The holidays may be over, but the celebrating continues with Merry Christmas Darling: Heidi Kettenring Sings Karen Carpenter, at the Venus Cabaret Theater in Chicago.
As the venue’s website states, you can enjoy a “festive celebration of the legendary songstress, featuring holiday cocktails, dazzling decor and a one-of-a-kind holiday experience!” Indeed it was amazing.
I recently attended one of her performances, with my mother, and it was delightful. In fact, my mom enjoyed it so much, she bought four tickets for this Saturday’s show and will be attending with her Carpenter-loving friends.
I have seen Kettenring in various theatrical productions around Chicagoland for years and have always adored her, including her work in Broadway in Chicago’s Wicked and The King and I.
What is great is you do not have to know anything about Karen Carpenter to enjoy this spectacle as Kettenring perfectly captures Carpenter’s life through stories and songs, including some sing-alongs. It was a very entertaining and musical holiday history lesson.
Kettenring is the quintessential entertainer and draws you in from first note to the last. She gets raw and lets Carpenter’s songs get to her very emotional core.
Joining Kettenring on stage, and providing the perfect sounds, were her pianist and music director Chuck Larkin, bassist Jake Saleh, and supporting vocals by Lara Filip and Andrew Mueller/Alex Newkirk.
After her performances conclude, she is available for meet & greets and DVDs and CDs are available for purchase and personalization.
This production is presented by Mercury Theater Chicago and Artists Lounge Live. Six shows remain and run from Thursday, December 26 through Sunday, December 29. The performance lasts about 90 minutes, plus a 15 minute intermission. For more information and tickets, visit www.mercurytheaterchicago.com.
Set List
Christmas Waltz
Yesterday Once More
Home For The Holidays
Rainy Days And Mondays
A Song For You
Sing
Hurting Each Other
It’s Christmas Time/Sleep Well Little Children
Mr. Postman
Do You Hear What I Hear
Santa Claus Is Coming
We’ve Only Just Begun
Help/Ticket to Ride
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Won’t last A Day Without You
Superstar
Little Altar Boy
What Are You Doing Nye
Close To You
Merry Christmas Darling
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