Disney's Candlelight Processional
Annual event at Disney theme parks From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Annual event at Disney theme parks From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Disney's Candlelight Processional is an annual event held at Disneyland in California and Epcot at Walt Disney World in Florida. The processional is currently performed for two nights only at Disneyland, and throughout the holiday season at Epcot at Walt Disney World. The event was started by Walt Disney himself, and has become an annual holiday tradition for many guests.[1]
| Disney's Candlelight Processional | |
|---|---|
| |
| Disneyland | |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1960 1st Narrator: Dennis Morgan 2023 Narrator: Brie Larson |
| Magic Kingdom | |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1971-1993 1st Narrator: Rock Hudson Final Narrator: James Earl Jones |
| Epcot | |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1994 (at Epcot) 1st Narrator: Phylicia Rashad 2023 Narrators: (see below) |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Seasonal event |
| Season | November–December |
Upon the first holiday season at Disneyland in December 1955, Walt Disney enlisted the help of Dr. Charles Hirt (1911–2001), who was the Director of Choral Music at USC Thornton School of Music.[2] Walt Disney admired traditional Christmas caroling, and in a performance that grew each year from 1955 to 1960, carolers and guest choirs would sing in Town Square. At the first Christmas in 1955, this took place as the Disneyland Christmas Bowl, and was performed in the Main Street Bandstand. 1958 was the first year choirs processed down Main Street singing.
Walt Disney was involved with the entertainment aspects of the 1960 Winter Olympics, for which he and Hirt arranged a large choir to perform.[3] This event inspired the two men to create a larger scale Christmas production for the upcoming holiday season. Disney had told Hirt he wished to have caroling on Main Street for guests to enjoy, and he wished to hear it from his private apartment above the fire station in Town Square. A stage was mounted in front of the train station so that carolers could sing out to guests and be more visible, and the "living Christmas tree" concept was developed, with the choir standing in the formation of a tree.
Actor Dennis Morgan was enlisted in narrating the nativity story. Guest choirs from the community were brought in by Hirt to add to the production, and with these concepts together, the first processional was held. Walt Disney continued to support the event until his death in 1966, and last attended the processional in December 1965 with Dick Van Dyke as narrator.[4] The living tree was created by choral director Alexander Encheff (1918–2005), whose students at Western High School in Anaheim performed in the show annually until the 1980s.[5] Sheldon Disrud, director of choral music at Chapman University in Orange, California, directed and wrote music for the candlelight procession during the 1980s.
In October 1971 Walt Disney World opened, and it was decided the park should have its own version of the processional for the holiday season. Hirt flew in from California to help stage the production, with Rock Hudson as the first narrator and Frederick Fennell as conductor. At the beginning, the event was staged in front of Cinderella Castle, and then moved a few years later, in front of the train station, similar to the Disneyland version.
By the 1990s, the event at Walt Disney World and Disneyland was being performed for two days only each holiday season. At Disney World, the event was growing in popularity and demand, and it was decided it would move to Epcot, which had been built in 1982. James Earl Jones was the final narrator at Magic Kingdom. The event then began being performed from Thanksgiving weekend to New Years. Dr. Charles Hirt had since retired. Derric Johnson became conductor of the event at Disney World, and Jim Christensen (1935–2020) was passed the baton at Disneyland.[6] Johnson had previously developed Re-Generation, a professional a cappella singing group that performed at Magic Kingdom in the 1970s and eventually evolved into Voices of Liberty when Epcot opened in 1982.
Johnson, a composer, offered Disney his own custom arrangements of classic holiday songs, many of which were recorded for the Re-Generation Christmas recording Christmas In Velvet.[7][8] Phylicia Rashad became the first narrator for the Epcot version in 1994, and the show has been performed every year since with exception of 2020 when it was cancelled on both coasts due to COVID-19.[9] In 2022, Dr. John V. Sinclair, Director of Music at Rollins College, was honored for conducting over 1,000 performances of the Candlelight Processional at Disney World.[10] Nancy Sulahian has conducted the Disneyland version most recently. She is currently Director of Choral Music at CalTech in Pasadena, California.[11]
Each performance is narrated by a guest narrator, typically a celebrity, often who has been previously affiliated with The Walt Disney Company. At Disneyland, the narrator of the event is kept secret until the day of the first performance, with two shows per evening and two nights only. Walt Disney World announces their narrator lineup ahead of time so guests can plan their vacations accordingly to which narrator they would like to see. Dining packages are available to purchase that guarantee a seat inside the America Gardens Theatre at the American pavilion at Epcot.[12]
The term processional refers to the choir entering one by one, typically wearing traditional choir robes, while holding a candle. The term "processing" refers to entering the stage, and "recessing" is the process of exiting the stage. Performers are lined up based on height and voice part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass).[13]
The event is one of the many seasonal entertainment offerings located at Epcot during the International Festival of the Holidays.[14] At Disneyland, the event is held on Main Street, U.S.A. with a stage setup around the train station in Town Square. At Epcot, the professional AEA-A capella singing group Voices of Liberty are utilized in the show as featured singers and soloists. The Epcot versions signature song is Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy, music and lyrics by Lanny Wolfe.[15] In the program, songs in different languages have been performed, including Gesù bambino (Italian), Stille Nacht (German and Spanish), What Child Is This? (Spanish), and Il est né, le divin Enfant (French).
