By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Iryna Fedyshyn
Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Americans from this area have not had a lot of good news in recent years.
This weekend will be different.
On December 13 and 14, Iryna Fedyshyn, one of Ukraine’s premier singing stars, will visit the area for a pair of holiday shows.
The concerts of “Ukraine Carols” will be held December 13 at Saint Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church (1545 Easton Road, Warrington, www.stanneukrainiancc.com) and December 14 at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center (700 North Cedar Road, Jenkintown, www.ueccphila.org).
This project is one of the most important Christmas shows in Ukraine, where exquisite costumes, scenery, ballet numbers and special productions are involved. Top caliber designers worked on the creation of images.
The concert program includes traditional and modern songs, carols with new arrangements, Christmas and New Year’s hits, as well as favorite songs of Ukrainian families.
According to Fedyshyn, “Every story is special and very intimate.”
She describes her music as a “Gift from God.”
Her concerts are always a vibrant celebration of music, beauty, and emotion.
And Fedyshyn always impresses audiences with new premieres, exquisite costumes from leading Ukrainian designers, and stunning show numbers accompanied by a professional ballet troupe.
This year, the singer presents a new Christmas program, “Ukraine Sings Christmas Carols,” from the 2025 album which is a combination of Ukrainian traditions and modern sounds.
The concert is created for audiences of all ages — with love, light, and the Ukrainian soul.
The Christmas block “Ukraine Carols” features carols in a modern arrangement, filled with warmth and spirituality.
The “New Year’s Pop” segment has new songs from the album and favorite hits.
Fedyshyn was born in February 1987 in Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, into a family of musicians. From an early age, she showed musical, vocal and stage abilities.
Fedyshyn’s father, although himself a musician, hoped that his daughter would succeed at chess. However, she took to the synthesizer, on which she learned to improvise and write her first songs.
At 13, Fedyshyn decided to get a musical education and went to study at a music school. She graduated with honors and also conducted concert programs.
She studied economics at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and at the same time took private music and vocal lessons.
Fedyshyn won prizes in youth music competitions and festivals, and some songs were included in the rotation on Ukrainian radio stations.
Her first song, “Before the Image of Christ,” was written while studying at a music school. She has continued to develop her music in two directions — Ukrainian folk style and popular music.
In 2005, she performed in the semi-final of the Ukrainian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, and in 2006 and in 2009 she performed in the concert program “Schlager of the Year.”
In 2015, Fedyshyn, who lives in Lviv and is married to producer Vitalii Chovnyk, won the Ukrainian-language song contest “Ukrainian Format” with the song “Sertsia stuk.” In 2018, she took part in the eighth season of the TV show “The Voice of Ukraine.”
In 2020, her song, “Tam de ty,” reached Top 10 on radio stations in Ukraine, and the music video for it gained more than a million views on YouTube.
Later that year, the singer released several Christmas-themed songs, many of which will be featured in this weekend’s shows.
Fedyshyn’s Christmas show is an fast-paced and well-structured combination of Ukrainian carols and popular pop hits. The program also includes a performance by the show ballet, “ID.”
Part of the funds raised during the event will be donated to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Irina helps Ukrainian soldiers a lot,” said St. Anne’s event spokesman John Dulwych during a phone interview Wednesday night.
“She also performed the area last year. She has raised a lot of money to assist our troops.”
In 2024, Fedyshyn presented shows across the U.S. to raise money to buy evacuation vehicles to help people in her home country escape the war against Russia.
She raised funds to buy more than 200 evacuation vehicles for citizens and military in war-torn Ukraine.
Fedyshyn said she’s very thankful for the Americans who are letting her spread her message – that Ukrainian people are strong.
According to Fedyshyn, “The men and women in Ukraine are ready to fight.”
The sponsors of both shows will support the Armed Forces of Ukraine with these events, and the collected donations will be used to help Ukraine’s defenders.
This tour is a continuation of Fedyshyn’s great musical and charitable mission – “With Ukraine in our hearts — around the world!”
Video link for Iryna Fedyshyn — https://youtu.be/kiABojxIVGc.
The show on Saturday at St Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church will start at 7 p.m.
The show on Sunday at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center will start at 4 p.m.
Ticket prices are the same for both shows — $75 for general admission and $30 for children.
In addition to Ukrainian carols, this weekend’s entertainment schedule also features “A Christmas Carol.”
People’s Light
This year, People’s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, peopleslight.org) is presenting a production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” now through January 4 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage.
But it’s not the Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” you’ve grown to know and love over the years.
With inventive and joyful staging by Producing Director Molly Rosa Houlahan, Producing Artistic Director Zak
Berkman brings Dickens’ beloved classic to life through the eyes of a child.
In this surprising and whimsical adaptation, audiences follow Ebenezer Scrooge and a gathering of benevolent ghosts on a journey through time showing the redemptive power of kindness, hope, and love.
This imaginative retelling features traditional English carols woven with a Barrymore-nominated original score by Berkman and arrangements by Mitch Chakour.
Berkman brought “A Christmas Carol” to life through the eyes of a child. It is set in the attic of a 10-year-old boy.
“In this version, the story is really told by a group of spirits who have visited this young boy in his attic,” said Berkman.
