Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season returns this December

-Courtesy of The Philly POPS

The Philly POPS is spreading the holiday spirit anew in their annual Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season in nine shows beginning on December 3rd. Popular Music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell returns for his seventh Christmas season with the POPS, bringing his unique and brilliant style to the stage with guest artists Hamilton and In the Heights star Mandy Gonzalez and Broadway sensation and small-screen heartthrob Jordan Donica. 

The audience will enjoy performances with 300 artists on stage, including The Philly POPS Festival Chorus, The Philadelphia Boys Choir, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir, and Singing Santa! 

The POPS kicks off the holiday season for sold-out all-family crowds by performing signature Christmas songs including “Winter Wonderland,” “All I want for Christmas is You,” “Silent Night,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and so much more. 

“The Holidays are always spectacular at the Philly POPS! I look forward to conducting traditional carols like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Deck the Halls” sung by hundreds of voices with organ and full orchestra. Glorious!” Said Music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell, ”I also love the modern pieces we’ll be doing which explore the meaning of Christmas in our day and age – beautiful songs such as “Breath of Heaven,” “Purple Snowflakes” and “My Grown-Up Christmas List.” I am so looking forward to another dazzling Philly POPS Christmas!” 

Mandy Gonzalez returns to the POPS for her fourth Christmas. Gonzalez is known not only for her longstanding role as Angelica Schyler in Broadway’s Hamilton, but also for her powerful portrayal of Nina Rosario in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, In The Heights.  In that role, which she originated Off-Broadway at 37 Arts, and for which she received a Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble, she first made her name. 

Jordan Donica is making his Philly POPS Christmas debut this year. Donica originated the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the Tony-nominated Lincoln Center Theater production of My Fair Lady, and also starred as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the Los Angeles and San Francisco companies of Hamilton.  He has also starred in Charmed and Blue Bloods on the small screen. 

The Philly POPS will kick off the Christmas series with their Ninth Annual I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders on Dec 2. The benefit exclusively hosts 2,000 members of the military, police and fire departments and their families for an invite-only Christmas Spectacular. The Christmas Salute is an invite-only event as it includes recognition for the exemplary commitments of all members of the service community. For additional details and tickets visit www.phillypops.org or call the Kimmel Center Box office at 215.893.1999. Tickets are $35-152. 

Performance repertoire: 

1. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 

2. (Everybody’s Waitin for) The Man with the Bag 

3. We Need a Little Christmas 

4. All is Well 

5. Winter Wonderland 

6. Frosty the Snowman 

7. The Work of Christmas 

8. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella 

9. March of the Toys 

10. I’ll Be Home for Christmas 

11. I saw Three Ships 

12. Deck the Halls 

13. Hanukkah Festival Overture 

14. There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays 

15. A Merry Christmas Sing Along 

16. Breath of Heaven 

17. Silent Night Do You Hear What I Hear? 

18. Go Tell it on the Mountain 

19. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town 

20. My Grown-Up Christmas List 

21. All I Want For Christmas is You 

Performances take place:

• Saturday, December 3, 3 p.m. 
• Sunday, December 4, 3 p.m. 
• Wednesday, December 7, 8 p.m. 
• Friday, December 9, 8 p.m. 
• Saturday, December 10, 3 p.m. 
• Sunday, December 11, 3 p.m. 
• Wednesday, December 14, 8 p.m. 
• Friday, December 16, 3 p.m. 
• Saturday, December 17, 3 p.m.  

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Cultural Campus; 300 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 

The Philly POPS will also kick off the Christmas series with their Ninth Annual I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders on Dec 2. The benefit exclusively hosts 2,000 members of the military, police and fire departments and their families for an invite-only Christmas Spectacular. The Christmas Salute is an invite-only event as it includes recognition for the exemplary commitments of all members of the service community. 

For additional details and tickets visit www.phillypops.org or call the Kimmel Center Box office at 215.893.1999.