All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

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Maureen Janson Heintz

Two groups of soldiers during a cease-fire.

"All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914," Four Seasons Theatre, 2023.

(2023 Isthmus pick) This Four Seasons Theatre production has become a new holiday tradition in Madison. The setting of All is Calm is melancholy and dire: It is World War I, at the Western Front. Yet somehow the message of Christmas comes through as German and English foot soldiers call an impromptu truce. Using a variety of historic media, including patriotic and popular music of the time, classic Christmas carols, and text drawn from real letters, journals, and radio broadcasts, the a cappella musical chronicles the experience of trench warfare in the early 20th century.

12/5-15, Overture Center-Playhouse, at 7:30 pm Thursday-Friday and 2 pm Saturday-Sunday. $38-$30.

media release: This is a facility rental event presented by an independent organization separate from Overture Center for the Arts.

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence—a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into “No Man’s Land” singing “Stille Nacht.” This begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story told in the words and songs of the men who lived them.  

This Drama Desk Award winning show uses music (from patriotic and popular tunes to folk music) and text (drawn from letters, journals, and interviews) to tell stories of soldiers in World War I.  The holiday tradition of sharing this beautiful story with our community continues after packed houses in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 as Four Seasons Theatre celebrates with this 5th anniversary production.

Written and conceived by Peter Rothstein, graduate of the UW-Madison Department of Theatre & Drama and co-founder and longtime artistic director of Theatre Latté Da, “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914” features a cappella choral arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. The show premiered at Theatre Latté Da in Minneapolis in 2007, toured North America with Cantus Vocal Ensemble for several years and ran off Broadway November-December 2018.

Directed by Brian Cowing and music directed by Randy Swiggum, ALL IS CALM features a cast of talented local singers and actors.  Original lighting design by Tom Littrell, costume design by Nancy Horns, and props design by Leslie Frank.

See cast bios and learn more about the production at http://fourseasonstheatre.com/

Preshow Lectures will be held on the Rotunda Stage on Thu, Dec 5 at 6:30pm, Sun, Dec 8 at 1pm, Thu, Dec 12 at 6:30pm and Sun, Dec 15 at 1pm.