Ashe Company set to lift holiday spirits - ‘12 Days of Christmas’ series begins Monday
Published:Thursday | December 10, 2020 | 12:08 AMShereita Grizzle/Staff Reporter
‘Christmas still a keep!’ That is the message The Ashe Company hopes to send this holiday season as they get ready to roll out their annual Christmas special. Dubbed ‘12 Days of Christmas with the Ashe Ensemble’, the production will include dramatic pieces, as well as special musical arrangements and choreography.
“12 Days of Christmas was an idea coined by the ensemble as a gift to our fellow Jamaicans this holiday. Ashe has always been pioneers in spreading love and warming people’s hearts, especially at Christmas, and we thought if we have the capacity, the talent and everything necessary to put together a top-class production for our fellow Jamaicans, why not offer it you,” said Ifidel Williams, Ashe’s integrated marketing and communications lead.
Williams says the special will be a welcome reprieve from coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions which have restricted movement throughout the year.
“People have been locked up in their houses for almost a year and this is our way of saying to Jamaicans, ‘Here, we love you, we’re still here for you, and this is our gift to you.’ I know a lot of the virtual events you have to pay per view, but this is not one of our paid offerings, this is completely free,” he said.
He revealed that the series will be rolled out on Monday, December 14, and will run up to Christmas Day, December 25.
“Over the 12-day period, we will be rolling out a different Christmas carol, every day in a different style [and] a different kind of arrangement, most of which were done by Conroy Wilson, supported by Michael Holgate,” Williams shared. He added, “We forged some partnerships to get this going, and so we have done some work in Fontana, we also did some stuff with Christ Church in Vineyard Town and of course, we’re doing some stuff in our very own studio that we just opened as well. It really is going to be something special.”
A GIFT FOR VIEWERS
Ensemble member and co-chair for the 12 Days of Christmas production, Marlon Anthony Tomlinson, said although the production will be a gift for viewers, it has also been a “spirit lifter” for members of the ensemble. He said as key players in the entertainment industry, they were hard hit by the COVID-19 lockdown and that putting together this showcase has brought as much joy to them as it promises to bring to Jamaicans.
“It has also been therapeutic for us in so many ways. We’re not taking away from the fact that we’re also Jamaicans and have been affected by this pandemic. We are in entertainment and that has been shut down completely. Usually, December is our busy period and we’re used to performing all over, and now we can’t (if not virtually), so it really has been a struggle for us, too. Still, we wanted to find a way to stay visible and active, and what better way to do it than use our resources, technology and all that to create the perfect show,” he said.
A new video will be posted every evening and will feature singing, dancing, as well as a few dramatic pieces.
“People should tune in for the entertainment and also for the edutainment, because in everything we do we always send a message. The message this year is that, yes, we’re having COVID and we can’t have the big parties, we can’t go the dance, but we can celebrate with our families in small, special ways with experiences such as this, where people can still feel like they are a part of something. Where they can still feel the warmth of Christmas, the joy of it. All this good music and all this good entertainment can be enjoyed with your families in the comfort of your homes. Some people say Christmas cancel, but Ashe say Christmas still a keep! COVID or not,” said Tomlinson.