Jessie Pew

I looked across the room. Standing there, holding a cup, was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. They looked up and caught my eye and I knew immediately—I was in love.

Christmas Around the World is a well-established tradition at Brigham Young University, with this year’s production marking its 60th appearance in the BYUarts season. While primarily a cultural celebration, there is always a theme arching over the production and informing the text and music performed in between the dance numbers. Previous years have seen themes, most recently, “A Light in the Window” (2019), which highlighted the importance of cultural roots being maintained despite immigration, and promoted empathy and compassion for those who have had to leave their ancestral homes against their will. With such a lofty preceding theme, the 2021 theme, “Rejoice” can seem rather simple in comparison. However, I think more than ever, today we are aware that rejoicing is not an inherently simple action.

By Jessie Pew, dramaturg