ON A December evening in Fayetteville, the lights dim, the curtain waits, and anticipation gathers backstage at the Carriage House Players. Now in its 13th year, the annual holiday performance has become one of Fayetteville’s most cherished seasonal traditions.
“Backstage, we get a high because we can hear the buzz of the audience,” said Mickey Johnson, director of the Carriage House Players.
“A Holiday to Remember” is a musical review that offers something for every generation. Johnson began planning the show early in the year, starting in February, carefully selecting music and building the flow of the evening.
“So much has happened in the world and the local community,” he said. “I wanted to reflect on good memories of a holiday to remember.”
The result was a production infused with joy, nostalgia, and tradition. Younger audience members delighted in playful scenes featuring elves in Santa’s workshop and familiar favorites like “Holly Jolly Christmas.”
For those drawn to classic holiday sounds, Victorian-era street carolers filled the stage with timeless hymns such as “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” and “Still, Still, Still.”
Performers treated movie lovers to musical tributes pulled straight from beloved holiday films, including a showcase honoring “White Christmas.” One ballet number concluded with the same iconic pose featured in the 1950s classic, a moment longtime fans immediately recognized.
“We are all different ages, and we’ve had different life experiences,” Johnson said. “I try to add a little bit of everything, music from all decades, so that it will be nostalgic for everybody.”
While the audience enjoys polished performances, much of the work happens before December arrives. Rehearsals began in mid-July, requiring countless hours of preparation and coordination from cast and crew.
Each December, the musical review also serves as a fundraiser toward the renovation of a historic downtown building that will soon become the group’s permanent home.
Once renovations are complete, the building will house a theater and a street-front event center for community gatherings.
Johnson said the goal is to create a space where the community can gather, connect, and feel welcome outside of scheduled performances.
“We’re providing a future and a safe haven for a lot of people, a lot of kids, a lot of adults,” Johnson said.
As the final notes of “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” closed the evening, the message behind the music lingered.
“There are people who have had other stressors and problems in their lives,” Johnson said.
“This provides an outlet for people who are going through difficult situations in life, and I’m very proud that we can do that.”
In Fayetteville, the holidays may come once a year, but the connections created under those stage lights last far longer. GN
Address: 521 Main Ave. S., Fayetteville, TN 37334 Contact number: (931) 433-1300
