• The audition will be an hour long. You will be auditioning with Elijah Botkin, Revels Music Director; Debra Wise, Revels Interim Artistic Director; and Sarah Higginbotham, Assistant Music Director.
• When you arrive you will have your picture taken and will be asked to sign a few waiver forms that will be used if you are accepted into the Chorus. This will consist of an agreement to use your photograph in publicity, and a behavioral policy agreement.
• You will be taken into the next room with your audition group of eight people. You will then be asked to learn a simple dance to see how you move and will be taught and practice a group song.
• While you’re learning those things as a group, you will be pulled one by one to sing your two songs individually for the directors in a separate room. You can find preparation instructions below.
• Once all individuals have sung, you will be taken in to see the directors as a group, where you will sing the group song, do the group dance, play a theater game, and do some group storytelling.
• Audition results will be announced within a week or so.

For your audition for Midwinter Revels, please be prepared to sing two unaccompanied songs.

For your first selection, please sing one of the songs listed below. For your second selection, you may sing a song of your choice.

• Deck the Hall
• The Holly and the Ivy
• The Boar’s Head Carol
• Or another similar carol

This year, we would also like everyone to read lines for our audition panel. Everyone will be asked to read The Shortest Day poem. The text of the poem will be provided.

Additionally, we are asking everyone to think of an anecdote or very short story (less than a minute) from your life inspired by the idea of “illumination.” This can be interpreted any way you like: a memory of light or a revelation, humorous or celebratory or serious — you just need to care about it.

We will also be doing a group singing piece. The piece chosen this year is Solstice Psalm. You will be taught the group song at the audition, but if you want to look over the music ahead of time, you can find the music here. This will allow us to hear how you blend with other voices.

We will also be taking time to learn choreography and see how folks move. If you are interested in dancing or any choreography in the show, please come dressed to move (no flip flops or open-toed shoes). There will likely be a few different dance opportunities in the show – something for everyone!

Performing in Revels is a big commitment. Throughout October and November, we generally hold 1-2 weeknight rehearsals a week, with three “all-day” Saturday rehearsals.

PLEASE NOTE: Most rehearsals will be held on Mondays this fall, not Tuesdays. This change is a result of having to change rehearsal locations.

Rehearsal locations will be announced soon.

ADULT WEEKDAY REHEARSALS:  7 – 9:30 PM

Monday, September 8 – Orientation
Monday, September 15
Tuesday, September 23, 6:30 – 9:30  – Adult Potluck
Monday, September 29
Monday, October 6
Tuesday, October 14
Monday, October 20
Monday, October 27
Monday, November 3
Monday, November 10
Monday, November 17
Monday, November 24
Monday, December 1

*Dance rehearsals will be held from 6:00 – 6:45 PM, prior to evening rehearsals, likely starting with a dance audition in September on September 29, for all who are interested.

SATURDAY ALL-DAY REHEARSALS: 9 – 5 PM

October 18
November 15
December 6

TECH WEEK:
December 8, 6 – 11 PM
December 9, 6 – 11 PM
December 10, 6 – 11 PM

DRESS REHEARSAL: December 11, 5:30 PM call

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE (Subject to Change):

December 12 – 28

Friday, December 12 – 7 PM
Saturday, December 13 – 2 PM
Sunday, December 14 – 1 PM & 5:30 PM
Thursday, December 18 – 7 PM
Friday, December 19 – 7 PM
Saturday, December 20 – 2 PM & 7 PM
Sunday, December 21 – 1 PM & 5:30 PM
Tuesday, December 23 – 2 PM
Friday, December 26 – 2 PM
Saturday, December 27 – 2 PM & 7 PM
Sunday, December 28 – 1 PM (with strike and cast party to follow)

Midwinter Revels 2025 – A Scandinavian Celebration of the Solstice
Inspired by Gregory Maguire’s Matchless

On an island so far north that it snows from September to April, a boy finds a magic boat to sail to distant shores and find more family. With the help of starlight, he finds all the family – and love – he’ll ever need. Woven together with festive Scandinavian song and dance performed by virtuoso musicians, actors, and a passionate intergenerational chorus, this radiant story is inspired by Matchless, by Gregory Maguire (author of Wicked). It is his illumination of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.

“In selecting this tale for revisiting – illumination, perhaps – I hope to honor the original by finding a way to return to the story a sense of the transcendent.”
– Gregory Maguire

Diversity is a fundamental element in Revels’ musical and theatrical productions. Through music, dance, and storytelling, we celebrate the seasonal and cultural traditions of our world, honoring and upholding the differences that make individuals and cultures truly unique and reminding us of the universal values that connect us all. This principle guides our organizational approach with events, educational programs, performers, audience, volunteers, partners, and staff. We offer an open, creative space that welcomes every person to help shape and take part in our distinctive community experiences.

The Alex Hall Obby Oss Opportunity Fund

Established in 2021, the Opportunity Fund was renamed to memorialize beloved Revels chorus member, volunteer, Board Member and friend, Alex Hall.  In 2025, Revels will offer a limited number of scholarships of $300 to help defray the costs of participating in Revels’ volunteer chorus for the 55th annual Midwinter Revels.

Upon acceptance into the chorus, those who have expressed interest in the Alex Hall Obby Oss Opportunity fund scholarships will be contacted by Revels with their scholarship offer. Any inquiries will be only shared with the Production Manager and Finance staff. If you have any questions, please reach out to production manager, James Templeton at jtempleton@revels.org.

The Revels Youth Protection Policy was adopted by the board in June 2016. If you are eighteen or older and accepted into the Midwinter Revels Adult Chorus please note your acceptance will be pending a CORI check. If you have any questions contact Administrative Service Manager Jen Sur at jsur@revels.org.

Review Revels Youth Protection Policies here.

Review CORI Procedures here.

The safety and well-being of all our participants is an ongoing priority. The Revels Health and Safety Committee meets regularly to monitor public health data, trends and best practices, and strongly recommends that Midwinter Revels chorus members are up to date on flu and COVID boosters in the fall and RSV vaccination if applicable. Masking is currently optional, although Revels retains the right to institute protocols including testing and masking if indicated.