“The parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher…” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Come embrace the spirit of the Roaring 20’s at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Gala this Thursday, December 2 at the Zermatt Resort in Midway! This event raises funds for the chamber to support our local businesses and promote tourism.
Tickets are available at www.gohebervalley.com/gala and can be purchased for Singles ($60), Couples ($120), or tables of 10 ($600).
Dinner and desert, dancing, casino-style games, and drinks are included with each ticket!
Fill in the blanks: “Every time a ______ rings, an angel gets his _________”. If you were thinking bell and wings then you must be familiar with the classic Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Timpanogos Valley Theater will be performing “It’s a Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play” this holiday season. The timeless George Bailey and his wife Mary; Clarence the angel, and the antagonistic Mr. Potter; and all the other beloved characters of Bedford Falls will be brought to life to share this inspiring story of life, hope, and friendship. The production is a little different than just a regular stage play. This radio style script will transport the audience back to the entertainment era known as the “The Golden Age of Radio”.
Director Kristen Hughes enthusiastically explains, “The ensemble members do the voices for every character in the story. So, they are constantly switching! It’s a blast to watch. It is like a really fun reader’s theater complete with advertising jingles and Christmas carols from the post WWII era.”
The show encompasses two different casts. Kevin and Felicia Siggard, Cevin Carr, David Burrow, and Cary Hobbs are the main characters in one cast while Nathan Moulton, Jessica Wall, Tom Hughes, Gary Harter, and Bo Walker make up the second. Both sets include three jazz musicians and a foley artist. Foley artists recreate an array of everyday sounds in real time, rather than pulling pre-recorded sounds, for film and theater to enhance the overall experience. “Our foley artist is a gentleman by the name of Jared Wright. He’s a local musician. He built a wind machine for the show and has been having a ball experimenting with all kinds of sounds. It’s amazing to hear! One sound we were having a problem getting right was a car door. And one day he showed up with an antique metal tool box. When he opened and closed it, it sounded just like an old car door,” Hughes explains.
Another local touch to the play will be the commercials. The radio show will feature ‘live commercials’ tailored to some of our valley’s businesses, and arranged using the jingle style of the late 1940’s. Set in 1946; the play’s production team, led by Gary Harter, have added touches that were authentic to a real radio station, including electric art deco “on air” and “applause” signs, glass windows, and vintage doors.
Hughes encourages everyone to come, “I hope people come see the show during the holidays with their families. It is only an hour and fifteen minutes long, perfect for an outing, and has something for everyone. It is nostalgic, warm and inviting. It will leave you feeling hopeful and happy and ready to really enjoy the Christmas season.”
A good story reminds us to be our best selves, and inspires us to find the best in others. “It’s a Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Show” aims to do just that. To quote Clarence, the guardian angel, “Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends”.
The show opens *November 29th, and runs through Saturday, December 18th with performances on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:00 pm.
*Dec. 3: 9pm following Heber’s tree lighting ceremony and *Dec. 18: 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Timpanogos Valley Theatre is located at 90 North 100 West, Heber. Ticket prices are: $10.00 and $8.00 for groups of six or more. Purchase tickets at the door or online at timpvalleytheatre.com
“The spirit of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is shared by all people who love freedom.” – Norma Simon, Author
Freedom we all know is not free. And though the cost of freedom is always high, one cannot afford to surrender or submit. Across all cultures and as far back as oral recollections and written records go, there have always been tales and historical writings of those who would remove the freedoms of others and of those who would rise up and fight for their people’s independence.
As a nation, we celebrate our independence every year on the Fourth of July with traditions such as fireworks, barbeques, parades, and gatherings across the country. However, as individuals, families, and sects, we all celebrate our various heritages, cultures, and ancestral independence in numerous ways throughout the year.
