THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412160225
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
The celebration of Christmas didn't always require frenzied shopping through packed malls, credit-card purchases and top-10 lists on how to avoid stress.
Rather, the focus of the holiday was simple.
Visit friends and family.
Sing.
Those who yearn for Christmas the old-fashioned way - back when people caroled through snow-covered streets, ate, drank, were truly merry and spread good cheer - may find pleasure in listening to ``The Doorway Singers,'' a musical group that performs period pieces.
Dressed in frock coats, top hats, bonnets and long colorful gowns, this octet hopes that its audiences will be transferred back to Christmas in 19th century Britain - specifically 1870.
``We lean on an image that a lot of folks have of an almost idyllic Christmas - when people celebrated the holidays by being with other people, long before the shopping frenzies of today,'' said the group's leader, John Ickes of Virginia Beach.
The group's show, called ``A Dickens Kind of Christmas,'' consists of music from that time period like ``The Holly and the Ivy,'' ``Wassail'' and ``The Coventry Carol'' along with humorous dialogue. The production lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. The group will be performing the program Thursday Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. at the Lydia Roper retirement home at 127 E. 40th St. in Norfolk.
Ickes said his group tries to be different by performing Christmas songs not commonly heard and creating unique arrangements.
``The arrangements are done so specifically to take advantage of four or more part harmonies that use members' skills on various instruments,'' he explained. ``Like guitar, hammered dulcimer, recorders - all of that.''
``The Doorway Singers'' have been together four years and perform all year. Although the Christmas show is their most popular, the group also performs other theme shows like antebellum Virginia, Scottish-Irish and a medieval banquet. But, group member Jacqui Adams of Virginia Beach warns, ``We sort of consider ourselves entertainers not educators.''
So, although much research goes into their shows for an authentic outcome, the group takes advantage of poetic license and sometimes will gear the production to make it the most entertaining. For example, with the antebellum theme, which includes music from Stephen Foster and his peers, many of the songs are sad. To prevent the show from being depressing, they choose more upbeat music.
The singers all have had extensive musical backgrounds either professionally, through church or as a hobby, and they all have jobs other than with ``The Doorway Singers.''
For instance, Adams is the music director at St. Francis Episcopal in Virginia Beach and teaches piano lessons in her home. Ickes works with Navy Family Services at Little Creek.
``It's a heck of a satisfying sideline,'' Ickes said.
But it also takes a lot of work and time, he acknowledged. During the Christmas season, the group performs at the Briar Patch Tea Room in Poquoson every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The group also hits the malls, a retirement home and the Norfolk zoo.
In his whole musical career, Ickes said ``The Doorway Singers'' has been the most professional group. In his past, he has played in groups where all the members were friends first with a common interest in music.
``With this group, we went for specific talents.'' Ickes said. ``We focused on the music and the friendships sprung from that.''
Other members are Gayla Robinson, Cindy Ressler and Beverly Yeskolski, all of Norfolk, and Bob Fullwood, Bob McIntyre and Barry Schnoor, all of Virginia Beach. The singers are working on another theme project entitled ``The Pirates of the Peninsula.'' That program will deal with the story of Blackbeard the pirate. MEMO: For more information on ``The Doorway Singers,'' call 463-6341.
by CNB