WBTT celebrates the season with ‘A Motown Christmas’

You may not associate Motown with Christmas, but the fact is that Motown artists recorded dozens of great versions of seasonal classics.

The Jackson 5 made memorable renditions of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” The Supremes sang “Joy to the World” and “White Christmas.” The Temptations recorded “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Silent Night.”

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will re-create an evening’s worth of holiday songs recorded by Motown artists when they reprise their popular revue, “A Motown Christmas,” opening Wednesday in Sarasota.

Nate Jacobs, WBTT’s artistic director, created and directed the revue, which was popular with audiences at this time two years ago. Jacobs will also perform in the show along with Ariel Blue, Brian L. Boyd, Ashley Brooks, Tarra Conner Jones, JoAnna Ford, Carmilia Harris, Joey James, Michael Mendez, Raleigh Mosely II, Leon S. Pitts II, Derric Gobourne Jr. and Chakara Rosa.

Many of the cast members were in last year’s production.

Several of the cast members also appeared in WBTT’s production of Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity” last year. Jacobs said he hopes that in the future, WBTT will stage a version of “A Motown Christmas” every two years, and a production of “Black Nativity” in the other years.

Details: Nov. 29-Dec. 23, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1646 10th Way, Sarasota. 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $42 general, $20 students and active military. 941-366-1505, westcoastblacktheatre.org.

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 1:51 PM with the headline "WBTT celebrates the season with ‘A Motown Christmas’."