New Bedford Festival Theatre Returns with Holiday Spectacular

The New Bedford Festival Theatre, a mainstay in live theater performances on the SouthCoast, returns next month with Home for the Holidays, a musical family fun celebration.

It will be one show only, on December 21 at 4 p.m. at the Steeple Playhouse on William Street.

Artistic Director Elizabeth Bettencourt and two stars of the production, Erin and Matt Ban, stopped by Townsquare Sunday to preview the show.

"This show is going to be bursting with everyone's favorite holiday songs along with a lot of laughs and banter and everything we love about the holidays," Bettencourt said. "We might even have a visit from Santa. We thought he'd be booked, but he loves us."

Matt and Erin Ban met while attending Wagner College on Staten Island, but because of the nature of live theater, the couple has not always worked together.

"We planned our wedding while working on two separate cruise ships, on two separate oceans," Erin said. "We are very happy now to have landed here on the SouthCoast."

Matt said the idea behind Home for the Holidays is to "treat this like we're welcoming everyone into our living room at Christmastime."

"The show is like those old Andy Williams TV specials years ago. It's very celebratory and lots of fun," he said.

Guest stars include local singer Dori Rubbicco, Abbey Casey and Ian Legge, the punk cellist.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at nbfestivaltheatre.com.

There is limited seating at the Steeple Playhouse, so get your tickets now.

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