The Smoot Theatre Vocal Ensembles will present its final concert of the year at 3 p.m. Sunday at The Smoot Theatre in downtown Parkersburg. The concert is free, but donations will be accepted. (File photo)

The Smoot Theatre Vocal Ensembles will present its final concert of the year at 3 p.m. Sunday Sunday at The Smoot Theatre, 213 Fifth St.

The show is free, but donations will be accepted.

As the nation and community begin to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, the Smoot Theatre will stage its first of the “American Made” events as its Youth Vocal Ensembles are spotlighted in an afternoon of American music. The audience will be treated to a wide variety of music including folk songs, familiar patriotic songs and an emotional rendition of “The American Creed.”

The audience will be asked to join the young singers as the program concludes with Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”

The choral groups are the Smoot Theatre Children’s Chorus, now in its 16th year, the Smoot Theatre Boys Ensemble, now in its 14th year, and the Smoot Theatre Girls Ensemble, now in its 11th year.

The Children’s Chorus will begin the concert with “Sing, Sing!” by Sally Albrecht, followed by “A Mozart Canon,” featuring flutist Melissa Herceg, continuing with the Swahili “Yesu Ni Wangu,” which will feature solos by Rose Casto, Katie Henrichsen, Ashtyn Newbery and Layne Rem. Next will be the American folk song “The Water is Wide” arranged by Rollo Dilworth, “Heave Away Me Jollies”, a Newfoundland sea shanty featuring violinist Anita Henrichsen and a vocal quartet Aayla Elliott, Jules Rodet, Laurel Ware and Lillian Westbrook.

Following will be the American classic “Bye Bye Blackbird,” written in 1926, the same year the Smoot Theatre was built, which will feature dancer Jules Rodet and scat singer Katie Henrichsen. Closing the Children’s Chorus portion of the concert will be the American folk song “I Bought Me a Cat.”

The Girls Ensemble will present “There is Sweet Music Here” based on a poem by Tennyson and featuring soloist Riley Ball. They will continue with the Welsh Folk Song “The Ash Grove” and the Irish folk song “Danny Boy.” The two selections will be followed by “Count the Stars,” with soloists Riley Ball and Maggie Ice.

Finishing its portion of the show will be the traditional spiritual “Shine on Me,” arranged by Rollo Dilworth.

The Smoot Theatre Boys will present its All-American selections beginning with “The American Creed”, with words written in 1917, narrated by Grant Henrichsen, then will continue with the Appalachian folk song, “Cedar Swamp.” Next will be the classic barbershop arrangement of “Down Our Way” performed by the Fifth Street Boys with Landon Collins as soloist.

The American selections will continue with “My Land” by Lon Berry, based on a poem written in 1844, then will continue with two modern classics “Sweet Caroline” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”

The boys portion of the program will end with “Glory Hallelujah,” “The Saints Go Marchin’ In” and “This Joint is Jumpin’.”

The concert will conclude with the traditional Vocal Ensembles closing “This Is Why We Sing” and, especially for this occasion, Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America”.

Director of the Children’s Chorus is Barbara Full and accompanist is Marsha Parsons. The Girls Ensemble is directed by Cathy Martin with accompanist Marie Mallory. Director of the Boys Ensemble is Janet Blessing and director of the Fifth Street Boys is Smoot Theatre Artistic Director Felice Jorgeson.