Sheffield — It was a night of Christmas delights at Dewey Hall on Wednesday, December 20, as the nonprofit organization behind its operations went the extra mile for its “Deck the Hall: A Berkshire Holiday Experience” event. The event had the flair of an old school television variety show, with multiple performances throughout the night.
The host and organizer of the event was Dewey Hall Rentals Manager Michael Siktberg.
Siktberg took part in many of the performances during the course of the night.
Towards the beginning of the night, singers from The Soundry Music Studio performed traditional Christmas carols for the audience. The carolers included Brian Kantor, Ruby Littman, Hannah Bracken, Miles Lally, Teak Welch, Joe Scully, Katie Herbst, Billy Keene, and Dewey Hall Manager Maggie McRae.
The event transitioned to a reading of the literary classic “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” written by Dylan Thomas, as read at the event by Francis Roth.
Siktberg, John Segalla, Maizy Scarpa, and Gregory Boover then performed an “old time radio play” with a Christmas theme.
Throughout the night, pianist Mike Schiffer played musical interludes as the crowd mingled, enjoying many Christmas-themed dishes and desserts that were served at the event.
Towards the end of the night, Tom Truss led the audience in an interactive performance of “The 13 Days of Christmas,” with an extra day added just for fun.
Finally, at the end of the night, McRae and Clara Stickney performed on their violins and led the audience in several Christmas dances.
In an interview before the event, Siktberg said that, while Dewey Hall has celebrated Christmas and other holiday events in its 136 year history, this was the first time that it held a “Christmas Extravaganza.” “Last year, I produced a ‘Christmas Carol’ radio play at Dewey Hall on December 23,” Siktberg said. “There was a blizzard, but we still had 25 people who attended the event. This year, I wanted to do something a little different and theatrical, with fun surprises all throughout the event.”
Siktberg said that he is looking forward to what events and programs Dewey Hall has in store for 2024. “Dewey Hall is a welcoming community that is inclusive to everyone,” Siktberg said. “Our hope is that Dewey Hall is a place where you don’t just come and experience entertainment, but a place where artists can come and feel like that they have a safe and accessible space where they can do their thing and put their stuff out there.”
For more information about Dewey Hall, visit its website.
