Cape theater students to hold holiday show

Cape Henlopen High School theatre students are gearing up for their annual holiday extravaganza, which will be held Dec. 16 through 18 in the Cape High auditorium.

More than 130 students will perform in the program, starting with the annual Children’s Theatre production “The Twelve Days of December,” and concluding with a musical theatre holiday themed cabaret, said Martha Pfeiffer, director of the Cape Henlopen High School Theatre Academy. “Students will sing and dance to a wide variety of popular holiday tunes, while everyone awaits the arrival of Santa Claus,” she said. “The show is a great deal of fun and suitable for audiences of all ages.”

Cape theatre students will also bring their production to Brandywine and Cadbury Assisted Living centers, and then to the patients at A.I. Dupont Children’s hospital. “We put on between eight to nine productions during the school year, but these visits are by far the students’ most memorable experience,” Pfeiffer said. “We started this tradition seven years ago, and every student that comes back to visit will tell me that this experience had the greatest impact on their lives.”

Pfeiffer said she stresses the importance of giving back to her students. Each year they raise thousands of dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with red bucket donations and a summer fundraiser performance. “While I believe that academics are crucial in preparing our students for the future, I truly believe that teaching the importance of philanthropy and compassion is equally as important in shaping our youth for the path that is ahead of them,” she said.

“The Twelve Days of December” will be held at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17, and at 2 p.m.,  Sunday, Dec. 18. Admission is $5 for students and seniors, and $10 for adults. Cape theatre students will perform at the Lewes Ferry Winter Wonderfest on Dec. 17 and 22. For more information on the Cape Henlopen High School Theatre Academy, visit www.capetheatreacademy.org.