For those in need of some extra holiday cheer, a few local groups are offering some unique ways to hear the sounds of the season — such as the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company’s (CUTC) Dickensian Carolers or carolers from the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH).
Jan Weber with CUTC estimated that the Dickensian Carolers have been around since about 2015. As the name would suggest, the group dresses in Victorian-era clothing.
“The Dickensian theme came about because as a theater company we have the costumes and it adds a unique quality to our performance,” Weber said.
Per a recent newsletter from CUTC, the Dickensian Carolers have a repertoire of 20 “seasonal songs” for customers to choose from.
According to CUTC’s website, pricing starts at $60 for a 15-minute performance and $100 for a 30-minute set. The group is also available for longer sessions. For more information, contact Weber at bbshopbass46@gmail.com.
The group will be performing until about a week before Christmas, she said.
While CUTC’s Dickensian Carolers have been around for several years, BACH board member Jane Kuntz said that BACH caroling is a relatively new practice that started within the past few years “in a kind of improvised way.” This year, the group is making it into a more official tradition.
“Depending on the event, four to twelve BACH singers will come to perform a wide variety of classy pieces in harmony,” she said. “They will also ask audience members to join them in singing beloved holiday favorites for high-spirited fun. We ask that those who invite us to sing should make a donation to BACH, whatever they deem appropriate.”
For more information, contact info@baroqueartists.org.
Additionally, the University of Illinois’ annual Dial-A-Carol program, which has been hosted by Snyder Hall since 1960, will start early Thursday morning.
Callers from all over the world will be able to dial 1-217-332-1882 around the clock and listen to volunteers sing “nearly any holiday or seasonal song that callers would like to hear,” organizers said.
This free service will be available from 12:01 a.m. Thursday to 11:59 p.m. on Dec 18.
Sarah McElwee, residence director of Snyder Hall, said students have been working very hard to ensure another successful year.
“This is Dial A Carol’s 64th year, and not much has changed!” she said. “We will be here for 24 hours a day for seven days singing tunes for anyone that wants to listen!”
While the carolers are mostly student volunteers, all community members are welcome to participate. More information, including a link to volunteer, is available at housing.illinois.edu/dial-a-carol.
McElwee said that overnight, late-night and early-morning spots are especially hard to fill but are also “the most important as this is when most international callers are calling in.”
Treats and meals are provided to volunteers who sign up for these times.
“With everything going on all over the world, I think Dial A Carol provides a heartwarming chance for human connection,” McElwee said. “So much of what we do is digitized and impersonal now and this tradition connects real people together even if it’s just for a quick carol call. The fact that we are 24 hours a day for 7 days means that anyone, anywhere can call in and hear a song sung to them by real humans. We have many people that call multiple times each year, and we are happy to sing for every single one.”
New bagel and coffee shop announces grand opening date
Good Judys Espresso & Bagel Bar has announced that its first brick-and-mortar location will have a grand opening on Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. The shop is located at 2740 S. Philo Road, Suite D at The Pines in Urbana.
“We’ve poured our hearts into creating a space where everyone feels at home,” said co-owner Dakota Thomas-Wilhelm. “This isn’t just a café; it’s a celebration of good vibes, good bagels and good company.”
In addition to bagels and coffee, the shop will also serve made-to-order sandwiches.
The business said that customers should keep an eye on social media, as there will be soft openings prior to the main event.
Locally-made festive flick now available to stream
“Holiday Hold-Up,” a new movie filmed entirely on location in Champaign County, is now available to stream on a variety of platforms, including TubiTV, RokuTV, PlutoTV, Amazon Prime and Hoopla.
According to Nicely Entertainment, whose sub-label Darkly Entertainment is the distributor, the film “follows a group of restaurant employees who, days before Christmas, find themselves jobless and desperate after their boss cancels holiday bonuses and announces the restaurant’s sudden closure.”
“With their dreams slipping away, they hatch a plan to rob his high-stakes Christmas Eve poker game in a bid to reclaim their futures—despite none of them having the skills for such a heist,” the distribution company said. “Featuring mishaps, heart, and unexpected twists, this crime drama captures the spirit of resilience and redemption with a holiday backdrop.”
The film was written by Michael Moreci and Michele B. McGraw and directed by Moreci, McGraw, Kyko Claudio, and Robert Stern of Champaign.
It was produced by Sarah Sharp, Jen Shelby, and Kevin McGrail, and Champaign co-producers Dustin Hoke, Sarah Cayce, and Luke Boyce. Executive producers include Vanessa Shapiro and Scott Kirkpatrick of Nicely Entertainment.
The cast includes Jeremy Holm, John Pirruccello, Agnes Albright and Emma Jo Boyden, as well as Champaign’s Aaron Munoz and Jill Greenlee.
Free parking available to downtown shoppers
From now until Dec. 31, the city of Champaign is offering up to two hours of free parking for downtown visitors who use the parking garage at the corner of Hill and Randolph streets.
“There is no need to provide any proof of purchase at the parking deck to receive this discount,” city officials said. “As always, parking in the parking deck and at metered spaces is free on City holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays.”
