Yuletide songs and features are the highlights when “Christmas Eve with Wayne Newton” is colorcast on NBC’s Kraft Music hall at 9 P.M. Wednesday.
Newton is host of a cast that includes more than 100 youngsters on the one-hour program that stars Jack Wild, 15-year-old actor-singer (of NBC-TV’s “H.R. Pufnstuf”); Julie Budd, 15-year-old vocalist; the Singing Angels, choir of 100 children from Cleveland; actor Christopher Hewett, and special guests, the Cowsills, the singing-instrumental family group.
The show opens with Newton singing “Christmas Journey.” The host introduces Charles Dickens (played by Hewett), who exchanges banter with Newton during the show as the guests are greeted. Miss Budd sings “My Favorite Things,” and with Newton, “Winter Wonderland.”
The Cowsills offer “Silver Bells” and “Jingle Bell Rock” and are followed by Wild in a production of “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band.”
Medley of Tunes
Newton, the Cowsills, Miss Budd and Wild take the stage for a medley of tunes from the movie musical “Oliver!” in which Wild starred as the Artful Dodger in the adaption of Dicken’s “Oliver Twist.” The songs include “Consider Yourself” sung by Newton, Wild and the Cowsills; “Who Will Buy,” Susan Cowsill and Miss Budd; “As Long As She Needs Me,” Newton; “I’d Do Anything,” Susan and Wild; “Pick a Pocket,” Wild and Cowsills; “Where Is Love,” Newton and Miss Budd, and a reprise of “Consider Yourself.”
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