From left, performers Jackson Gillies, Will Breman and Blake DeVine stand with Grace Fisher outside The Granada.
Promising an inspirational holiday message during these times, the Grace Fisher Foundation and other sponsors will broadcast a Winter Music Showcase on Sunday.
All viewers have to do is turn on Channel 3 at 4 p.m. and there will be a one-hour production right in the comfort of their homes.
Many musicians, artists and sound and stage technicians came together and prerecorded the production at the Granada Theatre.
Featured performers include Grace Fisher herself, “The Voice” semi-finalist Will Breman and Jackson Gillies, as seen on “American Idol.”
Also featured will be the Three For Joy String Trio, Santa Barbara Teen Star finalists, Bar Back Boys and Madrigals Alumni Choir.
“I guess the world looks different this year, but I hope that this show will give our community the inspiration it needs during this holiday season,” Grace told the News-Press. “Unfortunately, it’s not a live show, but I think it definitely gives us a greater platform of reaching as many people as possible.”
Grace will be performing an original composition, and according to her mother, Deborah Fisher, she found inspiration for it from “Fantasia.”
Ms. Fisher said that if they would have scheduled filming the production at Granada Theatre just two days later, it would have been canceled for the lockdown.
“I do feel like it’s a Christmas miracle, truly,” Ms. Fisher told the News-Press. “I feel like this is our Santa Barbara Christmas story.”
Everyone performing in the show is connected to Grace in some way. The show was held live at Santa Barbara High School for the past two years, but live performances are not permitted due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Ms. Fisher said that filming was a positive thing for performers because nobody got sick and “we were just ecstatic to be in that space.”
According to Grace’s mother, “She is super excited.”
“This rush that you get from performing… Her life has been action-packed through COVID,” Ms. Fisher said. “She’s been working on this production and it was her that put this together, not her parents doing it.”
The Grace Fisher Foundation’s mission is “bringing the arts to kids of all abilities,” as Grace was diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.
Music therapy and adaptive art helped strengthen her neck and her mind.
Donors who contribute $1,000 or more to the foundation will get an artist retouched reproduction of Grace’s “Rocky Tide” painting.
In addition, other sponsors include the Turner Foundation, The Chispa Foundation, Premier Physical Therapy & Associates, Montecito Bank & Trust, American Riviera Bank, Partnervest, Allison Armour, the Davies family, Scott Vance, Mark & Sharon Basham and Michael Lordan.
Viewers can access the performance through Hulu by searching “KEYT News Channel 3” in the Hulu search tab and the performance will appear at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The same can be accessed by searching “KEYT News Channel 3” on YouTube.
To learn more about the Grace Fisher Foundation, visit gracefisherfoundation.org.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
