The Christmas Song comes to Marinette

MARINETTE – The Marinette Community REC Center will present “For Kids From 1 to 92,” a celebration of holiday cheer presented by the 13-piece band STEEM, on Friday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.

The show will feature Steve March-Tormé, son of Mel Tormé, the songwriter of the iconic “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).”
Vic Ferrari’s Michael Bailey, who performs vocals as well as bass, saxophone and trombone, created STEEM with March-Tormé.

“The band performs everything from songs with lyrics like “The Christmas Song” and “Run Run Rudolph” all the way to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra,” Katzbeck said.

“It’s a very eclectic and wide range of holiday songs that are intertwined with Steve telling stories about his father and the writing of ‘The Christmas Song,’” he added.

Some other holiday classics that will be performed include “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Little Drummer Boy.” STEEM will also perform a Steve March- Tormé original, “I Remember Christmastime,” written in 2021.

“What [March-Tormé] does in between songs is explain the genesis of how the song was written, the interactions between him and other movie stars like Judy Garland, who helped make ‘The Christmas Song’ famous,” Katzbeck said.
This is the third year the City of Marinette is hosting STEEM’s Christmas concert.

Katzbeck said he has been looking into a variety of different larger talents to bring to the city.

“I met a gentleman by the name of Tom Worth, who owns an entertainment company called Worth Entertainment, and he hooked me up with Michael Bailey. From there, Michael and I hammered out the details,” Katzbeck said.

According to Katzbeck, the average turnout for this concert is 400-600 people.

“For Kids from 1 to 92” is sponsored by several different businesses, including Johnson Controls.

“The Community REC Center is very community-minded,” Katzbeck said. “Johnson Controls will be collecting backpacks for kids and healthy food at the back of the event to create care packages.”

This will be the second year where local businesses have pitched in so entire tables can be sold as a unit, according to Katzbeck.

“This is the second year some local businesses have helped us so that we can sell tables (in addition to individual seats). The tables will have a cheese and sausage platter provided by Joe’s Cheese House, a cookie platter and chips with salsa. In the back area, there will be free samples handed out by Little Nut Food & Spirits Golf Course out of Wallace.”

The tables are $500 each and seat eight people.

Katzbeck said there aren’t any more sponsorship opportunities available for this year’s concert, but he is open to speaking with any interested businesses

regarding next year’s performance.
The event is free for kids under 11, and Katzbeck said the kids of Marinette love the concert.

“I started bringing my grandkids three years ago, when they were about three or four years old, and they were dancing and jumping around because the show is so electric. Young kids love it, and old kids up to 92 reminisce about the songs so it’s a really unique, cool mixture.”

Tickets for children 12 and up are $15.50, adults are $29.50, and seniors are $25.50.

Katzbeck estimates seniors are the biggest demographic in attendance each year.

“We probably get more seniors than anybody else,” he said.

While the event isn’t technically a dance or sing-a-long, Katzbeck said that doesn’t stop attendees from participating in the music.

“The dance floor is the floor under your feet, and everyone knows the songs so well they sing along.”

For more information, contact the Community REC Center at (715) 732-2006 or the Marinette Visitor Center at (715) 732-4333.