Special to the Times-Free Press
The Rock n’ Roll, Vocal, and Grammy® Halls of Fame culture icons, The Platters® (theplatters.com), defacto members of the Marvel® Cinematic Universe® (MCU) music family, bring their critically acclaimed Very Merry Christmas Show back to The Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street in Arlington for one show only on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
The Platters, founded and named by Herb Reed in the mid-50s, continues today with Lance Bernard Bryant, Omar Ross, Jovian K. Ford, and Brittney Necole Bellamy. Collectively, they lend their harmonically smooth voices to taking audiences on a festive holiday-themed soiree via a magical, interactive, sonic-driven sleigh ride fueled by music from across the decades. The Platters weave many of their major evergreen hits, including “The Great Pretender,” “My Prayer,” and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” together with family fun holiday classics geared toward a night of joyful memories and family fun accompanied by their band Sonic Evolution. At the invitation of former East Boston and Revere native Frederick J. Balboni, Jr. (bcg-hre.com), the successor to Herb Reed, asked Everett Public Schools national award-winning
Music Director Gene O’Brien to join the group on stage during their only Boston area date. Accepting the invitation, Everett High School choral director Corey Crofoot was tasked by O’Brien to create an all-inclusive school and community choir to showcase the diverse talents of the students of the performing arts community. Members of the choir from the First Parish in Lexington will also be join the choral ensemble. The Platters became citizens of the MCU in 2021, with one of their timeless hits, Twilight Time, placed on the breakthrough Marvel® — Disney+® streaming television series WandaVision. This past July, Only You (and You Alone), the song that first launched the vocal group onto the national music charts, recently took the top spot on the critically acclaimed soundtrack of Marvel’s international blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. According to Balboni, Jr., Reed’s hand-picked, direct successor and international keeper of his legacy, “We look forward to involving talented students and community members to come together and share the stage with us to showcase their talents. It helps us entertain the greater community so they can take time out of their busy lives to enjoy the season’s spirit. “ He continued, “Our family show will have plenty of surprises, including a special guest appearance by Santa himself.
Winthrop-based classic rock and soul group Smokin’ Joe and The Henchmen will open the holiday show.’