The songs are custom composed and arranged for Disney to retell the nativity story, with orchestrations performed by a large orchestra. Disneyland musicians work under contracts with the Orange County Musicians Union, Local 7.[16] Musicians in the orchestra in Florida are contracted through the Central Florida Local 389 chapter of the American Federation of Musicians union.[17] The Disneyland version includes a handbell choir and both feature trumpet fanfares. The celebrity narrator tells the story in short passages mixed with songs. The show typically has stayed the same year to year, but it continues to be updated. It uses guest choirs, primarily youth choirs, referred to as a mass choir. The show is performed three times each night at Epcot, with youth choirs performing in the first show and Disney cast members in the second two shows.
Cast members (employees) are selected to perform in the show based on auditions that are held prior in the year, with rehearsals being held weekly leading up to performance time, on a volunteer basis. Guest choirs also submit auditions and are selected to perform, traveling from around the country, although many are local school choirs located near the parks. One of the long running participant choirs since the 1970s at Disney World has been Seminole High School from Sanford, Florida under the direction of Bob Maguire (1948–2020).[18] The event gives young performers the opportunity to perform in a large-scale professional setting, facilitated by Disney Imagination Campus. Merchandise is sold to honor the event inside the parks, typically including t-shirts and trading pins. The event has experienced growing pains, which necessitated being moved from Magic Kingdom to Epcot, so not to interfere with Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
In the year 2012, the Disneyland version attempted to expand performances. 20 nights of two showings each were offered, however many were cancelled due to inclement weather. Tickets were all offered free of charge by lottery to Annual Passholders. The following year the event reverted to its original two day format. Disneyland for two years in the late 1990s performed the Candlelight Ceremony in its Fantasyland Theater.
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In 1999, the Epcot Candlelight Processional was professionally recorded and released on Walt Disney Records cassette and cd with Phylicia Rashad as guest narrator.[53] The Epcot Candlelight Processional was also recorded and released in 1997, with Louis Gossett Jr. as narrator.[54]
| Epcot Candlelight Processional 1999 | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album | |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Length | 51:06 |
| Label | Walt Disney Records |
| Producer | Ted Ricketts
Derric Johnson John V. Sinclair Narration Phylicia Rashad |
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shout For Joy" | Candlelight Choir | 1:04 |
| 2. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" | Candlelight Choir | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Il Est Né" | Candlelight Choir | 2:09 |
| 4. | "O Holy Night" | Candlelight Choir | 2:34 |
| 5. | "Angels from the Realms of Glory" | Candlelight Choir | 2:04 |
| 6. | "Rejoice With Exceeding Great Joy / We Three Kings" | Candlelight Choir | 3:48 |
| 7. | "What Child Is This?" | Candlelight Choir | 2:34 |
| 8. | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | Candlelight Choir | 3:00 |
| 9. | "Silent Night" | Candlelight Choir | 2:41 |
| 10. | "Joy to the World" | Candlelight Choir | 2:13 |
| 11. | "The Hallelujah Chorus" | Candlelight Choir | 3:51 |
| 12. | "The Wonderful World of Christmas" | Candlelight Choir | 4:02 |
| 13. | "Away in a Manger" | Candlelight Choir | 1:53 |
| 14. | "Angels We Have Heard on High" | Candlelight Choir | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 51:06 | ||
In 1987, the Disneyland Candlelight Processional was recorded and released on VHS, with Howard Keel as narrator. This performance also was aired on The Disney Channel.[55] The performance was conducted by Sheldon Disrud (1924–2015), who was the Director of Choral Music at Chapman University in Orange, California[56]
In 2018, the Epcot Candlelight Processional was live-streamed on Youtube via the official Disney Parks channel, with Neil Patrick Harris as narrator.[57]
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