(Boston, Mass., Thursday, November 8, 2018) – WGBH’sA Christmas Celtic Sojournwith Brian O’Donovanreturns for its 16th season this December with performances in Boston, Worcester, Providence, New Bedford and Rockport. Based on the popular 89.7 WGBH radio program A Celtic Sojourn, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn reflects the compelling and diverse offerings of the weekly national radio program plus the excitement of a live show.
“It is a tremendous honor to return to New England for our sixteenth year, as this program is quite special,” O’Donovan said. “The Christmas story is about strangers, travellers, and refugees to a large extent. While we draw on these themes in previous shows, it will have special significance in this year’s program when the world refugee crisis seems to be widening and inspiring the creation of various songs and spoken word pieces. We can’t wait for you to see it!”
Music Director Seamus Egan leads the ensemble along with Assistant Music Director and harpist Maeve Gilchrist. Cellist Natalie Haas returns to the instrumental section alongside guitarist Owen Marshall as he comes back for his second year. Concertina player Brenda Castles from Co. Meath in Ireland and Canadian folk quartet The Fretless will both make their A Christmas Celtic Sojourn debuts, joining a talented cast of performers.
On the eve of the release of her new CD, BBC Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year Hannah Rarity joins the cast as featured singer. Four-part harmony group Windborne also returns for their second year to A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, joining their voices with O’Donovan, his wife Lindsay, Gilchrist, and Castles, who also sings.
Kevin Doyle serves as Dance Director, joined by featured dancer Joe Duffey, TCRG, acclaimed Irish dance performer, choreographer and instructor from Washington, DC. And of course, as is the tradition, the children fromThe Harney Academy of Irish Dance in Walpole will bring their Christmas joy. The show is artistically directed for the sixteenth-straight year by Paula Plum.
A full schedule of WGBH’s A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan performance locations and times is below. Tickets available at www.wgbh.org/celtic for $25-$85; WGBH member discounts apply.
Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, Boston
Friday, Dec. 14, 2018; 7:30pm
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018; 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018; 1pm and 5pm
Friday, Dec. 21, 2018; 7:30pm
Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018; 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018; 1pm and 5pm
Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, MA
Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018; 4pm and 8pm
Hanover Theatre, Worcester, MA
Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018; 7:30pm
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, New Bedford, MA
Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018; 7:30pm
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Providence, RI
Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018; 7:30pm
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O'Donovan is produced by WGBH.
About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black and High School Quiz Show. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR®; 99.5 WCRB Classical Radio Boston; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of programs for public radio (among them, PRI’s The World®), a leader in educational multimedia (including PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content), and a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.
