JUDD WEIL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The holiday festivities continue in Hutchinson, as Reno County Homeschool Connection (RCHC) and the Oaks Academy of Arts (OAA) will perform their third White Christmas production, starting today, Dec. 8 until Dec. 10 at Memorial Hall.
Described as a variety show akin to Branson, Mo. productions, around 100 area homeschool students will be singing, dancing, playing instruments and doing dramatic scenes.
“This is our third time doing this show, we do it every other year,” Stephanie Miller, vice president of Reno County Homeschool Connection, said. “We started in 2018, with a group of kids who had very little experience working together with music. Some of them had some musical experience, but not a whole lot as whole group.”
Miller said, the first production featured 50 kids.
“The second year, we did it during COVID,” Miller said. “That was a tough year to do any theatre.”
The Oaks Academy of Arts side of Reno County Homeschool Connection was started two years ago.
“We wanted our homeschool kids to be able to have a place where they can do the arts, including private music lessons, dance lessons,” Miller said.
Janice Marcum, RCHC treasurer, added, “boxing, wrestling, martial arts.”
Miller continued, “things like that that would be really hard for homeschoolers to get on the side, because as a mom you’re with all of your kids, it’s not like you drop them and they get to do that stuff at school.”
Before, homeschool parents would have to travel around the local area to drop kids off at extracurricular activities. Miller called OAA a more efficient and affordable alternative for the homeschool community enrolled in RCHC.
“I think we save parents about 30% for enrolling their kids in just a dance class,” Miller said.
The schedule for OAA, tries to tailor to parent work schedules so that families are able to spend more time together at home, which is important to the RCHC.
Overall, RCHC strives to defeat the loneliness that can come through homeschooling, by being a community-driven homeschool co-op, when giving kids and families a place to come together.
This is reflected in programs, like the White Christmas production.
“The theme of our White Christmas this year, is that when we work together you actually have a better outcome,” Miller said. “Whether we’re doing co-op here or we’re doing White Christmas together, you have a better outcome when you have people to do it with and our kids have connections with other kids.
Miller is also the director of the White Christmas production, while Marcum is the assistant director.
Miller said, she envisions the White Christmas productions as more than a Christmas program.
“What we do, is we start planning about a year in advance for this,” Miller said. “We start thinking about what kids do we have, what skills do they have, or what skills are they willing to grow in over the next year to where we can use them in a program to make it a Branson-style show. Which means, it’s not just the choir getting up, it’s not just the dance team getting up, it’s usually a mixture of all of our people.”
Additionally, kids who have participated in past productions mentor current participants.
The storyline weaved through the performance is all about togetherness.
The production will feature 27 songs, various dance routines, bluegrass performances, orchestral performances, solo performers, and more.
Kids and parents have been heavily involved in the choreography and writing process of the production.
There will be photo opportunities with the White Christmas performers.
People will also be able to visit the Oaks Christmas Store and Vendor Village in Memorial Hall for Christmas shopping.
Tickets can still be ordered online for the next three days, and are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. People can call (620) 440-6009 for table tickets.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with the pre-show at 6:30 p.m. and the performance at 7 p.m.
Memorial Hall is located at 101 S. Walnut St. in Hutchinson.
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