So that family and friends could celebrate Christmas as a school community, over 200 Saint Joseph School students joined in song and dance on Sunday afternoon when they presented their Annual Christmas Pageant, overseen by Fine Arts Director Mrs. Kelly Bailey Southworth. The event was held on the Ivascyn Performing Arts Center stage in the Richard A. Nowak Gymnasium.
The festivities began with the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Saint Joseph School Choir, led by music instructor Mrs. Brenda Lau Anderson and accompanied by Maria Halena Czarnecka-Cieslak, performed The First Noel and Angels We Have Heard on High, followed by a special Christmas Poem recited by Student Council President Molly Hachigian. Then, Pastor and Headmaster Rev. Grzegorz Chodkowski blessed the four Christmas trees surrounding the stage. The opening ceremony concluded with the lighting of the four trees, bringing the Ivascyn Performing Arts Center to life.
Act I of the pageant featured a presentation of the play, A Night Full of Stars – Bethlehem’s Amazing Moving Pictures Show, by Little Big Stuff, directed by Ms. Kelly Bailey Southworth and assisted by Grade 4 instructor Mrs. Susan Gallivan. The Hollywood-themed production told the story of the opening night for the newest entertainment invention, “moving pictures.” However, the event couldn’t compete with the “buzz” on the hillside of Bethlehem of the promised Messiah – Christ the Lord. The cast included Mya Medina, Luke Surowaniec, Jada Jackson, Ayla Reed, Jason Bianchi, Laura Ibrahim, Rosemary Basha, Emily Macko, Sophia Surowaniec, Zofia Pawlikowska, Nevaeh Bourgeois, Renielys Garcia, Amelia Potem, Alexis Archambault, Avery Archambault, Evelyn Macko, Kalleia Agosto, Bella Kicilinski, Lily Martin, Claire Calnan, Ryan Grupposo, Ariana Benson, and Bella Kicilinski. The cast was supported by all Saint Joseph School students in Grades 5-8 who sang several musical numbers, including The City of David, Come One, Come All, The Shepherd King, Can You Believe, Following the Light of the Star, Joy to the World Medley, and Let the Good News Be Heard.
Following a brief intermission, students in the Prek-3-year-old program through Grade 4 took over the stage. They delighted the crowd with their performances. Grade 4 kicked off Act 2 with a performance of Oh Christmas Tree on their ukuleles, Grade 3 sang and performed hand movements to The Twelve Days of Christmas, Grade 2 sang Go Tell It On the Mountain, Grade 1 performed Up on the Housetop, Kindergarten sang and danced to the tune Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Prek-4-year old program sang Happy Birthday, Jesus, and PreK-3-year-old program brought a smile to everyone’s faces with Baby Jesus, We Love You. Finally, Grade 5-8 students returned to the stage to sing the Spanish song, Arbolito, Arbolito. The event culminated with a visit from Saint Nicholas and candy canes for every student courtesy of the Saint Joseph School Home and School Association. It was a spectacular afternoon!
