By Denton Josey, Page Editor
Chapel attendance was higher than usual on Tuesday.
During a time when students have all of their Chapel credits and take the extra time to study, there were at least 60 more people than usual. Tuesday, Abilene Christian School brought children, second through fifth grade and preschoolers, to ACU Chapel for their annual Christmas presentation. This marked the 19th year ACS has brought classes over. The show is a preview of the longer version that will take place in Cullen Auditorium on Dec. 14.
Carole Houston, an administrative staff worker for ACS and mother of a second-grader, has seen the show for 10 years.
“We have big ACU ties because we used to be a part of ACU. We have a lot of kids whose parents work at ACU,” Houston said. “I know the ACU students always love it.”
Anne Allison, director of music at ACS, said this year’s show is called “Snow Biz” and it has songs from a collection called Music Rocks and High School Musical.
“It’s a winter musical about a big storm,” Allison said.
Though the show has been at ACU Chapel for a long time, this year marked the first year the preschool participated. Before the show, Allison was curious about how they would perform.
“My preschoolers are going to come and sing one song which they’ve never ever done in ACU Chapel, so it should be very interesting,” she said. “We’ll see if they even sing.”
Performing at ACU is beneficial for the college students before they leave for Christmas break, to get them geared up for Christmas. The children look forward to the Chapel performance.
“They absolutely love it,” Allison said. “Every year they ask me, ‘When do we get to go to the big building?'”
One of the most outstanding memories Allison has from the Chapel performances was when a child got too nervous on stage.
“One year a kid on the very front row threw up all over the basketball floor. It was not pretty,” Allison said.
She said she has since told kids to sit down if they are feeling sick. As much as it is good practice for the performers and a welcome show for the spectators, Allison said there is an underlying point to it all.
“Feeling good for Christmas is what it’s really all about,” Allison said.
