The Paly Madrigals will perform at their third annual dinner at 6:30 on Dec. 10 and 11 at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
According to choir teacher Michael Najar, the dinner-fundraiser rakes in $4000-5000 for the Paly choir each year. This year, the choir looks to attract nearly 120 attendees each night.
According to Najar, who has organized this event for the past two years, the show is expected to have many new improvements this year.
Beginning choir will have costumes made for them instead of having to piece together the left overs from the advanced choirs, thanks to parent and costume designer Elaine Saussotte.
"Because it’s our third year, we hope to make it polished this time," Najar said.
The choirs which includes beginning, concert, spectrum, and madrigals will sing a total of about twenty songs, and will join together for a performance of a Nigerian carol called "Betelehemu" (Bethlehem).
The dinner will be catered by Pommard Catering, serving a standard faire consisting of chicken, potatos and other supplements.
According to chorus choir performer, senior Jasmine Mark, although the script is written, the choirs are still working on memorizing and putting the whole show together.
However, much of the planning and organization has been done by parents headed by Ilana Mark.
"This year is going to be so great because we have so many great parents helping us out," Najar said. "Ilana Mark is fantastic and I couldn’t have done it without her."
The madrigal dinner performances began at Paly when Najar began teaching.
"In college I had done a madrigal dinner and when I came to Paly we had a madrigal choir but nothing really to showcase them."
The madrigal dinner replaced an event called the "Holiday tea" where advanced choir students would sing while Paly students and parents would drink tea.
"I wanted to incorporate more people into an event like this and I felt like the madrigal dinner was more academic as students learn a little bit about the period pieces they are singing."
Now, the madrigal dinner has become better known and has improved a lot since its first year according to Najar.
"It’s a lot of fun since we’re all trying to make it a period [piece] as possible," Mark said.
And of course, "you will laugh, you will cry, and who doesn’t want to see men in tights?" Najar said.
Tickets are $10 for a non-dinner seat, $35 for a Nobility table, and $50 for the King’s table.
St. Marks Episcopal Church is at 600 Colorado Ave.