Music highlights Wesley’s Winter Wonderland in South Fayette
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Samantha McDowell, left, and Sabrina Filipek perform as part of the Snow Phantoms band.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Katie Harrill serves as Wesley’s Creative Arts Program supervisor.
Kory Antonacci and Mike Clark sing "A Whole New World."
Aiden Marple takes a turn on drums.
Garrett Willner performs with the Snow Phantoms.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Clara Govachini sings for the Flying Sock Monkeys.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Dean Kelley sings for the Flying Sock Monkeys.
Wesley music therapist Arianna Bendlin introduces the day's performers.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Margot Jezerc, with imitation snow in her hair, leads guests in a holiday song during Wesley’s Winter Wonderland.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Wayne Hinterlang takes a turn on drums.
Tristen Anderson sings for the Flying Sock Monkeys.
Brittany Stone, left, and Kory Antonacci marvel at the pageantry provided by a bubble machine.
Vivian Rea performs with the Junior Rock Band.
Jason Smierciak and Tyler Weber perform with the Flying Sock Monkeys.
Garrett Willner performs with the Snow Phantoms.
Nicole Steele as Rajah
Walt Disney Pictures’ “Aladdin” is set in a place where winter weather never really applies.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Caithlin Kane plays guitar for the Flying Sock Monkeys.
But some familiar characters from the animated musical were welcomed guests for Wesley Family Services’ Winter Wonderland, the Dec. 16 holiday celebration held at the nonprofit support organization’s South Fayette Township location.
Volunteer Kory Antonacci returned for 2018 as Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah, after playing Mary Poppins during last year’s event. Other volunteers in “Aladdin” costumes included Justin Lesniak as Grand Vizier Jafar; Nicole Steele as Jasmine’s pet tiger, Rajah; and Brittany Stone as Iago, Jafar’s parrot assistant.
A highlight of the afternoon was Kory’s duet performance of Alan Menken’s “A Whole New World,” the hit song from “Aladdin,” with WTAE-TV anchor Mike Clark, with both displaying singing talents that delighted their audience.
The celebration also featured music by participants in Wesley’s Creative Arts Program, with three groups of musicians performing a variety holiday favorites: the Junior Rock Band, Snow Phantoms and Flying Sock Monkeys.
The program includes using the likes of music, art, drama and dance to help participants reach developmental goals, according to Katie Harrill, who has served as creative arts supervisor for 19 years. The program is conducted at Wesley’s Penn Hills and Marshall Township locations, along with South Fayette.
Wesley Family Services was formed in 2017 with the merger of Wesley Spectrum and Family Services of Western PA, with the goal of empowering children, adults and families by addressing needs in the areas of aging services, autism, behavioral health, justice and child welfare, education, foster care and adoption, and intellectual and developmental disabilities disorder.
Locations are in Allegheny, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Washington counties. The location at 90 W. Chestnut St., Suite 200EW, in Washington offers autism outpatient services, community residential rehabilitative services, adoption and post-permanency services, and outpatient programs addressing mental health, and drugs and alcohol.
For more information, visit wfspa.org.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Watching performances while dressed as “Aladdin” characters are, from left, Nicole Steele, Justin Lesniak and Kory Antonacci.