The Magic of the Season Takes Center Stage

Greenville Municipal Auditorium Brings Music, Dance and Holiday Traditions to Downtown Greenville

By Micah McBay

Community Engagement Manager, 

City of Greenville

As the lights in the theatre dimmed and blinked out, the murmur of the crowd began to settle and the crackles of cellophane on last minute pre-show peppermints echoed in the now quiet room. My daughter, next to me, stared at the stage waiting patiently. Bursting into the room, the sound of strings as the curtain slowly opened to reveal a living room from long ago. The Nutcracker had just begun and my daughter, around eight years old at the time, was enraptured by the entire experience.

Such is the magic of theatre and live music and dance. With devices strapped to our hands every single day, we too often forget the power, beauty, and magic of live performing arts. For people like me, who work in and around the arts each day, it’s a deep concern that we may let this magic fade or get overwhelmed by the deluge of content literally dumped on us digitally each day.

But hope springs eternal when we see that spark of wonder in the eyes of a child, like my daughter had all those years ago, and we know that the magic will live on. I work every day to help keep that flame alive by managing the Community Engagement department for the City of Greenville. One big part of that job is overseeing the Greenville Municipal Auditorium, a 1,400 seat performing arts theatre in the heart of the city that has provided entertainment to our community since 1939.

This year, we’ve put together a fabulous slate of shows and events to ensure the people of northeast Texas have access to the magic all through the holidays. You’ve got family coming to visit, friends to hang out with, kids to entertain, and the GMA (and me too!) wants to invite you to experience live music, dance, and entertainment in downtown Greenville this December.

We open our holiday slate on November 20 with the return of Anthony Bernasconi and his show The Michael Bublé Experience: A Very Bublé Christmas. Just two years ago we had Anthony and his big band at the GMA and the show was fabulous. This time he’s bringing holiday magic with all the big Bublé Christmas songs that will get you primed for the holiday season.

December kicks off the official Christmas season with Greenville’s annual Parade of Lights downtown on Friday, December 4 at 6 pm. Our parade has grown into a huge event with over 120 entries, and it’s a fun, free evening for the whole family. Be sure to come early to grab a drink downtown and then stay after to enjoy one of our amazing downtown restaurants. Then on Saturday, December 5 we welcome comedian William Lee Martin and friends with the hilarious Red Dirt Comedy Christmas show. This show is rated PG-13 so it’s a great night for friends to hang out or for a fun date night.

On Sunday, December 6, the Greenville Pops Orchestra presents their All-Star Christmas concert. This new annual event is a fantastic opportunity to bring out the entire family because tickets for kids 17 & under are free. On Monday, December 7, we feature new, local group the Greenville Community Band for their second annual Christmas concert, and this show is free to the public.

The next weekend kicks off on Friday, December 11 with the third annual Greenville Harmony Chorus holiday concert. This is another great family option featuring talented local citizens. On Saturday, December 12, experience the power of dance with A Celtic Christmas. This international touring show features a large cast of dancers sharing the traditions of Celtic music and dance for the entire family. And that weekend ends with the annual magic show for kids presented by the local Masonic Lodge on Sunday, December 13 at 4 pm. Tickets for that show are available at the door from a Mason.

Closing out our holiday lineup on Friday, December 18, is the same show I mentioned above that made my daughter fall in love with theatre all those years ago – The Nutcracker. This magical event features professional dancers from Ballet Frontier of Texas and is something you want to experience with the entire family. Last year we sold out the entire floor and much of the balcony, so get your seats early for this one.

Watch our Facebook page, or join our mailing list on our website (GMALive.org), and be watching for our Black Friday sale on tickets. And if you’d like to get into the season of giving and get a little something back from the GMA, then bring in a toy for a child that will go to Toys for Tots and get a free ticket to any of the holiday shows (or 50% off your second ticket to A Celtic Christmas). You must bring the toy in person and it’s one toy for one ticket (or the discounted ticket for A Celtic Christmas), but you’re welcome to bring multiple toys for more tickets if you like!

I hope you’ll bring your family out to the GMA to experience the beauty of live performing arts this holiday season. I can promise you a beautiful venue, state-of-the-art lights and sound that are as good as anything you’ll find in Dallas, free parking, a friendly staff, and an amazing experience in our historic theatre. All shows and info at GMALive.org