CHORALE PLANS MADRIGAL FEAST AS FUNDRAISER EVENT FEATURES SONG, FOOD.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - The Santa Clarita Master Chorale will present a re-creation of a 16th century royal banquet Saturday to raise money for future performances.

The Midwinter Madrigal Feast will feature the farcical enactment of ``Handel and Gretzky: A Tale of Two Kiddies,'' presented by an assortment of dancers, troubadours and the Beverly Hills Players.

The midwinter event is an opportunity for the community to show its support for fine arts in Santa Clarita, said Sherry Klahs, chief executive officer of the chorale's board of directors.

``For nearly seven years, the nonprofit Master Chorale has provided Santa Clarita with the finest in choral music,'' Klahs said.

The ticket price may seem steep at $100 per person, Klahs said, but the event is the chorale's main fundraiser for the year.

Madrigals originated in 16th century Italy and were performed by small groups of unaccompanied voices, usually singing themes of love or nature. English composers later adapted the form, and since then madrigals have been associated with feasting and holiday revelry.

The chorale will re-create the Renaissance feast in the great ``baronial hall'' also known as the Santa Clarita Activities Center. The bill of fare includes appetizers of chicken liver pate with calvados and hazelnuts, tomato and aged cheddar canapes, Old English spiced beef roast with assorted mustards, potatoes a la maitre d'hotel, roasted vegetables, and trifle, along with coffee, tea, and wine.

Banquet revelers will be greeted by the jester before the entertainment begins. The wacky masque du jour takes off in several comedic directions at once as a motley troupe of actors tries to imitate a cast of thousands.

To help pull this off, one character actually plays the parts of a father and a stepmother at the same time, wearing one costume in front and another on her back side. Each time the other character speaks, the actor turns around, so as the dialogue speeds up, so do her rotations.

The play, or masque, includes audience involvement, surprising sound effects and fast-paced dialogue, with singers performing authentic madrigals.

An opportunity drawing is also planned for the evening, with drawings for numerous gift baskets. The grand prize is a seven-day Holland America Cruise. Tickets for the drawing are $50 and just 150 will be sold.

The Midwinter Madrigal Feast will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the city Activities Center, 20800 Center Point Parkway, Santa Clarita.

Individual tickets are $100, or preferred tables for eight are available for $1,000.

Tickets may be purchased by telephone or mail order. Order forms are available on the chorale's Web site, www.scmasterchorale.org. For information, call the chorale office at [phone] or write to Santa Clarita Master Chorale, P.O. Box 800459, Santa Clarita, CA 91380-0459.