CHRISTMAS AT DePAUL PRODUCTION · 2026

A DEPAUL TRADITION · A SHARED PURPOSE

Christmas
at DePaul2026

A tradition returns.
A community comes together.

Music, storytelling and theatrical craft come together at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. It’s a chance for students, alumni, families and neighbors to gather around a shared story of hope. Behind every moment is a crew—and there’s a place for you in the work.

Share your availability →Discover the show ↓
PERFORMANCESDecember 3–4, 2026
STUDENT PRODUCTION PERIODNovember 29–December 5
THE VENUESt. Vincent de Paul Parish1010 W. Webster Avenue · Chicago

PLAN AHEAD

Current production schedule

Current preliminary schedule · Managed by production. Use this as a reference while calls are being finalized; it includes production and venue activities beyond student crew calls.

Download schedule (PDF) ↓

THE STORY BEHIND THE SHOW

A Christmas story.
A Chicago gathering.

Christmas at DePaul is a theatrical musical retelling of the Christmas story, bringing narration, choral and orchestral music, and lighting into one shared experience.

The tradition began in December 2007 through a collaboration between DePaul’s School of Music and The Theatre School. Tony Peluso and then–School of Music Dean Donald Casey helped shape the original idea: a holiday production that would be a gift to the surrounding community.

From the beginning, celebration and care for others were connected. The original performances were free, with guests invited to support the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry; the Community Chorus’s history also describes donations to parish-sponsored charities. That history gives the work behind the show a purpose beyond the performance itself.

DePaul’s original 2007 announcement ↗The Community Chorus’s history ↗

A TRADITION WORTH BRINGING BACK

Its absence was felt.
Its return is a gift.

Christmas at DePaul gives the community a place to come together: to share music, welcome one another, and reconnect with a tradition rooted in hope and generosity.

When the show was absent last year, a donor who wishes to remain anonymous felt the loss of that shared experience. Their gracious donation supports three years of Christmas at DePaul, with 2026 as year one, followed by 2027 and 2028.

We are grateful for a gift that recognizes how much this gathering matters. For the production team and student crew, it is an opportunity to help restore something meaningful to the community—and to carry its spirit of care into the work that brings it to life.

VINCENTIAN VALUES, IN THE WORK

How we work matters.

DePaul’s Vincentian mission emphasizes human dignity, care for people who are vulnerable, and education for the common good. For this crew, those principles can guide the everyday choices that make a production possible.

01

Respect every person.

Listen, communicate clearly, and treat each member of the crew, company and audience with dignity. Every contribution deserves respect.

02

Care through action.

Look out for one another. Ask for help, notice when someone needs support, and bring care to the details of the work.

03

Learn together.

Ask questions, share knowledge, and approach unfamiliar work with curiosity. Production is a chance to develop skills alongside others.

04

Build for the community.

Connect your work to the people it serves. A well-supported crew helps create a welcoming experience for everyone who gathers.

Our crew approach draws on DePaul’s Vincentian mission and core values ↗.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM

People behind the production.

Creative vision, technical craft and university partnership come together to make the show possible.

Jamie Davis

Technical production · Lightswitch

Jamie is a Senior Director at Lightswitch and oversees the technical production of Christmas at DePaul. His connection to the show began as a DePaul student; today, his work brings design, technical planning and crew coordination together behind the scenes.

Lightswitch team ↗

Tony Peluso

Artistic direction

A DePaul alumnus and veteran of Disney entertainment, Tony helped originate Christmas at DePaul. The university’s first announcement credited him as its producer, writer and creative director. His background in live entertainment helped shape the show’s blend of music, narration and theatrical storytelling.

The show’s beginnings ↗

Chad Jordahl

DePaul University · Office of the Secretary

Chad serves as DePaul’s Associate Vice President and Assistant University Secretary. He is part of the Christmas at DePaul production team, bringing the university’s perspective to this shared undertaking.

DePaul Office of the Secretary ↗

YOUR PART IN THE STORY

Join us behind the scenes.

Share your availability for paid student crew work in lighting, audio, scenic and general production. General stagehands earn $20 per hour; higher-paid specialist roles are selected separately.

Availability deadline: Friday, October 23 · 11:59 p.m. Central

Share your availability →

Calls are still being finalized.
Availability is not a confirmed shift.