Festival of Wreaths fundraiser draws disco entry from Fox exec producer

Charles Packard's "Disco Wreath" available through the Aurora History Museum's "Festival of Lights" fundraiser.

Talk about holiday spirit. For the twelfth year in a row, the Aurora History Museum is tapping into the aesthetic power of Christmas wreaths to raise funds from the community through its Festival of Wreaths.

This year, the fundraising effort will take place online, with contributors invited to bid online for a selection of decorated wreaths. In the past 10 years, the push has drummed up a total of $16,000 for the museum’s exhibits and education programs. This year, they’re hoping to raise about $2,000.

The 2011 Festival of Wreaths effort has drawn nearly 45 entries from city employees and community members, all of which are available to buy through a bidding process here.

The entries include decorated wreaths from the Dry Dock Brewery, the Arc of Aurora and the city's Public Works department. Our personal favorite? Aurora Fox theater executive producer Charles Packard’s “Disco Wreath,” a decoration that fuses traditional Christmas aesthetics with a glittery dance floor ball straight out of Saturday Night Fever. Is it a nod to the Fox’s upcoming production of Xanadu, or an expression of Packard’s deep-seated love for the Bee Gees? You can decide yourself – the wreath had garnered a top price of $15 at the time of writing, and the bidding process is open until noon on Dec. 9.

Q&A with Tonnocus McClain from the touring production of "The Lion King"

Even after a year as an ensemble member in “The Lion King,” Tonnocus McClain is still amazed by the sheer scope of the musical. At 14 years old, the musical continues to set the standard for big-budget Broadway musicals, drawing regular, sold-out audiences for its touring shows and giving theater a degree of accessibility and commercialism that’s kept the craft alive.

McClain, who attended high school in Colorado Springs, chatted about his history with the touring production, as well as the elements that have kept him a part of the cast.