ENOSBURGH OPERA HOUSE SHARED HOLIDAY CHEER VIRTUALLY
By Ben Kaufmann
County Courier
ENOSBURG FALLS: Even with all events for the 2020 season at the Enosburgh Opera House being canceled, the desire to deliver smiles through performance is still strong in the community. Despite the worsening COVID-19 pandemic throwing wrenches in various plans for a holiday show, the Opera House found a way to deliver a virtual show on Saturday.
“A Virtual Holiday Special” streamed on Facebook and YouTube Saturday at 7:00 P.M., featuring an array of guest performances from more than a dozen local musicians. Wesley Kempton will act as the host of the show, which aimed to look similar to the classic holiday variety shows we’ve seen on television for decades.
The premise of the show was based in the reality of this strange year. Kempton said plans for a live radio-style variety show with no audience had to be scrapped because even just a collection of artists gathering at the Opera House would have been a safety risk in violation of the most recent public safety directives put forth by Governor Scott.
With limited opportunities for any kind of production, Kempton said the idea for a sort of parody of the old television variety programs presented itself.
“The cheesy plot would be that I’m at the Opera House, feeling sad that the live show had been cancelled and that Christmas would be different this year,” Kempton wrote in an e-mail to the County Courier. “Conveniently, several friends happen to call and offer me perspective and holiday cheer (in the form of song) to cheer me up.”
A number of local performers with ties to the Enosburg Opera House took part of “A Virtual Holiday Special.” The list of those who provided holiday cheer included MVU band instructor Aaron Garceau and his band Prydein, local elementary school music teacher and church music director Jennifer McConnell, BFA-St. Albans band director Eric Bushey (featuring Aimee, Ella and Noah Bushey), BFA-St. Albans alumna Jhai Sutton, music teacher and MVU alumna Molly Hartman, elementary schoolteacher and MVU alumnus Rafael Bish, Enosburg alumnae Emily Butson and Heather Wilson, BFA-St. Albans graduate and local musician Isaac French, and Kempton’s daughters Elizabeth and Amelia and brother Riley.
“We started texting a lot of people and after a day or two we had about a dozen people willing to record something to contribute,” said Kempton.
The virtual special is free for all to view and its primary mission is to bring local cheer while showcasing local performers in a year when such an endeavor has been all but impossible. For those who are able and feel compelled, the video descriptions on Facebook and Youtube offers links to make donations to the Enosburgh Opera House.
“It’s worth noting that the Opera House has been a conduit for local art and entertainment for more than 125 years,” Kempton wrote of the Enosburg staple which was built in 1892. “I expect it to retain its integral role in the community beyond 2020, but continued support from the community they serve will certainly make that future brighter.”
