'Christmas by Candlelight' a Don't-Miss Holiday Choral Event

Promising to "re-tell the Christmas story in a way that Plant City has never heard it," the Plant City Community Choir is planning to put 150 singers and musicians on stage today, Dec. 8, for its reportedly largest-ever "Christmas by Candlelight" production.

On stage with them will be community theater veteran Paula Spangler Klein, who at last night's Village Players production of "Miracle on 34th Street," sang pre-curtain carols to a packed house at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico.

There, she offered reasons why Greater Brandon and East Hillsborough County residents won't want to miss either one of two stagings of the candlelight production at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Plant City, directed by Joseph Mendolia, the choir's executive and artistic director.

And reasons, too, why she was both eager to join, and continue her participation with, the community choir.

"The director is very meticulous," Spangler Klein said. "It's not like you 'la, la, la' and you leave. He really wants musicians, he really wants good sound."

He also "picks challenging music, like Bach and Beethoven," Spangler Klein said.

The "Christmas by Candlelight" production "is the culmination of the year," she added. There's 150 voices and this year, an orchestra. Also, two octets: one will perform at the 6 p.m. show; the other, in which Spangler Klein is a member, at 8 p.m.

The community theater veteran and singer said she discovered the community choir after a friend told her about its existence.

"I was doing a show and somebody in it said, 'Why don't you check out our choir?' " she said. "I was wondering what it would be like, I didn't even know there was a community choir in Plant City."

One year led to two and Spangler Klein said she intends to keep her participation going for a third year and beyond.

"It's a chance to outreach with the community," she said. "We get to go to a lot of places and sing for the community."

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What You Need To Know About The Plant City Choir's "Christmas By Candlelight"

According to the choir's Facebook announcement:

• The 6 p.m. show will be narrated by Scott Lingle, associate pastor of Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Singing in the "Voices of Light" octet will be Melody Brown, Jessica Jacobs, Jo-An Lusk, April Davis, Matt Nestor, Andy Tekampe and Ed Keiser

• The 8 p.m. show will be narrated by Plant City Commissioner Bill Dodson. Singing in the "Voices of Light" octet will be Dianne Sillman, Paula Spangler-Klein, Jenise Freeland, Kristen Holloway, Lamar Galloway, Robert Tait, Antonio Young and Manuel Castillo.

This  year's conductors:

• Peter A. Belk, associate director of bands at the University of South Florida

• Joseph Mendolia, artistic director of the Plant City Community Choir

Tickets can be purchased online. Or call: 813-444-TUNE. This year, two types of tickets are available:

• General Admission — $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Children age 12 and under $5.

• VIP Admission — $20, includes concert ticket, VIP parking, VIP seating and reception meet-and-greet with conductor, narrator and "Voice of Light" octet.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Plant City is at 1107 Charlie Griffin Road. The Plant City Community Choir rehearses Monday nights, 7 to 9:30, in the chorus room at Plant City High School, 1 Raider Place.