Tinselcolor: Holiday Soundtracks Live at CineVita is the Perfect Start to the Holiday Season

Have you ever heard of a Belgian speigeltent? I hadn't prior to heading to CineVita's Tinselcolor: Holiday Soundtracks Live show, and now it's the only way I want to watch live performances for the foreseeable future.

Tucked away on the fancy side of SoFi Stadium (IYKYK), looking out on the small pond and dutifully ignoring the giant construction site and and four-story parking garage next to it is CineVita's current home at Hollywood Park. Ticket holders will need to prepare to get a little dust on their winter boots, as you'll walk down a small dirt road to get to the venue, but it's all glitz and glamor on the other side. Once you walk down the red carpet to check in, you enter the bar area. The large welcome area is decorated in its holiday best, but the real spectacle sits within the tent itself.

You see, "spiegeltent" is a Dutch word translating directly to "mirror tent."

Mirrors encircle the entire venue, which features dual-level seating as well as cabaret-style table seating in the center. I thought nothing of the mirrors or the shape of the venue at first, but to say that they elevate the experience exponentially almost feels like an understatement. The circular room in conjunction with all the mirrors don't just change the way you view the experience itself, they give you a window into how everyone else in the room is viewing the show as well. And listen, if you need an ounce of faith in humanity restored, look no further than sitting in a room with hundreds of other people all experiencing the delight of Christmas magic, OK?

The show itself really was a joy. On a reductive level, it's basically your every day holiday variety show featuring songs from your favorite Christmas films throughout the ages. However, CineVita's group of performers really did bring something special to the experience. It might sound odd but, as a theatre kid, I find the moments where things go wrong just as interesting as when someone does something remarkably talented on stage.

Given that we saw Tinselcolor on opening night, there were plenty of SNAFUs to be had. However, what matters is that everyone from MC Joey McIntyre (yes, as in New Kids on the Block's Joey McIntyre) from the young Brayden Gleave handled those moments with grace and, much more importantly, humor. If you told me the hardest I'd have laughed in December would be after watching a train prop for a Polar Express number break down mid sentimental follow-up song I would have told you... well I probably would have told you that was oddly specific rather than not believing you. Still! Making your audience laugh amidst what would be a disaster for a weaker troupe is incredibly important and ultimately ends up elevating the experience rather than detracting from it.

If there was one pitfall to the opening show, there are still some kinks being worked out on the audio side. Mic levels were all over the place and sometimes they weren't on at all, but otherwise the strong group of performers carried everything through. The above Brian Justin Crum was a standout, but Dionne Gipson and Cheyenne Isabelle Wells' vocal talents were nothing to sneeze at.

The song selection spanned decades, featuring everything from It's A Wonderful Life to Frozen. Though the song of the night might have just been a jazz rendition of "What's This?" from A Nightmare Before Christmas. The 8-piece orchestra delivered with ease, whether they were accompaniment or taking the figurative center stage.

The production coup de grâce for the holiday spectacle was the lighting and effects used throughout the show. I might be on the more cynical side, but the key to melting my cranky old heart is to make it snow in a place where there should not be snow. Call me as basic as you like, it's freakin' magical.

If that's not enough to get you out to the tent, perhaps you'll be enticed by the chance of seeing your favor celebrity on the floor. Plenty made their way out for Tinselcolor's debut show, but my favorite was seeing Stephen Amell, his wife Cassandra Jean and David Paul Ramsey sharing a table at the event. All my Arrowverse babies know. (No, I didn't take a photo. That would be gauche. You'll just have to use your imagination.)

CineVita introduced me to what might ultimately end up as my favorite style of venue with their Tinselcolor show, and I can't think of a better way to have started my December. If you're looking to pack your month with holiday cheer, be sure you're including this show on your list. They play throughout the month and, most importantly, have tickets for all price ranges.