Wish 2008

At the cast party for Broadway Bound, the directors gave each choir member an index card and asked them to anonymously write down one wish. These wishes became the foundation for the choir's 2008 Christmas production, Wish, also written by Emily Hotz. Wish was also held at the Lincoln Cultural Center stage and once again attracted large crowds, despite terrible weather and much of the area losing power.

If you would like to view hundreds more Wish photos, please visit the Kankakee Valley Performance Choir Facebook page. Don't forget to become a fan while you're there!

 

The show opened with an original song written by our very own director, Marla J. Barnard. The song, Make a Wish, featured several monologues where choir members told about some of their most precious wishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the show, choir members came forward to lay their hands on the "Wish Present" and tell the audience what they wished for. From a teenage girl who longs to find her purpose, to a 9 year old who is just wishing for a little snow on Christmas Day, to a prayer for those whose loved ones are no longer with us, to a reminder that laughter is best way to warm up a cold day, each child's wish made the audience contemplate the reason for the Christmas holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria Byerley gave a touching prayer for strength and solace to those who find faces missing from the dinner table on Christmas. You will hear her monologue at the beginning of the video below. Enjoy A Song for Ryan's Mother, written by musical director Marla J. Barnard.

 

The cast lightened the mood a little with a few fun, energetic numbers. They performed a new twist on the classic 12 Days of Christmas and also told the tale of the Christmas gift that many people dread receiving...Fruitcake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As our show reached its conclusion, Milana Duggan stepped forward to offer her choir members a gift. "It is a wish. Do what you will with it, but please remember that wishes can be fragile and you never know when a wish is all someone has left."

The choir ended the show with a breath-taking arrangement of O Holy Night and a reprise of Make a Wish.
Thank you to everyone who put in so much hard work to make our Wish come true!

Photos by Bob Guastalli