The warm weather that surprised Cornwall and the rest of the Hudson Valley last weekend wasn’t the only remnant of a different season. Two summer theater groups are back in action.
After presenting shows in July and August, Step It Up Summer Stage is hosting its first holiday musical. With a cast of students from elementary through high school, the group is presenting Elf, Jr., a musical comedy version of the Will Ferrell film Elf.
A cast of 25 performers has managed to fit rehearsals into a busy fall schedule that includes sports, clubs, religious instruction and homework. Karen Eremin and T.J. Larke are directing them, and Ronda Barber is the producer.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the Walter Reade Jr. Theater at Storm King School. For prices or reservations, call 534-3645.
Some regulars from the Bethlehem Summer Music Festival are presenting an evening of Holiday songs at the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church on Dec 19 at 7 p.m. Performers include Scott Test, Meghan Zwart Test, Emily Zwart, Blake McGready and Alex Hauserman. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted at the door.
The Festival people are also producing their second annual Mystery Dinner Theater. The evening will start with a buffet, and conclude with a “Whodunit” drama.
During the intermission, the people at each table will review the plot and guess who committed the crime. There will be one vote per table. At the end of the night, the people who guessed correctly will receive a prize.
Director James Roe recalls that two tables won prizes for identifying the criminals last year. To get tickets for this year, call 541-2434 or email tickets@bsmf.org.
Dinner starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 2. The event will be postponed until Jan. 3 if it snows — which would be a new experience for the Bethlehem Summer Music Festival.
