Westmont’s baseball coach and a popular Montecito musician are teaming up in hopes of helping families affected by Hurricane Katrina. Rob Crawford and Bobby Shand will present “One Family at a Time,” a special benefit show with The Shand Band at SOhO, 1221 State St., Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20, children half price. All proceeds will benefit the relief effort. Doors open at 5 p.m.
Tickets are no longer available for the First Annual Westmont Christmas Festival, Saturday, Dec. 10 at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Barbara. However, seating is still available for the performance, Friday, Dec. 9 at Westmont’s Murchison Gym.
The celebration is titled “The Word Made Flesh” and is presented by Westmonts’ music, art and theater departments. It is directed by Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship.
A group of Westmont students is getting a unique opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed playwright, crafting a new production students will eventually perform in February. The Westmont Theater Arts department has commissioned playwright Erik Ehn to develop a new play as part of his ongoing Saint Play series.
Movers will be packing up a special Westmont wardrobe this week for a brief engagement at the Cerritos Library in hopes of inspiring youngsters to read. Westmont’s wardrobe was once owned by C.S. Lewis and closely matches the description of the one in his book, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”
“The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” hits the big screen, Friday, Dec. 9. Westmont’s wardrobe was featured in this month’s National Geographic.
Hundreds of students, alumni and neighbors donning mittens and scarves will celebrate the start of the Christmas season at the fourth annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Westmont’s Kerrwood Lawn next week. The 70-foot redwood tree on the lawn will come aglow at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Santa Claus will stop by for free pictures with kids inside Kerrwood hall. Warm apple cider and cookies will also be available.
Westmont alumni are invited to mingle in the president’s office at 4:30 p.m. before the tree lighting ceremony.
Westmont’s Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra will present a joint concert this week on campus. The free, public concert will be Friday, Nov. 18, at Deane Chapel, 8 p.m.
The wind ensemble will be under the direction of new Westmont music instructor Paul Mori. The 20-piece large ensemble is made up of brass, woodwind and percussion players. The large ensemble will feature compositions such as “Ode to Greensleeves” and Alfred Reed’s “Russian Christmas Music.” Trio and quartets from the ensemble will perform pieces by classic masters, such as Debussy and Mozart.