Staff & Reader Submitted

Jingling Judy! Debbie Wileman Brings Her Beloved Christmas Concert to Mesa Arts Center

Robert Jenkins — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:29:10 Z

Valley audiences are in for a holiday treat as acclaimed singer and Judy Garland tribute artist Debbie Wileman brings her warm and nostalgic Christmas concert, Judy Garland We Need a Little Christmas, to the Mesa Arts Center on Friday, December 27. The Phoenix-area stop is part of Wilemans national holiday tour, produced by Scott Stander, which is spreading cheer across nine U.S. cities including San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Cheshire, Peoria, Toledo, Akron, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles.

For the Mesa performance, Wileman will be joined by special guest Hayden Schnepf, a celebrated Arizona-based vocalist known for her expressive delivery and versatile range. Schnepfs local connection and rising profile in the states music community make her an exciting addition to a show already brimming with heart, humor, and holiday magic.

Wileman has earned international acclaim for her extraordinary ability to channel the unmistakable voice and spirit of Judy Garland. Reviews have praised her for capturing Garlands emotional depth and vocal power while still bringing her own warmth and charm to the stage. We Need a Little Christmas blends musical nostalgia with engaging storytelling, inviting audiences into a festive world inspired by the golden age of Hollywood.

Ive loved Judy Garland all my life, Wileman says. When Im singing, I try to bring Judys essenceher style, her humor, her heartto life. But the talking in between? Thats me! So you get a little mix of Grand Rapids and London on stage.

Her emotional connection to both Garland and the holidays stems from childhood memories with her grandmother Joanna, who introduced her to Garlands music. We used to sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas together every year, she recalls. Creating this show feels like honoring two special ladies: my grandmother and Judy herself.

Wileman also weaves charming and often hilarious family stories between songs. She delights audiences with tales of her grandmothers famously disastrous holiday cooking, including the notorious Christmas Cassata and the unforgettable ice-skater lake cake, which hid a sunken center cleverly masked with bright blue icing. The cake had sunk in the oven, so she filled the hole with icing and called it a lake, Wileman laughs.

Musically, the concert features a mix of Garland classics, holiday favorites, and rare gems. One of the shows highlights is Wilemans rendition of After the Holidays, a poignant song Garland performed only once, during a 1968 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Judy never recorded that song in a studio, Wileman says. Performing it feels like a tribute to both her and its songwriter, John Meyer.

The tour arrives on the heels of Wilemans celebrated holiday album A Christmas Garland, arranged by Grammy Awardwinner Steve Orich of Jersey Boys. Recorded with a full orchestra at New Yorks Power Stationwhere albums by Broadway stars and icons like David Bowie were craftedthe album captures the lush musicality that audiences can expect from the live show.

For Wileman, We Need a Little Christmas embodies everything people crave during the season: Christmas is such a happy time. When you celebrate it by listening to Judys music, you can forget your troubles and just get happy.

Canyon State Gives Comfort and Joy to Sun City West

Ariel Herr — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:11:35 Z

PHOENIX (January 2025) Canyon State Service Experts gifted comfort and joy to Sun City West, donating and installing a Trane 4-ton 14 SEER HVAC unit to the community through the Sun City West Foundation. Canyon State manager Michael Gibson and his team have a long-running relationship with all of the Sun West communities, and had a last-minute opportunity to do some good for the holidays.

As Trane Comfort Specialists for Trane, we are given a few systems each year as part of their Do Whats Right program, and we had one left for 2024, said Gibson. We gave our friends at the Sun City West Foundation a call and found the perfect home for the unit all we needed was to handle the labor and get a crane for the job, and voila, we were able to literally give good tidings of comfort and joy for the season.

The resident-run Sun City West Foundation was established to promote and support charitable, educational, and service activities and organizations that serve Sun City West. Its programs support Helping Hands for those visiting their loved ones at Sun City West to borrow medical and childrens equipment and other various community services.

This unit from Canyon State went into Sun City West Foundation, and replaced one that was 10 years old. Its a tall order in the Phoenix heat to keep our residents comfortable, and were grateful for Canyon State for helping us do just that, said Patti Rowan, Executive Director of the Sun City West Foundation.

Canyon State also donated and installed an HVAC unit for Mayday Pit Bull Rescue earlier this year, a cause close to one of the team members hearts. The Service Experts center was originally started in 1989 by Robert Jaynes and continues to deliver superior service and quality products 36 years later with a local team of 30.

ABOUT SERVICE EXPERTS

Founded in 1996, Service Experts is a leading provider of HVAC repair, maintenance, new equipment sales and related services to residential and commercial customers in 31 U.S. states. Headquartered in Richardson, Texas, Service Experts is one of North America's largest heating and air conditioning service companies, with 85 locations serving approximately 2,500 homes and businesses, on average, each working day. HVAC services include: residential HVAC service, replacement and leasing through the Service Experts Advantage Program. For more information on Service Experts sales, rebates, products and services, visit ServiceExperts.com.

Best Dental Care in Scottsdale

Olga Dolghier — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 10:00:00 Z

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