The grand finale of the Burlington County Library holiday shows will be a special performance of “The Nutcracker Ballet” by the Ballet for Young Audiences on Sunday, Dec. 14. The performance will be a shorter version of Tchaikovsky’s famous holiday ballet, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 story about a young girl’s dream come to life.
Burlington County residents don’t need to travel far to enjoy some festive entertainment this holiday season. The Burlington County Library System is inviting residents to enjoy free holiday shows this month at the Burlington County Library in Westampton.
“The holidays are a wonderful time of year for friends and family to gather, and we are excited by the great programming being offered by the Burlington County Library System to bring residents together to enjoy holiday entertainment close to home and at no cost,” said Burlington County Commissioner Tom Pullion, the liaison to the Burlington County Library System.
“Burlington County libraries are much more than just places to borrow books. We want our libraries to be community resources residents can rely on for learning, enjoyment and services,” added Burlington County Library System Director Ranjna Das. “The holiday shows reflect that mission and offer festive fun for all ages.”
Starting off on Saturday, Dec. 6, is Sister Rain & Brother Sun: Large Puppet Theater. Through larger-than-life puppets and lively music, the performance by the Catskills Puppet Theater shares a timely message about importance of working together and sharing, making it an uplifting start to the library’s holiday programming.
Come back to the library on Sunday, Dec. 7, for Fa La La Cappella, a special performance by the Jersey Sound Chorus. The award-winning a capella group was founded in 1962 and will be performing a mix of modern, pop and classical holiday favorites.
The series continues Saturday, Dec. 13, with a special Kwanzaa Tales show performed by Tahira, a gifted storyteller, musician, vocalist and songwriter. The show mixes interactive storytelling and music to explore the seven principles of Kwanzaa and celebrate the power of family, community and culture.
The grand finale of the holiday shows will be a special performance of “The Nutcracker Ballet” by the Ballet for Young Audiences on Sunday, Dec. 14. The performance will be a shorter version of Tchaikovsky’s famous holiday ballet, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 story about a young girl’s dream come to life. It will feature some of the story’s most famous characters, including the Nutcracker, Mouse King, Sugar Plum Fairy and more.
All three shows will be held in the auditorium of the Burlington County Library at 2 p.m. Tickets are free and will be distributed at the auditorium entrance beginning 45 minutes before showtime on a first-come basis.
Each person will receive only one ticket, and attendance will be strictly limited to a maximum of 250 people.
The holiday shows are hosted by the Burlington County Library System with support from the Friends of the Burlington County Library group.
For more information about the holiday shows and all the great programs, activities and resources available at the Burlington County Library System branches and member libraries, visit https://bcls.lib.nj.us/.
