2024 PROGRAM ChristmasSeniorsParties
SPONSORED
LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE
Welcome to the Lord Mayor’s Seniors Christmas Parties 2024.
Christmas is just around the corner, and we are thrilled to celebrate another year in beautiful Brisbane with our Seniors Christmas Parties.
In December, Brisbane City Hall is filled with festive joy as carols carry through the halls and we are glad to see this tradition return once again for the 24th year.
With your support this event will help to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust, assisting the Trust to continue its support of Brisbane’s grassroots charities and community organisations.
While the performers sing on stage, we invite you to sing along with the lyrics to some of today’s carols in this program.
The Lord Mayor’s Seniors Christmas Parties are just one of many free and affordable Christmas in Brisbane events held across the suburbs to celebrate the season.
Why not make the most of your time in the CBD and see the spectacular Brisbane City Christmas Tree in King George Square or the Christmas on Queen activations in Queen Street Mall.
I wish you and your loved ones happiness and joy this festive season.
Merry Christmas.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner
LORD MAYOR’S SENIORS
CHRISTMAS PARTIES
2024 CAROLS
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Man With the Bag
I Won’t Believe it’s Christmas Until We Light Up the Christmas Tree
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Baby It’s Cold Outside
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Santa, Can’t You Hear Me
It Must’ve Been ol’ Santa Claus
Carols Sing-along
(Here We Come A-Carolling, Go Tell It On The Mountain, Mary’s Boy Child, Little Drummer Boy, O Come All Ye Faithful)
The Christmas Waltz
When My Heart Finds Christmas
Merry Christmas Baby
My Favourite Things
You Deserve It All
Merry Xmas Everybody
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We acknowledge and respect the spiritual relationship between Traditional Custodians and this Country, which has inspired language, songs, dances, lore and Dreaming stories over many thousands of years. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the Dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.
May we continue to peacefully walk together in gratitude, respect and kindness in caring for this Country and one another.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all
FROM THE PRODUCERS
Christmas is such a special time of year, and we are thrilled to welcome you all to the 2024 Lord Mayor’s Seniors Christmas Parties. These concerts hold a special place for us as we were both regular guest artists for many years and always had so much fun performing for you all. In 2019, we were so excited to be offered the role of producing this wonderful event, a role that we still cherish greatly.
Our theme in 2019, “I’ll be home for Christmas” was a huge hit and in 2020 we presented 25 shows in 10 days celebrating the 20th anniversary of Christmas Parties concerts.
In 2021, with COVID-19, like Jack Frost still ‘nipping at our nose’, we took our audiences on a journey that international travel wouldn’t allow. City Hall was transformed into a celebration of a winter wonderland, visiting the northern hemisphere with a stopover in the Pacific Islands, and finishing with a tribute to Christmas, the Australian way.
In 2022 it was time to party, and we turned City Hall into an old-style rock ‘n’ roll diner celebrating many of your favourite iconic Christmas tunes and carols.
Last year, we transformed City Hall into ‘A Magical Christmas’ and this year we are proud to present to you ‘Jingle n Jazz’, a sassy Christmas extravaganza for the young at heart. Where the timeless charm of Christmas meets the smooth sophistication of Jazz paying homage to the golden era of jazz while infusing the holiday cheer that brings us all together.
We extend our thanks to The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, and the Brisbane City Council for their ongoing support and for sharing our vision. To the wonderful technical staff at Brisbane City Hall, the entire team at Epicure, and our faithful ushers, all of whom contribute to the success of these concerts, we are forever thankful.
We are always indebted to our brilliant cast of singers, dancers and musicians and our fabulous MC, Rachel Tiernan who bring our vision to life on the stage.
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Our Featured Artists
ASABI GOODMAN
Asabi is an American born, Australian entertainer (actor and singer) with almost 40 years of experience in vocal and stage performance.
Asabi starred in the recent Australian national touring production of Hairspray! The Musical as Motormouth Maybelle alongside Australian theatre greats such as Rhonda Burchmore, Todd McKenney, and Shane Jacobson.
After the show’s closing, Asabi was invited to join the US Broadway production of Hairspray which toured throughout the United States.
Asabi is currently performing the role of Matron “Mama” Morton in the Australian touring production of CHICAGO and is a Mentor is this year’s Lord Mayor’s Seniors Cabaret program.
ASHLEIGH DENNING
Ashleigh is a dynamic and captivating performer, boasting more than 20 years’ experience in live performance. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, she holds a Bachelor of Musical Theatre and a Master of Music Studies in Vocal Pedagogy.
Ashleigh unrivalled passion for storytelling through music has afforded her opportunities across genres and disciplines — originating roles in Australian Musical Theatre, delighting audiences alongside the fabulous ladies of The 7 Sopranos, and educating through performance with Theatre in Education. When she is not on tour with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Ashleigh is a sought-after singer for weddings, private functions and gala events.
GARRET LYON
Garret Lyon is a proud Darumbal and Willi-Wulli man originally hailing from Rockhampton in Central Queensland (Darumbal country). He has travelled throughout Australia performing in various productions and in leading roles such as Aladdin in Aladdin: The Musical and Asaka in Once on This Island.
Garret has been a featured performer in various theatre shows such as Oscar Pro Co’s Boy&Girl, Ty Goodard’s Rhythmology and his own show at QPAC for Clancestry’s Biggest Mob of Love.
Most recently Garret played the role of Frank Doyle in the Australian touring production of The Sunshine Club.
JOSH LINNETT
Josh’s passion for singing was realized at the age of 15, listening to Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin through his grandad’s record player. It was through these influences that Josh developed his warm, velvety vocal tone and realized a love for crooning, improvisation and expression.
Josh is a Brisbane-based singer with a passion for jazz, vintage pop and funk. As a postgraduate in Jazz performance at the Queensland Conservatorium, Josh has been honing his craft and travelling to new heights.
In 2021, Josh’s velvety voice paired with a charming and bubbly persona had him deemed “The Michael Bublé of the Sunshine Coast”.
CarolsSing-along
HERE WE COME A-CAROLLING (THE WASSAIL SONG)
Here we come a-carolling among the leaves so green
Here we come a-wand’ring so fair to be seen
Love and joy come to you
And to you glad Christmas too And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year And God send you a Happy New Year
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a Holy light
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
MARY’S BOY CHILD
Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas day
While shepherds watch their flocks by night
They see a bright new shining star
They hear a choir sing
The music seemed to come from afar
Hark, now hear the angels sing
A new king born today
And man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas day
Trumpets sound and angels sing
Listen to what they say
That Man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas day
LITTLE DRUMMER
BOY
Come, they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A newborn King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum.
So to honour Him, pa rum pum pum pum
When we come.
Little baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give a King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum.
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum?
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God, glory in the highest
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Yea, Lord we greet Thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus to Thee be the glory given
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
CREATIVE TEAM
Chris Fennessy
Producer, Epiphany Productions
Gregory Moore
Producer, Greg Moore Productions
Helen Russell
Musical Director/Bass Guitar
BAND
Kathy Sander Keyboard/Organ
Jamie Clark Guitar
Paul Hudson Drums
Tegan Sismey
Christmas Party Singers
Indea-Rose Sekula
Bailey Southon
Tiffany Payne
Sharny Russell van Herp Piano
Shannon Marshall Trumpet
Shane Hannan Trombone
Josh Hatcher
Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Beau Wykes
Seren8 Quartet
Jenny Gunnarsson
Naomi Klazinga
Samuel Dale
Hainian Yu
Adam Robins
Choreographer
Rachael Tiernan
Master of Ceremonies
