'Welkome Home for the Holidays' is great fun

Special to The Village News

Heart throb Eric Martsolf, who plays Brady Black on "Days of Our Lives," warms the stage at The Welk Resort in December.

In this new show written specifically for him and The Welk Resort, the audience gets to be part of the "Eric Martsolf's T.V. Christmas Show" rehearsal.

It's a takeoff on the old Dean Martin show featuring leggy, sexy dancers, slinky female singers and plenty of smooth chatter under a set of dreamy, sleepy eyes. There is lots of Rat Pack-vibe amongst the men while the women wiggle nearby. It is great fun.

While the storyline may be thin – the singing and dancing isn't. Martsolf is joined by some of the area's best singers like Misty Cotton, Jacob Caltrider, Leslie Stevens, Kya Cafaro, Luke Harvey Jacobs, Shirley Johnston, Sean Thomas Kiralla, Bethany Slomka, Erin Vanderhyde, Erica Marie Weisz and Andrea Williams. It is hard to believe the other theaters could find anyone to carry a tune.

Musical director Allen Everman created the show, played piano and sang throughout. He is talented beyond words and deserves high praise. Take my word for it or better yet, go see for yourself.

"Welkome Home for the Holidays" is co-directed by Larry Raben and Noelle Marion, produced by Sean Coogan and choreographed by the amazing Cheryl Baxter-Ratliff. It is beautifully costumed by Janet Pitcher, lit by Jennifer Edwards and Patrick Hoyny figured out the sound. Rory Brown designed the cozy set.

For complete ticket information, contact the Welk Resort Theatre box office at (760) 749-3448 or toll free at (888) 802-7469. You can also visit http://www.SanDiegoTickets.WelkResorts.com. Group reservations of 15 or more can call (760) 749-3182, ext. 22154.

Send friends and the entire family before Dec. 29. "Welkome Home for the Holidays" feels like the best Christmas memory. It is sentimental and reminiscent. It feels like hot cocoa with marshmallows by a fireside.

Lawrence Welk himself could have written "Welkome Home for the Holidays" which is the highest tribute I can offer. Rated 10 out of 10.

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal can be reached by email at [email protected].