By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun
UPDATE 12/13: We are giving away four tickets to one family to see this great show this weekend! See details at the end of this post!
Every holiday season Northern Virginia families are treated to some great entertainment right here at home, by local students: it’s time for the annual Christmas show by Encore Theatrical Arts Productions (ETAP)!
For more than 20 years, ETAP has produced Broadway-style, high-energy shows that are so well produced it’s almost hard to believe that this is a volunteer group starring primarily local students. The full-length musicals are geared to all ages and feature well-designed sets, beautiful costumes, fun music, and lots and lots of dancing.
In 2017, the group presents “Christmas at Quiqley’s” on weekends December 8-10 and 15-17, 2017. The show runs two hours with one 15-minute intermission; ticket prices range from $19 to $26. In this new production, the audience will see what happens “when a visitor from the North Pole stumbles across New York City’s enchanted Quiqley’s Trinkets and Toys.” Dozens of performers from area schools (elementary through high school) bring the story to life with singing, dancing, and a bit of comedy. For an idea of what these productions are all about, see our reviews from the 2016 musical, the 2015 show and the 2014 Christmas production. Christmas at Quigley’s takes place at the Richard J. Ernst Theatre on the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College on:
Friday, December 8, 2017, at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 9, 2017, at noon, 4 pm, and 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 10, 2017, at noon and 4 pm
Friday, December 15, 2017, at 7:30
Saturday, December 16, 2017, at noon, 4 pm, and 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 17, 2017, at noon and 4 pm
Going to the show? Here are some tips based on our years of enjoying these shows:
- Arrive a bit early to see photo displays of past shows, buy concessions, take a photo in the photo opp area, or buy a Girl Scouts patch.
- All guests get a nice program book with show information and bios on the performers, who will be happy to sign autographs after the show (you’ll need to wait a bit until they come out to the lobby).
- Bring cash for concessions to buy before the show and at intermission (candy, fruit snacks, water, and soda).
- Reach to the right of your seat to pull out the little half-table (the theatre is in a college auditorium) which you can use to rest your water bottle or purse.
- Check out ETAP’s Scout Program to learn about special opportunities such as meet-and-greet events and discounted tickets for Girl Scout troops.
Win tickets to see “Christmas at Quiqley’s” December 15-17, 2017!
To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment ON THIS FACEBOOK POST before the deadline of 11:59 pm on Thursday, December 14, 2017. One winner will be randomly selected by a third-party app. This winner will receive a set of four tickets to see any of the shows during the final weekend (retail value: $100). The tickets are good for one performance on the same date of the winner’s choosing. The winner will be randomly picked immediately after the contest ends and notified on the Facebook post. The winner must reply to the notification email by 10 am on Friday, December 15, 2017, to claim the prize; failure to do so risks forfeiture. Tickets will be claimed at Will Call on the day of the show, before the performance. Contestants agree to abide by our giveaway terms and conditions. This giveaway open to entrants ages 18 and up.
Photo courtesy ETAP and used with permission.
Looks fun!
Would love to see how they all perform.