“Instead of Victorian England, we’re in this boy’s playroom. Through the story, we find out what is the connection between the young boy and the spirits.”
People’s Light remains committed to making theatre accessible and welcoming for all.
Open Captioning will be available during all performances from December 30-January 4, displaying dialogue on an LED screen to support patrons with hearing impairments and English language learners.
Video link for People’s Light — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zICXuBNoPuY.
“A Christmas Carol” will run now through January 4 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage at People’s Light.
Ticket prices start at $35.
A great way to get into the holiday spirit is to visit the Candlelight Dinner Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org).
The Candlelight’s 2025 holiday show, “Christmas by Candlelight,” is running now through December 21.
For a month-and-a-half, the Candlelight is treating audiences to its heartwarming celebration of the yuletide season, which is back by popular demand this year.
This year’s show features favorite seasonal and sacred tunes, as well as some new surprises, brought to life by some of the theater’s most popular cast and staff.
Candlelight’s fans’ favorites in the cast are Jared Calhoun, Maurene Cotellese, Tina Gabriella Delano, Erin Lunde, Tim Moudy, Cody Palmer, Samatha Ricchiuti, Tess Sinatra, Shawn Weaver, Shaun Yates, Tori Healy, Heather Healy, Dan Healy and Anthony Connell, a longtime actor who also has been Props Master for shows this year.
The songs range from a capella versions of famous songs to comedic numbers, upbeat holiday tunes and classic Christmas songs you may hear sung at church services.”
Some of the showcase songs are “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Joy To The World,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and, of course, “White Christmas.”
Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $77.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12). “Show Only” tickets, which have limited availability, cost $35.
This weekend, Steve Forbert might be singing a carol or two in his area show.
Forbert is a singer-songwriter who has been plying his trade for more than a half-century.
As the decades passed, Forbert has developed a very strong area fan base – a large and devoted fan base.
He has played a wide range of venues in the area – from legendary and now departed venues such as the Main Point, the Tin Angel and Ardmore Cabaret to current clubs like Kennett Flash, where he played as recently as April this year.
On December 13 at the Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com), Forbert will leave his band home and perform with just Todd Lanka on upright bass.
When Forbert returns to the area, he’s bringing a (relatively) new album with him.
Forbert released his 21st album, “Daylight Savings Time,” in November 2024 on Blue Rose Music. It was his fourth album in the last six years on the label.
“We released the album last fall,” said Forbert, during a phone interview from his home in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
“We recorded the album last year here in Asbury Park. It was produced by Steve Greenwell, and we used his studio. I did the last two albums before this there.
“The songs are all recent. Before it was recorded, I hadn’t performed any of them live.
“My current set has songs from ‘Daylight Savings Time’ and songs from previous albums. The rest is what people want to hear – songs like ‘What Kinda Guy,’ ‘Romeo’s Tune’ and ‘Going Down to Laurel.’”
In 1984, Forbert had a disagreement with his record company Nemperor and contractual issues prevented him from recording for a number of years afterwards.
His 1988 album, “Streets of This Town,” and the 1992 follow-up, “The American in Me,” were released by Geffen Records and both received significant airplay.
Over the next two decades, Forbert released 11 albums on seven labels before settling down with Blue Rose Music.
“We recorded 10 songs for the new album,” said Forbert. “The last one, ‘Dixie Miles,’ I wrote as we were finishing the album.”
Written as he approached his 70th birthday, “Daylight Savings Time” contemplates and celebrates the proverbial “extra hour of daylight” that comes with the time change.
“The links between the songs – a lot of nature appreciation,” said Forbert.
“Daylight Savings Time is that extra hour of daylight. It’s similar to late middle age.”
On the album’s first single, “Sound Existence,” Forbert sings, “Yeah to chirping crickets and to daylight savings time! The best ain’t yet to come, but you could still get by just fine.”
“Writing is something I do all the time,” said Forbert. “I always go on inspiration. I don’t want to take a break. It’s always there. It’s my job.
“What I do is more about songs. I just do what I’ve always done. Lyrics — and topics — move with me through life. I don’t pay attention to fads.”
Video link for Steve Forbert – https://youtu.be/wTze13syk7s.
The show at the Elkton Music Hall will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $42.
Other upcoming shows at the venue are Boozewa, Coma Hole, Husband Lost At Sea, and Yet It Moves on December 11 and Great Lake Swimmers with Abe Partridge on December 12.
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting Lucy Wainwright Roche on December 11, Caligula Blushed on December 12, and “The Legendary Kennett Flash Open Mic Night” hosted by Butch Zito on December 14.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) is presenting Top of the World on December 11, A Not So Silent Night on December 13, Cartoon Christmas Trio on December 16 and Dueling Pianos With the Philly Keys on December 17.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will present “Kate Gaffney’s Corner” with Jason Ager on December 11, Debra Devi on December 12 and The Mark Margolies Band on December 14.
On December 14, the “Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam” will feature the Girke-Davis Project. The free event will run from noon-3 p.m.
The Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com/events) will host Improv Jam on December 11, The Milk Carton Kids on December 11 and the City Rhythm Orchestra on December 14.