One such celebration takes place every year in November or December (depending on the cyclical nature of the Jewish calendar). Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication or Festival of Lights, is a celebration commemorating the ‘Miracle of the Oil’ that took place during the rededication of the Second Temple. The holiday is also a time to reflect on the Jewish revolution against the assimilation and suppression of their religious freedoms during the reign of Antiochus IV. Although widely thought of as the “Jewish Christmas” due to the proximity of dates, that idea couldn’t be further from the truth – Hanukkah has been observed and celebrated since around 164 BCE, more than 150 years before Jesus of Nazareth was born.
The Story of Hanukkah
Before we begin, let’s clear up some of the confusion regarding the spelling of Hanukkah, or is it Chanukah? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “The answer is that both are considered correct, though Hanukkah is the most widely used spelling, while Chanukah is more traditional. In addition, more than 20 other variations are recorded.” I love ‘traditional’ so, as we revisit history, I’ll use the old world spelling for a bit.
The story of Chanukah begins in 332 BCE during the reign of Alexander the Great. Although Alexander had conquered Persia, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine, he allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. However, more than a century after the rule of Alexander the Great, a Syrian King, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid dynasty, came into power. And everything changed. Under the tyranny of Antiochus, the Jewish people were persecuted, oppressed, and thousands were massacred.
There were many changes and severe restrictions placed upon the Jews; and their culture, beliefs, and religious practices. Antiochus appointed a Hellenistic “High Priest” to their Temple and had a statue of Apollo erected inside. The Jews Torah scrolls were confiscated and burned, and the study of Torah (scriptures) was outlawed. Antiochus made it mandatory for the Jewish people to eat pork (a non-Kosher food/animal); the refusal to do so was punishable by death. Circumcision was illegal and also punishable by death. The observance of Shabbat was illegal, and the worship of Greek Gods was legally forced upon them. To further desecrate the Temple, Antioch required an altar sacrifice of swine. The sacrificing of pigs on the altar began on Kislev (the ninth month of the Jewish calendar) in honor of Apollo’s birthday — December 25th.
Revolution, Rededication, and Rejoicing
There are various historical accounts regarding the events that incited what is known as the Maccabee1 uprising; however, most historians agree that there were two groups who opposed Antiochus: a nationalistic group led by the Hasmonean family of the High Priest Mattathias and his five sons, including the eldest, Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim (forerunners of the Pharisees and no direct connection to the modern movement knows as Chasidism). The two joined forces and waged a victorious three-year war against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and the oppression by the Seleucid Greek government.
Following the death of his father, Mattathias, in 166 BCE, Judah took the helm. And within two years, these Jewish warriors took control, founded the Hasmonean dynasty, reasserted the Jewish religion, expanded the boundaries of Judea, and reduced the influence of Hellenism and Hellenistic Judaism. According to History.com, in preparation for the rededication of the Temple, “Judah called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild its altar and light its menorah — the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation, and were meant to be kept burning every night.” The rededication took place on the 25th of Kislev (December) in 165 BCE. In his book titled The Feasts Unlocked, A Practical Understanding of God’s Holy Days, Allan R. Aguirre explains that, “. . .after defeating Antiochus IV and driving his forces out from the Temple, very little of the prescribed oil to light and keep the Temple menorah lit was left or undefiled by the Syrian-Greeks. The “Miracle of Lights” is that this one-day supply of oil lasted and burned for the entire eight-day period needed to prepare [the consecrated oil].” This miraculous event inspired Judah to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival memorializing the rededication of the Temple and the restoration of Torah observances. It is believed that one year later the first Chanukah was celebrated.
Several sources, including history.com and Allan R. Aguirre, state that there could be a possibility that the ‘first Chanukah’ may have been a belated celebration of Sukkot, which the Jews had not had the chance to observe during the revolt. Sukkot is one of the most important Jewish holidays and consists of seven days of feasting, prayer, and festivities. Aguirre mentions the book Antiquities of the Jews where Josephus gives an account of the festival, “. . . they [the Jewish people] were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this, we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights.”
