A Box of Chocolates: Holiday Sampler and Singalong returns to Bay Shore on Saturday, Dec. 20, bringing a new lineup of performers to the Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk (UUSSS) for the monthly concert series known for its mix of musical styles.
The show begins at 7 p.m. at 28 Brentwood Road, followed by an open mic.
Featured performers include Marissa Mulder, an award-winning singer and cabaret artist who has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, and Joe Ciardullo, a former restaurateur at C’est Cheese in Port Jefferson who has performed with the band Nine Days, known for the hit “Absolutely (The Story of a Girl).”
“The thing about A Box of Chocolates, which makes it unique, I would say is the namesake itself,” UUSSS Board Treasurer Swati Srivastava said. “Many venues play a particular genre. We are A Box of Chocolates because life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you get.”
Sweets are available at each show in keeping with the theme.
Srivastava started the monthly series almost three years ago.
“It was my idea,” she said. “I’m an artist, storyteller and filmmaker. This is my fellowship.” The series often involves scouting for new acts, including December’s performers, who were recommended by a friend.
She said the congregation at the time was experiencing declining membership, financial strain and low energy. A Box of Chocolates was intended to help “rejuvenate the community,” which she, of Hindu faith, considers her interfaith home.
“It's a service but it's also an evening where we have fun and music. It's going to be a surprise and fun every time,” she said.
The series welcomes a range of genres, from blues and rock to opera and dance, including styles commonly performed at Indian festivals. Srivastava said that while “folk music is very popular,” it is already widely available in local cafes and does not always draw younger audiences.
“We invite everybody. We wanted to make it an event of interest to all kinds of people,” she said.
The concert series takes place on the third Saturday of each month. In addition to well-known Long Island artists such as Toby Tobias and Nico Padden, it features emerging performers as part of its mission to support new talent.
There is no admission fee, and all are welcome. A suggested donation of $20 is requested.
“People donate what they can. We don’t turn away anybody,” she said. Students attend free and are encouraged to participate in the open mic. “Anybody can share a piece of art, a poem, song or story,” she said, within a five-minute limit.
According to their bios, Mulder was praised in The New York Times for an outstanding cabaret show and recently debuted in London. She is a three-time Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs award winner and has received the Julie Wilson and Noel Coward awards.
Ciardullo was known at C’est Cheese for hosting live music nights, including Joe and Friends, which featured regional artists.
For more on the December show, visit Facebook.