(audience private conversations) (conductor toots whistle) (marching band performing "Carol of the Bells") (marching band performing "O Holy Night") (marching band performing holiday musical medley) (marching band performing "Joy to the World") (marching band performing "Gloria in excelsis Deo") (medley music ends) (audience applauding) (choir performing Christmas song) ♪ When the clock strikes 12 ♪ ♪ And another year has gone ♪ - A warm welcome to this very special edition of a joyful Hampton Roads tradition, Holiday Happening at Christopher Newport University.

I'm Adelia Thompson and it's my great honor to lead Christopher Newport as interim President for this academic year.

For nearly three decades, we've presented an evening of seasonal musical performances to a standing-room only audience in the 1,700-seat Diamonstein Concert Hall in the Ferguson Center for the Arts that's on our campus and we are delighted to continue that tradition this December.

Holiday Happening is filled with moments that are beautiful, whimsical, moving, nostalgic, surprising, and always, always thoroughly entertaining.

We are deeply grateful to WHRO for giving us this opportunity to bring joy to your world, from our beautiful campus in Newport News, sharing the talents of our music and theater students and faculty, made possible, of course, by the many generous sponsors and contributors to the wonderful public television station that serves all of us throughout our community.

So now, from our Christopher Newport family to yours, may your days be merry and bright and may our Holiday Happening be the perfect start to your season of joy, love, light, and celebration.

(choir singing "Twelve Days of Christmas") ♪ On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ A partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Two turtle doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, three French hens ♪ ♪ Two turtle-doves, and a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ A partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Five gold rings, four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Six geese a laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ Partridge in a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ Partridge in a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking ♪ ♪ Seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ 10 drummers drumming, nine ladies dancing ♪ ♪ Eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ 11 lords a-leaping, 10 drummers drumming ♪ ♪ Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking ♪ ♪ Seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree, a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ♪ ♪ 12 pipers piping, 11 lords a-leaping, 10 drummers drumming ♪ ♪ Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking ♪ ♪ Seven swans a-swimming, quack quack ♪ ♪ Six geese a-laying, five gold rings ♪ ♪ Four calling birds, four calling birds ♪ ♪ Three French hens, two turtle-doves ♪ ♪ And a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ And a partridge ♪ ♪ In a pear tree ♪ ♪ A partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ A partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ In a pear tree ♪ ("Musical Sleigh Ride" symphonic music) (symphonic music ends) (second symphonic music begins) (second symphonic music ends) (third symphonic music begins) (third symphonic music ends) (fourth symphonic music begins) (fourth symphonic music ends) (fifth symphonic music begins) (fifth symphonic music ends) ("Deck the Halls" music begins) ("Deck the Halls" music ends) (audience applauding) ("Go Tell It on the Mountain" music begins) ("Go Tell It on the Mountain" music ends) (audience applauding) - [Narrator 1] Who are we at CNU?

To be honest, we're you.

- [Narrator 2] The person who wants a quality education and to stay in the game.

A person who wants to build a solid foundation today to be a future leader tomorrow.

- [Narrator 1] The person who wants to explore their creativity and take it to new heights.

- [Narrator 3] Someone who wants to be seen, heard, and known by their professors and mentors instead of disappearing in the crowd.

- [Narrator 4] A person who wants to have ample opportunities to experience cultures and education around the world.

- [Narrator 5] Someone that is encouraged by their community to be exactly who they are.

- [Narrator 6] The person who wants to be the change.

- [Narrator 2] We're you, looking for the right place to prepare us for our futures.