Chanukah or Hanukkah Today
Today, Hanukkah is still celebrated worldwide with the traditional lighting of the candles in the menorah (the only religious observance related to the holiday) and the gathering of friends and family for stories, songs, food, and games. It is traditional to eat fried foods on Hanukkah in memory of the significance of oil to the holiday. One of the more popular foods is latkes, which date back to at least the middle ages. Originally latkes were made of cheese fried in oil; until the 19th century when the potato arrived in eastern Europe. Today, latkes are synonymous with fried potato pancakes. There are about as many variations of latkes as there are spellings of Hanukkah. Sufganiyot’s, Jelly-filled doughnuts, are also a traditional fried food served during Hanukkah.
Gift-giving is not a tradition of Hanukkah; although, with the commercialization of all holidays, some families will exchange gifts among immediate family members. According to the website Judaism 101, “It is extremely unusual for Jews to give Chanukkah gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The traditional gift of the holiday is “gelt” small amounts of money.”
Another tradition of Hanukkah is playing dreidel. Dreidel is a game of chance developed during the time of Antiochus. Those who wanted to study Torah, which was illegal, would conceal their activity by playing a gambling game with a top — a common and legal activity — whenever an official of Antiochus’ was nearby. Aguirre explains, “The dreidel was marked with four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hei, and Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase nes gadol hayah sham “a great miracle happened there” [in modern Israel, the letters were changed to reflect the translation “a great miracle happened here”] referring to the miracle of the oil. The letters also stand for the Yiddish words Nit (nothing), Gantz (all), Halb (half), and Shtell (put), which are the rules to the game.”
No festival, celebration, or holiday is complete without music, and Hanukkah is no exception. Many traditional songs celebrating Hanukkah date back centuries and are sung in Hebrew, though there have been attempts to translate the songs into other languages such as Yiddish and English.
This year, Hanukkah will begin at sunset on the 28th of November 2021 and end at nightfall on the 6th of December 2021 (Jewish Year 5782).
The author, Anita Diamant, shared, “This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against the planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires, and light candles. And we sing.” Whatever holiday(s) we observe during the winter months; I challenge all of us to celebrate with kindness, inclusivity, respect, care, and genuine love for our neighbors, and an appreciation for those who protect and fight for the freedoms of all.
Perhaps the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, expressed what should be at the very heart of every society when he declared, “Hanukkah is about the freedom to be true to what we believe without denying the freedom of those who believe otherwise.”
The Menorah and Hanukkiah
A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient Holy Temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one (the shammash or servant) to light the others. During each night of Hanukkah, a blessing is offered while the candles are lit; candles are inserted from right to left but are lit from left to right.
1 The name Maccabee is often used as a synonym for the entire Hasmonean dynasty, but the Maccabees proper were Judas Maccabeus and his four brothers.
Michael McLean is an extremely-gifted, world-renowned composer, musician, playwright, author, and filmmaker. His larger-than-life personality and life experiences surely make him one of a kind. He’s spontaneous, funny, gracious — and he calls the Heber Valley home.
“I wasn’t born in Heber, but I got here as soon as I could,” explains McLean, who partnered with a good friend in 1984 to acquire 21 acres in Daniel. “People who’ve lived here, I’m convinced, when they die and go to heaven, nothing’s changed except they can have all the Trainburgers and shakes they want, and they won’t put on weight,” he proclaims.
A Christmas Classic
Of all his many accomplishments, McLean is best known for creating the enduring and powerful Christmas musical The Forgotten Carols. This story was created right here in the Heber Valley 29 years ago and has grown and evolved, only getting bigger and better over the years with performances across the country.
“The Forgotten Carols has always been, for me, the gift that keeps on giving,” says McLean. Last year he was excited because of the rewrite and reimagined changes that were made. “It’s given me a new reason to get up every morning and learn how to tell this story in a way that’s deeper, more hopeful, more fun, and more relevant in these times where so many are crying, ‘I cannot find my way at all.’”
