LCHS Madrigal Dinner set for Dec. 4, 5

Get the holiday spirit of merry Old England at the 2009 Le Mars Community High School's Madrigal Dinner Dec. 4-5.

Tickets for the LCHS Madrigal Dinner, a Renaissance feast with live entertainment, are now on sale.

The Madrigal Dinner is 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, in the middle school's old gym.

Many LCHS vocal ensembles will perform in costume at the dinner, including the king (Nate Hettinger) and queen (Katelyn Ewing), and a court jester (Kris Ohrlund).

Led by high school vocal instructor Randy Ewing, 2009's medieval Yuletide theatrical festival takes its audiences back to a time of lords and ladies, jesters and jousters and the flowing tankards of October ale, all bedecked with the holly and ivy of Christmas tide.

"It won't be like anything you've ever seen before," said Ewing, who is directing the cast of about 50 singers and actors. "There's wonderful pageantry and pomp. It's a whole mix of so many different things -- music, a play, humor."

Three different groups will serenade the audience with Renaissance songs like "The Flaming Pudding Carol" and Christmas carols, too.

Back in medieval times, Ewing explained, madrigals were usually held during the 12 days of Christmas. Be prepared for a little audience participation, he said.

"Acting, singing, it's all interspersed and it's all happening around you, even while the servers are coming around serving," said Ewing.

This is Le Mars' second Madrigal Dinner. The event is extremely popular and sold out in 2007. The Saturday night performance is already at two-thirds capacity, so make your reservations soon. Tickets for the Madrigal Dinner are $20. Stop by the LCHS principal's office for reservations which will be accepted until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.