(uplifting music) (choir singing "We Toast the Day") ♪ When the clock strikes 12 ♪ ♪ And another year has gone ♪ ♪ I give a kiss to you ♪ ♪ As remembrance of the past we have shared ♪ ♪ And the future yet to come ♪ ♪ We toast the days, both good and bad ♪ ♪ The old friends and the new ♪ ♪ When the clock strikes 12 ♪ ♪ And another year has gone ♪ ♪ I give a kiss to you ♪ ♪ While the night is long and the bitter cold has come ♪ ♪ We lengthen our embrace ♪ ♪ To sustain us as we mourn our regrets ♪ ♪ And the fear of days unknown ♪ ♪ We toast the days, both good and bad ♪ ♪ The old friends and the new ♪ ♪ While the night is long and the bitter cold has come ♪ ♪ I give a kiss to you ♪ ♪ As we stand on the edge of another bright new year ♪ ♪ I take your hand in mine ♪ ♪ With assurance of the courage we will find ♪ ♪ And the hope that leads us on ♪ ♪ We toast the days, both good and bad ♪ ♪ The old friends and the new ♪ ♪ As we stand on the edge of another bright new year ♪ ♪ I give a kiss to you ♪ ("We Toast the Day" music ends) (fountain spraying) (choir singing "Joy to the World") ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Let Earth receive her King ♪ ♪ Let every heart ♪ ♪ Prepare Him room ♪ ♪ And Heaven and nature sing, and Heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ And Heaven and Heaven ♪ ♪ And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing ♪ ♪ Joy to the world, the Savior reigns ♪ ♪ Let men their songs employ, songs employ ♪ ♪ While fields and floods, fields and floods ♪ ♪ Rocks, hills, and plains, hills and plains ♪ ♪ Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ Repeat the sounding joy, sounding joy ♪ ♪ Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ Oh, angles sing ♪ ♪ Now they sing, hear them sing ♪ ♪ Now they sing, oh ♪ ♪ Voices ring, now they ring ♪ ♪ Hear them ring, now they ring ♪ ♪ Heaven and nature sing, Heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ He rules the world with truth and grace, rules the world ♪ ♪ And makes the nations prove, truth and grace ♪ ♪ The glories of , the glories of ♪ ♪ His righteousness, his righteousness ♪ ♪ And wonders, and wonders, and wonders, and wonders, ♪ ♪ And wonders, wonders of His love ♪ ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Joy, joy to the world, joy, joy, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Joy, joy to the world, joy, joy, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ He is come, ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ ("Joy to the World" music ends) - Where are you going for Christmas?

(actors general conversations) ("I'll Be Home for Christmas" music begins) ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ You can plan on me ♪ ♪ Please have snow and mistletoe ♪ ♪ And presents on the Christmas tree, on the Christmas tree ♪ ♪ Christmas Eve will find me ♪ ♪ Where the love light gleams ♪ ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ If only in my dreams ♪ ♪ Ba ba-du-ba, ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba-du-ba ♪ ♪ Where the love light gleams ♪ ♪ Ba ba-du-ba, ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba-du-ba ♪ ♪ If only in my dreams ♪ ♪ Christmas Eve will find me ♪ ♪ Where the love light gleams ♪ ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ If only in my dreams ♪ ♪ Only in my Christmas dreams ♪ ♪ If only, ♪ ♪ If only, ♪ ♪ If only in my Christmas dreams ♪ ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♪ Ba-du-Ba ♪ ("I'll Be Home for Christmas" music ends) (audience applauding) (symphonic music "Adeste Fideles" begins) (vocalist singing in a foreign language) ("Adeste Fideles" music ends) (symphony music "O Holy Night" begins) ♪ Oh holy night, the stars were brightly shining ♪ ♪ It is the night of our dear Savior's birth ♪ ♪ Long lay the world in sin and error pining ♪ ♪ 'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth ♪ ♪ A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices ♪ ♪ For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn ♪ ♪ Fall on your knees ♪ ♪ Oh, hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ Oh, night divine ♪ ♪ Oh, night when Christ was born ♪ ♪ Oh, night ♪ ♪ Oh Holy night ♪ ♪ Oh, night divine ♪ ♪ Led by the light of faith serenely beaming ♪ ♪ With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand ♪ ♪ Led by a star above and brightly gleaming ♪ ♪ Appeared the Wise Men from far eastern land ♪ ♪ The King of Kings lay in a lowly manger ♪ ♪ To us this day is born to be our God ♪ ♪ Fall on your knees ♪ ♪ Oh, hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ Oh, night divine ♪ ♪ Oh, night when Christ was born ♪ ♪ Oh, night divine ♪ ♪ Oh, night ♪ ♪ Oh night divine ♪ (symphony music "O Holy Night" ends) - [Conductor] So here we go.

