PORT TOWNSEND — Organizers of the fourth annual Holiday Hi-Jinx Show hope to rock out the masses at a new venue while raising money for the Community Outreach Association Shelter Team (COAST).
The show will begin at 6:30 tonight at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater at Fort Worden State Park, 25 Eisenhower Way. It was held at the Key City Playhouse in past years.
Tickets this year are $20 each, with proceeds benefiting COAST, which helps operate the Port Townsend Winter Shelter located downstairs in the Marvin G. Shields American Legion building at 209 Monroe St.
Tickets are available online at http://www.hijinx.brownpapertickets.com/ or at the Wheeler Theater box office prior to the show.
The Holiday Hi-Jinx show features a wide variety of upbeat and humorous Yule time tunes as well as some timeless classics refashioned by the Hi-Jinx ensemble, said Paul Rogers, who is producing and starring in the show.
In addition to Rogers, the show features a lineup of musicians based in Port Townsend such as Carla Main, Samantha Hiatt, Dirk Anderson, Tom Svornich, Aaron Vallat, Kurt Festinger, George Rezendez and John Maxwell, with a few unannounced special guests slated to make an appearance.
During intermission, Rogers will lead interested audience members across the street to Taps at the Guard House, 200 Battery Way, for cocktails. Rogers promises that all revelers will be musically guided back to the Wheeler Theater after intermission for the second half of the show.
Rogers said he is pleased to lead a fundraiser for the winter shelter.
“The Hi-Jinx band is going to put on a great show for a great cause,” he said.
The winter shelter is operated by six faith based, service and community groups in cooperation with Olympic Community Action Programs to manage and operate the winter shelter for men and women in Jefferson County.
During the fall and winter months, the shelter provides 20 beds for men, two sick room beds and a separate Women’s Shelter with six beds and separate rest rooms, according to volunteers who operate the shelter.
“The Winter Shelter provides a safe, warm place for homeless vets and others to get some food and relief from the bitter cold nights,” Rogers said.
“Try to imagine having to spend even one night outside in the winter months. It’s something that should never happen to anyone and together we can make sure no one has to.”
Rogers co-presented the Port Townsend Deep Squeeze Accordion Festival in September, and said he raised more than $1,000 and 200 pounds of food for the Jefferson County Food Bank.
After meeting with deForest Walker of COAST, and visiting its Winter Shelter at the American Legion, Rogers said he was inspired to help out.
“COAST and the Legion have done an amazing job converting the Legion basement into a refuge,” Rogers said.
However “there are ongoing costs and more improvements that need to be made,” Rogers continued.
“It’s time for us all to step up and do what we can to help. The people in Port Townsend have an enormous capacity for compassion and willingness to help others.”
Those unable to attend the show can make a contribution directly to COAST by calling Walker at 360-531-0112.
For more information, call 360-531-0276 or send an email to progersw@gmail.com.
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Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at cmcdaniel@ peninsuladailynews.com.
The fourth annual Holiday Hi-Jinx Show will begin at 6:30 tonight at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater at Fort Worden State Park, 25 Eisenhower Way, Port Townsend. Seen here in the rear row from left are George Rezendez, Carla Main, Tom Svornich, John Maxwell, Kurt Festinger and Dirk Anderson. At front center is Paul Rogers, show organizer.
