Crystal River High chorus serves dinner with a side of history

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Although knives and forks will be available for those who request them, guests at the Crystal River High School chorus' madrigal dinner can expect to be served food without modern day utensils. After all, that's how people made merry during the 1500's.

And it will be one way the chorus will try to make its first madrigal dinner authentic and fun. The chicken dinner will only be part of the festivities. There will be a king, queen and royal court, wenches, a Punch and Judy show and a court jester.

The main focus of the celebration, though, will be the "olden days a cappella music," said chorus president, Amy Easter, a 17-year-old senior. The students will be in Renaissance costumes, complete with shields with coats of arms.

The costumes were made by the students and adult volunteers Roberta Greenan and Amy Longtin.

Decorations, the students said, will consist of lots of evergreens and candles.

The entire production is being headed by chorus director Jason Longtin, 24, who is new this year at Crystal River. He is a third-year teacher, having taught previously at Lyman High School in Longwood. He attended Stetson University and Lecanto High School. He grew up in Citrus County.

The Madrigal dinner, a first at the school, is "something new from Crystal River," said junior Megan Jones, 16, and it has produced another first, the Madrigal Ensemble.

The production has also been a lesson. "We've learned basics of different types of music, composers, styles of music," Megan said.

Or, in a nutshell, sophomore Melody Hampton, 16, said, "the pop music of the time."

There will be two seatings, a 1 p.m. dinner and another at 6 p.m. They will be held Dec. 16 in the school cafetorium. Tickets for the dinner are $12 and are available from any chorus student, in the choral room, at Forest Ridge Elementary School and at Rock Crusher Elementary School. They will be available until Monday.

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