On the count of three, get your hands ready, warmed up, at the ready.

One, two.

("Jingle Bells" music begins) ♪ Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh ♪ ♪ Over the fields we go, laughing all the way, ha ha ha ♪ ♪ Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright ♪ ♪ What fun it is to ride and sing ♪ ♪ A sleighing song tonight, oh ♪ ♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way ♪ ♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride ♪ ♪ In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

♪ ♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way ♪ ♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh ♪ ("Deck the Halls" music begins) ♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide carol ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ("Jolly Old St. Nicholas" music begins) ♪ Jolly old St. Nicholas ♪ ♪ Lean your ear this way ♪ ♪ Don't you tell a single soul ♪ ♪ What I'm going to say ♪ ♪ Christmas Eve is coming soon ♪ ♪ Now, you dear old man ♪ ♪ Whisper what you'll bring to me ♪ ♪ Tell me if you can ♪ ("Over the River" music begins) ♪ Over the river and through the woods ♪ ♪ To grandmother's house we go ♪ ♪ The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh ♪ ♪ Through the white and drifted snow, oh ♪ ♪ Over the river and through the woods ♪ ♪ Oh, how the wind does blow ♪ ♪ It stings the toes and bites the nose ♪ ♪ As over the ground we go ♪ ("Up on the Housetop" music begins) ♪ Up on the housetop, reindeer paws ♪ ♪ Out jumps good old Santa Claus ♪ ♪ Down through the chimney with lots of toys ♪ ♪ All for the little ones, Christmas joys ♪ ♪ Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go ♪ ♪ Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go ♪ ♪ Up on the housetop, click, click, click ♪ ♪ Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick ♪ ("We Wish You a Merry Christmas" music begins) ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ♪ Good tidings to you, wherever you are ♪ ♪ Good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ("Feliz Navidad" in English music begins) ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪ ♪ Of my heart ♪ (medley music ends) (audience applauding) ("Deck the Halls" music begins) ♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide carol ♪ ♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ ("Jolly Old St. Nicholas" music begins) ♪ Jolly old St. Nicholas ♪ ♪ Lean your ear this way ♪ ♪ Don't you tell a single soul ♪ ♪ What I'm going to say ♪ ♪ Christmas Eve is coming soon ♪ ♪ Now, you dear old man ♪ ♪ Whisper what you'll bring to me ♪ ♪ Tell me if you can ♪ ("Over the River" music begins) ♪ Over the river and through the woods ♪ ♪ To grandmother's house we go ♪ ♪ The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh ♪ ♪ Through the white and drifted snow, oh ♪ ♪ Over the river and through the woods ♪ ♪ Oh, how the wind does blow ♪ ♪ It stings the toes and bites the nose ♪ ♪ As over the ground we go ♪ ("Up on the Housetop" music begins) ♪ Up on the housetop, reindeer paws ♪ ♪ Out jumps good old Santa Claus ♪ ♪ Down through the chimney with lots of toys ♪ ♪ All for the little ones, Christmas joys ♪ ♪ Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go ♪ ♪ Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go ♪ ♪ Up on the housetop, click, click, click ♪ ♪ Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick ♪ ("We Wish You a Merry Christmas" music begins) ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ♪ Good tidings to you, wherever you are ♪ ♪ Good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year ♪ ("Feliz Navidad" in English music begins) ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ I wanna wish you a merry Christmas ♪ ♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪ ♪ Of my heart ♪ (medley music ends)