Rhapsody Players Rockaway Christmas Show

By Dan Guarino

Ringing in the holiday spirit, the Rhapsody Players are bringing “A Rockin’ Christmas Show” to the (RTC) Rockaway Theatre Company’s John Gilleece Theater. The talented singing group, backed by their full live band, will be performing at the Fort Tilden venue for one show only on Sunday, December 21, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $25, cash-only, at the door. No reservations are necessary, and there is plenty of free parking. There will also be a 50/50 raffle to benefit the theatre company.

The Rhapsody Players’ show will feature members Colleen O’Donnell, Juliette Pannone, John Heffernan, Kevin Sweeney and Kiernan Hamilton singing a full slate of holiday favorites old and new.

Breaking into lively trios, duets, solo and group numbers, they will bring their full vocal skills to many holiday favorites, like “Sleighride,” “White Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” “Home For The Holidays,” “Snowman” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve.”

As with previous Rockaway shows, they’ll also be doing seasonal songs from Mariah Carey (“All I Want For Christmas Is You”), Sia, Tom Petty, John Lennon, the Phil Spector Christmas album featuring Darlene Love, and Bing Crosby and David Bowie’s “Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy.”

As Heffernan has noted, “It’s a mix of rock n roll, pop and classics.” Backing them on stage, The Fabulous Band will feature Steve Athanail on guitar, Tim Bayliss playing piano and keyboards, bassist Peter Zaggare, Howard Alper on drums, flute and saxophone by Matt Koza, and Scott Kulick on trumpet.

The swinging band will add their own holiday trimming with a few well-loved jazz infused selections from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and more.

The Rhapsody Players are also bringing “A Rockin’ Christmas Show” to St. Patrick’s RC Church auditorium, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. The church is located at 97 Street and 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, and features a free parking lot. Tickets are $25, including cake and coffee, beer and wine will be sold, and there will be a fundraising 50/50 raffle. For reservations call 646-335-2710 or emailBroadwayjack@Earthlink.net.

Founded in 2006, the original group members had been singing together for years in community theater productions as part of the Narrows Community Theater, the Rockaway Theatre Company, Samaha, and Bay Ridge’s St Patrick’s Church theater group, among others. Heffernan has noted that in coming together as the Rhapsody Players, and becoming a registered non-profit 501c charitable organization, “We decided to pool our talents and provide communities with top notch entertainment whilst raising funds for worthy causes such as schools, churches, pediatric cancer, military postage, Caring Kind Alzheimer’s, the Boy Scouts of America and people in need.” Just a few years ago, he said they had “raised close to a million dollars for charities.”

“We love performing, and have an excellent band,” noting that Rockaway and the RTC Theatre are favorite venues.

“Many of us have been performing at RTC for 20 years and love the theater, the audience and the members of this wonderful company,” said Heffernan, who has starred in “La Cage Aux Folles” and other RTC productions. Likewise, Kevin Sweeny has appeared in several shows, and Juliette Pannone starred in last year’s “RENT,” among other shows, and just finished multiple roles in the sold-out “Hair.”

Musicians Matt Koza and Scott Kulick and others have been part of amazing RTC band ensembles for many shows. We “have fond memories of the theater and love returning to RTC. The setting and the audiences are fantastic!!!” Heffernan said.

He noted that besides the mix of holiday tunes at their most recent shows, the Players are best known for their “focus on songs from the ‘50s through the ‘80s, but now have expanded to include some recent popular music. Motown songs and rock and soul seem to be some of our favored material.

“We hear from our audiences how incredible the singers, harmonies and band sound better than some of the original recordings.”

Rockaway audiences will have a chance to enjoy that sound, along with the group’s shining stage presence, shimmering with the holiday spirit and all wrapped up in The Rhapsody Player’s “A Rockin’ Christmas Show.”

Photo by Frank Caiaiti.