. Their belief in the fundamentally spiritual meaning of nature was the cornerstone of their religion and resonated through every detail of their daily lives. Legends and traditions originated by these ancient people still survive to add depth and significance to our own holiday celebrations, particularly when these are associated with the changing seasons and the death of the old year to make room for the new.

In 2002 we gathered on a stage in the New World to celebrate this ancient Celtic world by singing their songs, telling their tales and following in the footsteps of their dances. We re-discovered the wealth of meaning in customs that have become our own but that originated in the far-off world of Druid priests and priestesses as we, too, pay homage to the transition from the Old World to the new one that is coming into being.

As always, our production included a number of guest artists. These individuals and groups add their unique talents to the production. Revels Houston was joined by:

Jay O'Callahan, renowed storyteller (who also appeared in Revels Houston's 1998 Romany show).
Bagpiper EJ Jones and fiddler Gregory McQueen from the Celtic Band Clandestine
Celtic harpist Leah Jorgensen
The McTaggerts Irish Step Dancers