OK, I have to admit it; I’m becoming a pretty big fan of the KNOW Theater.  They’ve got style.  And I could be my usual cynical self and find something to mock them for, but they always seem to beat me to the punch.

At last month’s Celtic Festival, they did an entire series of comedy sketches based on the idea that all the jokes would be BAD and then called the troop “The Gleason Groaners”.  You have to appreciate a group of people with that level of self-celebratory self-loathing.  Luckily, the beer was flowing freely.

In any case, they’ve come up with a neat twist on the Christmas show that actually makes me want to sit through two hours of “Rudolph the Red Nose” and “Jingle Bells”.  They’re playing the thing like an old-time radio show.  Like NPR’s Prairie Home Companion—just in Bingo and with a Christmas-y theme.

And the best part (according to me):  You’ll be able to listen to bits and pieces right here on bingpop.com.  At least the parts we won’t get sued for posting.  But if you’re really cool, you’ll come see it live this weekend.  More info here.

I grabbed Matt Edwards from KNOW to grill him about the show…

What makes this a Christmas "Radio Show" as opposed to just-a Christmas show?
We’ve set the stage with an announcer’s booth and a studio stage decorated as a home.  The announcer’s will keep the show moving with introductions, commercials, Christmas Facts, and more.  The performers will sometimes be set in story settings and at other times will just be singing for the audience.  We thought we’d set it up in this format to enable a wide range of performers to participate and by doing so, we’ve been able to round up some of the best stage talent in the area: Tim Gleason, Santion DeAngelo, Marty Murray, Claire Valletta, Grace Morrissey, opera singers Jacqlyn Zito, Maria Aimoniotis, Amanda Chmela, Anthony Buck, and Kathy Boczar.  We were also able to beg local favorite Jan DeAngelo to come join us on the piano.

Would you give us a sample of some of the songs we’ll be hearing?
I can’t give it all away, some of it plays out in the flow of the shows format, but you will get to hear many of your favorites: O holy night, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree, a reading of the Night Before Christmas, an original mini-play by Marty Murray, and we’re even planning on having a magician in the lobby for the kids.

Will anybody be dressed up as an elf?  Why or why not?
I don’t think we have any elves lined up yet.  Elf is my favorite Christmas Movie and I just don’t see how I can top that.  Maybe next year.