Dallas Christmas Festival
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Christmas Festival is one of the largest Christmas
pageants in the nation, and is one of the top rated Christmas-related events in the state of Texas
. It takes place in the Worship Center of Prestonwood Baptist Church
, in Plano Texas. DCF is one of the two largest outreach efforts of Prestonwood, with the other being PowerPoint Ministries.
DCF has a cast of 500 people, plus a live 70 piece orchestra and a 100 member technical crew. It is a 3 act spectacle, that lasts for two-and-a-half hours (including a 15 minute intermission). Each year there are Thirteen DCF performances, many of which sell out. Almost 70,000 people attend each year.
, and about 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of staging area. Although the location's capacity is normally 7,000 people, the expanded staging area for DCF is so large, it covers the first 1,000 seats. The theatrical lights paint the entire room, not just the stage. The auditorium was designed, from the beginning, to complement every aspect of the 1.2 million dollar speaker system. It was designed so that the very last row has the same level and quality of sound as the rest of the room. Sight-lines are unobstructed from every single seat. The entire stage can be seen even from the farthest seat, which is less the one-and-a-half times the width of the stage from the front.
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
pageants in the nation, and is one of the top rated Christmas-related events in the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It takes place in the Worship Center of Prestonwood Baptist Church
Prestonwood Baptist Church
Prestonwood Baptist Church, in Plano, Texas, is one of the largest megachurches in North America and one of America's 50 Most Influential Churches according to a 2007 survey of church leaders...
, in Plano Texas. DCF is one of the two largest outreach efforts of Prestonwood, with the other being PowerPoint Ministries.
DCF has a cast of 500 people, plus a live 70 piece orchestra and a 100 member technical crew. It is a 3 act spectacle, that lasts for two-and-a-half hours (including a 15 minute intermission). Each year there are Thirteen DCF performances, many of which sell out. Almost 70,000 people attend each year.
The Three Acts
- The first act of the Dallas Christmas Festival is based on the pop-culture Christmas.
- The second act is the more traditional choir and soloists singing Christmas favorites.
- The third act covers the entire life of Jesus Christ from his birth (ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
celebration) through death, burial and resurrection (EasterEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Celebration).
Recent Performances have Featured
- Appearances by: Raggedy AnnRaggedy AnnRaggedy Ann is a fictional character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose...
dolls, FrostyFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
, music box figurines, gingerbread menGingerbread manA gingerbread man is a biscuit or cookie made of gingerbread, usually in the shape of a stylized human, commonly male as the name suggests, although making other shapes, especially seasonal themes and characters, is quite common as well.-History:...
, dancing Christmas trees, reindeer, elves, Santa and Mrs Claus, and a real sleigh that flies 70 feet over the audience! - Tap-dancing, Swing dancing, Ballroom dancing, and Ballet.
- Live animals, horse drawn carriages, as well as people on roller skates, bicycles and tricycles.
- The audience has been sprinkled with confetti, surrounded by stars, and have even see it snow!
- The performance is enhanced with effects such as fog, lightning, thunderous earthquakes, and 6 angels that fly 70 feet (21.3 m) over the entire room.
On a Large Scale
There is an 85 feet (25.9 m) wide proscenium archProscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
, and about 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of staging area. Although the location's capacity is normally 7,000 people, the expanded staging area for DCF is so large, it covers the first 1,000 seats. The theatrical lights paint the entire room, not just the stage. The auditorium was designed, from the beginning, to complement every aspect of the 1.2 million dollar speaker system. It was designed so that the very last row has the same level and quality of sound as the rest of the room. Sight-lines are unobstructed from every single seat. The entire stage can be seen even from the farthest seat, which is less the one-and-a-half times the width of the stage from the front.
Behind the Scenes
- The man behind the whole production is the Executive Director and Producer, R. Todd Bell. He also serves as the Minister of Music and Worship at Prestonwood Church.
- Choreography for the event is coordinated by staff member Andy Pearson