''The Ghosts of Christmas Eve'' is a 1999
made-for-television film showcasing a Christmas music performance by
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill (producer), Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-pr ...
, starring
Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis (born Raiford Chatman Davis; December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, Film director, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He received num ...
and Allie Sheridan. Guest performers included
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian and singer.
Crawford is best known for playing the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', Cornel ...
and
Jewel.
Other performers include
Bob Kinkel,
Al Pitrelli,
Chris Caffery,
Johnny Lee Middleton,
Jeff Plate, Tony Gaynor, Daryl Pediford and Tommy Farese. The film premiered on
Fox Family Channel on December 14, 1999.
Plot
The songs are presented in such a way as to form a storyline about a runaway who takes refuge in an abandoned theatre on Christmas Eve,
and experiences the musical performances as
ghost
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
ly visions from the theatre's past.
Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis (born Raiford Chatman Davis; December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, Film director, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He received num ...
as the caretaker
Allie Sheridanas the runaway, a special guest appearance by Joseph Jankovic as part of the children’s choir, and Jennifer Sheridan and TSO vocalist Tommy Farese as the runaway's parents are used to fill out the narrative.
The special was filmed at the historic
Loew's Jersey Theatre in
.
It premiered on
Fox Family on December 14, 1999, as part of their
25 Days of Christmas programming block. On November 13, 2001, it was released on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
with the Timeless Version of "
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" included as a bonus track.
The lost child, Allie Sheridan, would go on to perform with TSO during their 2003 tour.
This story was performed live for the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023 winter tours.
List of songs
# "
O Come All Ye Faithful /
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" (original title: ) is a sacred song about the night of the birth of Jesus Christ, described in the first verse as "the dear Saviour", and frequently performed as a Christmas carol. Based on the French-language poem ''Minuit, ch ...
"
# "Good King Joy"
# "
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is an English Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection ''Hymns and Sacred Poems''. The carol, based on , tells of an angelic chorus singing praises to God. As it is known in the modern era, it ...
" (featuring Jewel)
# "
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"
# "
Christmas Canon"
# "
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" (original title: ) is a sacred song about the night of the birth of Jesus Christ, described in the first verse as "the dear Saviour", and frequently performed as a Christmas carol. Based on the French-language poem ''Minuit, ch ...
" (featuring
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian and singer.
Crawford is best known for playing the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', Cornel ...
)
# "Music Box Blues"
# "Promises to Keep"
# "This Christmas Day"
# "First Snow"
Reception
''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reviewer said, "the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has carried out a mission to create powerful artistry in music through the webbing of songs together by means of storytelling...artists like Jewel and Michael Crawford bring their own unique twists to a musical exploration of art and the Christmas spirit."
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghosts Of Christmas Eve, The
1999 television films
American Christmas television films
American rock music films
ABC Family original films
Concert films
Films shot in New Jersey