LeGrande Street will be filled with the sounds of singing, drama and dance this Christmas.

The interdenominational community choir will perform its biennial production on Thursday at Ebenezer Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. The theme of this year’s production is &uot;Emmanuel: God with us.&uot; According to Remigia Perkins, director of the choir, the show will tell the story of God’s presence with his people in the beginning of time, the current day and the future.

The two-hour long production is divided into three parts. The first part will depict the past and feature singing, dancing and narration.

The second part of the production is the only portion of the play with a dramatization. Perkins said the second act shows a woman dealing with her problems through alcohol, drugs and thoughts of suicide. However, after going to church she learns that God is helping her. &uot;He’s not just there during Scripture days,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;He wants to help us now.&uot;

The last part of the production will depict the book of Revelations.

Perkins said the production features eight songs and six dances. &uot;And all of them have been learned in three rehearsals,&uot; she added.

The 125-member group learned five songs on Saturday and the remaining three on Monday. The final rehearsal is scheduled for Christmas Eve, but Perkins noted she wanted everyone to wait until Christmas Day to see the production.

Perkins formed the choir in 1973 when she returned from school. She said the Holy Spirit led her to start a community choir for youth and serve Jesus Christ in their own way.

This is the first year the production will feature dancing and dramatization. In the past only singing was involved. &uot;It’s different this year,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;It’s a different message.&uot;

As far as the future is concerned, Perkins said she wasn’t sure what would happen. &uot;I’m going to be led by the Spirit,&uot; she said. &uot;It just appears in your heart, in your mind.

When it comes together, when it fits together, people cooperate and you know it’s God.&uot; Perkins said she wanted people to leave the production feeling blessed and knowing that God will never forsake them. The production is free to the public.