The Forgotten Carols has spread the joy of the Christmas season for three decades, and this year’s tour includes 21 performances throughout Utah, Idaho, and Arizona. This season also features a new lead performer in the role of Connie Lou – veteran acclaimed performer Angela Jeffries.
Jefferies has performed in theaters throughout the U.S., including Utah, New Jersey, New York, and Texas, just to name a few. Some of her favorite roles include Madame Defarge (A Tale of Two Cities), Annie (Annie Get Your Gun), The Lady of the Lake (Spamalot), and the Narrator (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). She was a soloist at the world-famous Kennedy Center and enjoyed a long run as a featured performer on the Holland America Cruise Line. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be performing in ‘The Forgotten Carols,” stated Jefferies.
Composer and writer Michael McLean’s original goal for ‘The Forgotten Carols’ was to simply create a Christmas-themed collection of songs based around the stories of the “forgotten” characters in the Nativity. He initially wrote it as a theme-driven music album, but he realized a story was needed to connect the songs in order to convey his intended spiritual Holiday message. McLean wrote the interweaving story of Connie Lou, a nurse who cares for John, an elderly patient who claims to be 2,000 years old. He shares songs with her about the people he claims to have interacted with at Christ’s birth.
“Connie Lou has become an absolutely iconic role thanks to Michael’s incredible story-telling and music,” Jefferies said. “I’m incredibly humbled to play the role, and can’t wait to perform it in front of an audience. ‘The Forgotten Carols’ have become such a tradition for so many families, I just hope my rendition will do justice to all the amazing performances of Connie Lou before me.”
However, early on the role of Connie Lou didn’t exist and McLean played all the parts and performed the music. “Originally, I hoped The Forgotten Carols would become a Christmas tradition that families could share at home, but the audiences’ reaction quickly changed that!” recalled McLean.
McLean’s initial productions spurred incredible demand for performances. Since then, thanks to the incredible popularity of The Forgotten Carols, the modest one-man show has grown into a major theatrical production and performed for more than a million people throughout the world over the past 27 years.
“I’m confident the 2018 tour will be our greatest ever!” said McLean. “In addition to Angela Jefferies, this year’s performances include a few new surprises for long-time fans and, for first-timers, will create many new fans who become members of the Forgotten Carols family.”
The Forgotten Carols 2018 schedule includes performances in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah beginning in mid-November. For a complete listing of dates and locations or to purchase tickets visit www.forgottencarols.com.