LETTERS TO SANTA holiday musical, Put Art in Your Heart at LifeAustin, December 14, 2013

Put Art In Your Heart puts on “Letters to Santa” Holiday Musical

• Saturday, December 14 at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
• LifeAustin, 8901 W. Hwy 71, Austin, TX, 78735
• Adult $15; Children $12; 2 years old and younger, sitting on a parents lap, free
• Tickets can be purchased at PAIYH Dance Studios in the Hill Country Galleria, by calling 512-291-2179, or online at www.putartinyourheart.com.

Put Art In Your Heart (PAIYH) co-owner and Artistic Director Jeanna Marie Phillips has always enjoyed fusing her talents in dancing, singing, and acting, and she has done it again this year in a new holiday musical “Letters for Santa.” Building on the success of her previous musical “NOEL”, she collaborated this year with PAIYH’s Creative Director Ally Tippe and Vocal Director Meg Steiner as they wrote the music and scenes for the studio's holiday performance.

Jeanna Phillips spent many years in Los Angeles and has an extensive list of accomplishments in producing and performing. Joining Phillips in the writing and choreography, Ally Tippe hails from the Midwest, bringing a wealth of vocal and dance experience. Director and choreographer Meg Steiner’s list of credits includes a current roll in “Assassins” with Soubrette Productions at the Carver Center and recent choreography work on the pre-Broadway workshop of “National Pastime”, “Edges,” and “Baby” with the Austin Theatre Project. The show is produced by Phillips and Hilary Files.

The finished product includes something the whole family can enjoy – a fusion of hip-hop, tap, and ballet numbers; holiday music; and dialogue. PAIYH, a Bee Cave dance studio, held open tryouts to case the production. Their talented performers, ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old, consist of some of their students as well as community members. Rehearsals began twice a week in early September.
PAIYH debuts the musical “Letters to Santa” on December 14, 2013 with two performances at the black box theater at Life Austin, between Bee Cave and Oak Hill on Hwy 71. The audience is invited to bring a canned good to join the performers onstage as part of the show.

The story of “Letters to Santa” follows Jolly the holiday elf as he opens Letters to Santa from all over the world. The letters come to life through dance, acting, and vocal performances. The 50 minute production touches subjects both humorous and serious while incorporating familiar songs such as "Jingle Bells," "Up On The Housetop," and "Deck The Halls,” with original arrangements by Los Angeles composer Jose Murillo and Austin music producer John Phillips.