97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

Welcome to Talking Culture! In this weekly interview series from 97.9 The Hill WCHL, you’ll hear from writers, performers, musicians and individuals involved in advancing and promoting cultural arts in our community.

Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Arts. The 2024-25 Duke Arts Presents season features more than 40 programs from artists around the globe. Learn more at DukeArts.org.

This week, Aaron chats with three of the artists behind “The Christmas Chicken,” a brand new holiday musical that’s getting a staged reading Saturday, December 14, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Seymour Center. Sherry Appel is the writer, who adapted the story – first as a play, now with songs – from a short story written by her husband; she’s joined by lyricist John Paul Middlesworth and director Annie Taft.

The show is meant for all ages. It’s free to attend, but you’re encouraged to reserve a seat by clicking here.

What’s the plot? Appel describes it like this: “It’s Christmas Eve in Victorian England, and Jack, a young blind boy, wishes for a dog from Santa. Down the chimney comes a dog! (Or is it a chicken?) And adventures ensue with bad guys and street urchins with hearts of gold – and, of course, a happy ending.”

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