The Theatre of Western Springs was bursting with laughter, applause, and holiday cheer on December 4. That night, SEASPAR hosted our 11th annual Holiday Spectacular, a showcase of our participants’ talents in various arts such as music, dance, and theatre.
More than 90 performers took the stage in 18 performances, including participants in our Voice and Music Lessons, Glee Club, Actors Guild, EAGLES adult day program, and Adapted Music Lessons, as well as independent performers.
Two of the stars of the show, Ram Tibudan of Woodridge and Paul Bures of La Grange Park, are participants in our Adapted Music Lessons. This program, which uses specialized touchpad instruments to enable people with limited mobility to make music, received the Illinois Park and Recreation Association Therapeutic Recreation Section’s Program Award earlier this year.
The EAGLES adult day program participants flexed their muscles with a fitness-themed performance to highlight their health-focused “Commit to Be Fit” program, which was made possible with a grant from the DuPage Medical Group Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund of the DuPage Foundation.
Other highlights of the show included the audience joining in to help 13-year-old Aidan Hincks of Western Springs finish his vocal performance of “Jingle Bells,” Shawn Spera of Brookfield’s hilarious interpretive dance to “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and the SEASPAR staff’s closing performance of Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Students from the 6th grade class of St. Francis Xavier School in La Grange volunteered to distribute programs at the event. Sara Hunt Edwards, a mother of one of these students, said of the performers, “They did a fantastic job! I brought my 5th and 3rd graders along for the show and we all had a terrific night. They should all be so proud of themselves!”
“Our participants, their families, and our staff all look forward to the Holiday Spectacular every year,” said Matthew Corso, Executive Director of SEASPAR. “It truly is spectacular to see how our participants’ abilities and confidence have grown through their involvement in our skill-building programs. Everyone is beaming with pride and inspiration by the end of the night.”
View event photos on Flickr or browse the gallery below!
We released a video of one performance each day on our Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, but below is the full collection!