The show seems to resonate with people because of its real-life application and truth. The story is about a nurse who hasn’t felt much of anything for a very long time and meets a patient who claims to have been around for thousands of years. This patient goes on to share personal stories of various people not typically remembered in the nativity story.
McLean reflects, “I see myself in the characters and their ‘forgotten carols.’
“I’m like the innkeeper who turned away Joseph and Mary. I’m not a bad guy; I’m just so busy that I miss things that truly matter.
“I’m like the shepherd who fell asleep that first Christmas and missed everything — and the only way I know about it is the feeling I get from hearing others tell me about it.”
Because the characters and their stories are so relatable, this Christmas classic makes audiences truly connect and reflect on the holiday’s true meaning.
“I think that might be happening for those who have made The Forgotten Carols a tradition. They see themselves in the story, and it helps them remember what they’ve forgotten about the holiday,” McLean supposes. “I also think that the response to The Forgotten Carols is that it is unapologetically about Jesus — about seeing His birth and feeling ‘the magic in the air’ that comes when this story is told.”
“I’ve got to say, I don’t know how it’s possible to tell the same story so differently and have it feel more familiar than ever.”
A Tradition Saved
Because of the current conditions of COVID, this year’s performance of The Forgotten Carols will be more memorable than ever. Through miracles of timing, venues, grants, positive COVID tests, among others, The Forgotten Carols can still be a part of many family Christmas traditions. Last year’s script changes were inspired for that time and even more so for today. It will be shown at movie theaters across the country as a recorded live production of one of the most touching performances ever done at Heritage Theater in Cedar City, Utah, with a masked live socially distanced audience. Because it was filmed using 15 camera angles, The Forgotten Carols will be better than ever. Think of it in the same category as Disney+’s debut of Hamilton. Michael McLean calls this the “No excuses” tour as it will be more accessible than before — something that defies the pandemic.
A Different Kind of Christmas Star
Throughout McLean’s storied career, he has had countless memorable moments and special performances. However, one of his most treasured experiences was working with Jimmy Stewart, the legendary actor who played George Bailey in the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life.
In his own words, McLean tells what he learned from the star:
“Back in 1980, I was lucky enough to produce a television show called Mr. Krueger’s Christmas starring a truly world-famous person: James Stewart, Academy Award-winning actor, and my hero. In the time I worked with him, I noticed how he handled his fame.
People came up to him out of nowhere to meet him, shake his hand, get an autograph, tell him their story, and their connection to him or one of his legendary films. It was utterly amazing how gracious and kind and personal he was with everyone who interrupted his day. I asked him how he was able to do it, and he told me that he believed every one of those people were his partners.
They had paid for his house in Beverly Hills, got his kids through college, gave him a chance to do the work he loved — and that he owed it to them to show his gratitude for their encouragement and support of him. He then added, ‘If I’m not up to treating everyone that way . . . I stay home.’
I never forgot that, and when somebody recognizes me and wants to make a connection, I think of the most famous person I ever worked with and try to follow his example.”
It’s a Wonderful Life in Heber valley
Just like everyone, McLean’s life has not been without challenges and trials. He’s endured failures and frustration; tackled fears and hopelessness. He battles depression. He’s grateful to have survived a nine-year faith crisis, and for the lessons he wouldn’t have learned any other way. He knows it’s the people around you that make life wonderful.
There’s a little piece of the Heber Valley in everything he does. He explains, “I am crazy about Wasatch County. I love, love, love living here and want who I am and my work to reflect positively on the gift I’ve been given of being among you. As much as the spectacular surroundings fill my soul and inspire me every day, it’s the people I’m lucky enough to live around that remind me who I hope to become.”
The Forgotten Carols film will be released starting November 19 and playing at The Avon Theatre in Heber. Find more info online at forgottencarols.com.
The Menorah and Hanukkiah