The Christmas Spirit??
RIHS and the Players at Barker Playhouse Join Powers for Benefit
(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) ??? The Rhode Island Historical Society and the Players at Barker Playhouse are partnering on a special presentation of The Christmas Spirit this Thursday, Dec. 1, with all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting the RIHS. A pre-performance reception is included with the $25 admission.
In this play by Frederick Stroppel and directed by Joan Dillenback, Julia Dowling has an unexpected visitor looking to escort her into the afterlife. Infusing comedy into the classic Death Takes a Holiday, The Christmas Spirit is set in contemporary Long Island. Julia persuades Death to give her one more day to enjoy Christmas and invites him to be her guest at a festive party. The next day, the house fills with bickering relatives, friends, the local priest, and Death masquerading as a human, singing carols and drinking egg nog. Moments of high farce, drama, and even romance arise as bright holiday fantasies collide with a not-so-merry reality.
This special presentation is a benefit for the RIHS, and includes a pre-performance reception in the theatre, complete with wine and bites! Tickets are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2715963, or by contacting Development Officer Corinne Barber at cbarber@rihs.org or (401) 331-8575 x135.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
Founded in 1822, the RIHS is the fourth-oldest historical society in the United States and is Rhode Island???s largest and oldest historical organization, as well as its only Smithsonian Affiliate. In Providence, the RIHS owns and operates the John Brown House Museum, a designated National Historic Landmark, built in 1788; the Aldrich House, built in 1822 and used for administration and public programs; and the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, where archival, book and image collections are housed. In Woonsocket, the RIHS manages the Museum of Work and Culture, a community museum examining the industrial history of northern Rhode Island and of the workers and settlers, especially French-Canadians, who made it one of the state???s most distinctive areas.