‘A Midwinter’s Dream Knight’ will entertain at Madrigal Dinner

• Madrigal Dinner

ryan mcgaughey/daily globe Worthington High School Madrigal Dinner Royal Court members Emma Jirele (from left), Ian Stewart, Rachel Van Dyke, Gordy Moore, Krista Vogt and Caleb Wede show off the costumes they will wear during the upcoming event, scheduled for Dec. 7-8.

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WORTHINGTON — Here’s a guaranteed winning ticket: attendance at the fifth annual Worthington High School (WHS) madrigal dinner on Dec. 7 and 8.

In three performances over two days, 60 student singers will set the stage for a spirited season as they croon, serve, act and play their way through an evening of Elizabethan-era entertainment in Memorial Auditorium’s grand lobby.

“It’s a really fun program to put on, and being in a madrigal dinner was part of my college tradition so it feels like the holiday season to me,” WHS choral director Kerry Johnson said. “The kids learn some interesting and fantastic music in the process, and it’s a way to get everyone involved in taking on a large project together.

“There are about 150 high school students involved total — they either sing, play string or brass instruments or help serve the meal,” she added. “Our entire music department is really a part of it.”

The core singers are comprised of students from the three WHS select ensembles — Trojan Express, VOX and Bel Canto.

“These students attend 7 a.m. rehearsals at least once a week for three months, and the kids are troopers to do that,” Johnson said. “It’s not an easy undertaking from a student’s perspective; they are also athletes and actors, or busy with clubs, student council, jobs and family lives.

“It speaks volumes of the type of kids we have in our music program that they will get up extra early one or two mornings a week to come and make this happen.”

Each year’s madrigal dinner includes a wassail toast, the celebration of the boar’s head, a formally served meal, Renaissance-themed costumes and a skit that has never yet failed to elicit roars of delight from the assembled audience.

“This year the skit is ‘A Midwinter’s Dream Knight,’” Johnson explained. “Jack — as in Jack and the Beanstalk — appears at the door of Cinderella’s cousin, Ashes Zelda, and attempts to sweep her off her feet only to discover she has been promised by her father to Knight Crawler.

“You’ll have to tune in to see how the story ends,” Johnson said with a laugh.

Sophomore D.J. Berger portrays Jack, while seniors Megan Blanchard and Ian Stewart fill the roles of Ashes Zelda and Knight Crawler, respectively.

“In past madrigal dinners, I’ve enjoyed dressing up in the period costumes and entertaining people for a night,” Blanchard said. “This is a new experience for me because I’ve really never had a speaking part in a musical or skit before, but hopefully it will be funny, and I’m excited to see how it will turn out.

“As Ashes, I think I’ve met my midwinter’s dream Knight, but a villainous cad tries to spoil things for me.”

Blanchard, along with members of the Royal Court and the ensembles, will deliver several musical numbers — “Carol of the Bells,” “Fum, Fum, Fum,” “In Silent Night” and “The Moon Shines Bright,” among others.

“There will also be a processional to ‘Bethlehem,’ and Bel Canto will sing ‘Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day,’” Johnson said.

Roughly 40 string students, conducted by WHS orchestra director Melanie Loy, will serenade at points in the show, too, as will a brass ensemble coordinated by WHS band director Jon Loy.

One difference in this year’s Madrigal Dinner is that students may be credited with 50 percent of the cost of tickets they sell. Those funds will help them cover the cost of their March 25-30 choir trip to New York City.

“So if you know a particular choir student, have that student place the order for you so they will get credit for the sale,” Johnson urged. “And come to the madrigal dinner prepared to laugh.”

The WHS madrigal dinners are at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, and 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, in Memorial Auditorium’s lobby. While the Friday show is sold out, tickets for the Dec. 8 shows may be reserved through Dec. 3; for reservations, either contact a Worthington High School choral student, call 376-6121, ext. 3310, or email kerry.johnson@isd518.net.

Tags: a midwinter’s dream knight, madrigal dinner, news