If you want to get your arts fix on, then ChoralSounds Northwest may have what you're looking for.

ChoralSounds Northwest is a community-based chorus that is comprised of 70 people. Most of them hail from the South King County area. Ages of members range from 17 to 82. Many are working professionals, unemployed or students who have a passion for music.

Now in its 26th season, the choral group will be putting on "A Merry Olde Christmas" at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien on the weekend of December 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

The show will be comprised of classical renditions of songs such as "Ding Dong Merrily on High" and "Gesu Bambino." In addition, there will be covers of contemporary music, including a performance of Mariah Carey's classic holiday pop song, "All I Want for Christmas is You."

However, David Spring, who is now in his third year of conducting the chorus, said the highlight of this year's show will be a performance of "What the Dickens!" also known as "A Partridge in a Parody," a spoof of the beloved story, "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens.
Gary Stramm wrote the original play, but Spring said that some "liberal revisions" were made, such as one of the popular catchphrases of the original Dickens story.

"'Bah humbug' is 'Bad hamburger,'" he said. At some point during the play, "bald hobos" is also muttered.

The character of Ebenezer Scrooge is called Ernie.

"He hates music," Spring said.

Jacob Marley is called Jack Murley. The last three characters portrayed are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Lauren Balestreri, who is in her eighth year of performing with ChoralSounds, will be playing the Ghost of Christmas Present, who is quite the diva.

"I get to emulate Mariah Carey," she said excitedly.

Sarah Flegel, in her fourth year with ChoralSounds, will be playing the Ghost of Christmas Past, who she described as "excitable and clumsy."

"It really reflects me," she admitted.

Max Seifert, a junior from Kennedy High School who is performing with ChoralSounds for the first time, is the Ghost of Christmas Future.

"I don't have many lines," he noted.

Seifert said he fell into the role mainly "because I was tall," which seemed to be a requirement to make the costume - a flowing black robe that hides the face - more effective.

Tickets for "A Merry Olde Christmas" can be purchased online at http://www.nwassociatedarts.org/cart/. Prices are $15, $20 or $25, depending on seating. Youth who are 17 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult, though a youth ticket still needs to be ordered to gain entry.

For more information, go to http://www.nwassociatedarts.org/csn/ or call 206-246-6040.