Christmas Eve is just around the corner! With this in mind, it is appropriate for some Santa photos from the 2015 Santa Breakfast on the blog. Although I have come across a few versions of the big guy, the one at Tysons Corner Center is the real deal! As well as being patient with all the work obligations, he continues to do an amazing job every year.
Santa Claus holding baby – Tysons Corner CenterThose Funny Little People and Fairfax County Police officers – Tysons Corner CenterThose Funny Little People perform at the Santa Breakfast – Tysons Corner CenterBuffet line at the Santa Breakfast – Tysons Corner Center Santa greets children – Tysons Corner Center2015 Santa Breakast at Tysons Corner CenterSanta and friends at Tysons Corner Center
Santa HQ
Arrival at the Santa HQ in Tysons Corner Center
In addition to the Santa Breakfast, there were many sightings of him around the mall this year. In order to open the Santa HQ, where is sat for may family portraits this holiday season, there was an opening ceremony for the set. When he opened the set, a band played, Tommy McFly from Fresh FM opened the set, and gifts were given out. Merry Christmas!
Santa Claus at Tysons Corner CenterHoliday pies and Santa Claus – Tysons Corner CenterTysons Corner Center Santa at LPQ cart in Tysons Corner Center
Last summer, a production of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan came to Tysons, Virginia. Tysons Corner Center sponsored the production by threesixty entertainment. Rather than a traditional theater, they built a big top tent! When the tent was almost completed, I photographed the flag raising. This was enticing the traffic around the tent that the show was almost ready to start!
flag above Tysons tent for threesixty Theaterflag raising in Tysons, VA
Ten tons of rigging created the temporary venue. Before it was opened to the general public, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chair, Sharon Bulova, introduced the production. Charlie Burnell, Founder of 360 Entertainment and Producer of the tour gave us a sneak peak of the setup. Surprisingly, they created at 1500 seat theater under the tent! In addition to a circular stage in the middle, a video screen above the stage would add to the visual elements of the play.
Flag Raising Ceremony
Sharon Bulova at the threesixty TheaterCharlie Burnell – threesixty Entertainmentinside the 360 theater – Tysons, VA
Tysons Corner Center
Due to their partnership with the production company, Tysons Corner Center displayed media for the show around the mall. In like fashion of their circular stage, some of their media was displayed this way.
Some of the actors made appearances during the Plaza concerts.
Peter Pan and Tinkerbell above the Plaza – Tysons, VACaptain Hook above the Plaza – Tysons, VA
Peter Pan – Opening Night
Finally, I was able to see some of the full production on opening night. Whereas the tent and the stage setup was impressive as a construct, the final set with the lighting and video projection was amazing! Surely they transported children in the audience out of suburban Virginia to the place and time of Peter Pan.
Nancy Kerrigan at the entrance to Tysons Corner Center
An Olympian Visits
Nancy Kerrigan will likely come to mind when you think of ice skating. She made the USA proud with her efforts on the Olympic teams in 1992 and 1994. For the first holiday season that Tysons Corner Center has their Plaza open to the public, they have a large ice rink installed. To open the rink for skating to the public, they had a show featuring some area ice skaters, and Nancy Kerrigan. What a way to open this exciting new installation!
Ice Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner Center
I was inside covering other events inside the mall as I posted
about previously. So I asked a photographer Nick Tettey from JB Elliott
Photography to help me get photos of the ice show. To see his photos of the
event, you can visit the Facebook page of Tysons Corner Center. I came outside
to catch the end of the show which gave me the opportunity to see Nancy skating
live. To see a professional that has practiced performing for large crowd for most
of her life is a gift. You can tell the muscle memory she has built to do such
complicated movements and to make them look effortless.
Ice Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner CenterIce Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner Center
Meet and Greet
After their show was done, Nancy and her skaters came inside to get some nice photos together. The stage set up in the Concourse was a much better setting for photos than the very dark and cold ice skating rink setup out on the Plaza. So I setup a large strobe as high as I could get it on a light stand. From here, it was very easy to get nice photos of the group together with Nancy.
Nancy Kerrigan Meet and Greet at Tysons Corner Center
She was very generous with her time. Lots of people wanted to come up to get some selfies with her, and she did so nicely with everyone that waited to see her.
At the end of the event, Nancy took a lot of time to meet with an older gentleman that came to ask her what the event was about. In explaining all of his buttons that he wore on his jacket and hats, he said that he used to be a pilot that used to fly Air Force One! Nancy humbly told him that she used to skate for the USA. I really enjoyed seeing her interaction with him and how she succinctly summarized her amazing career!
Nancy Kerrigan Meet and Greet at Tysons Corner Center
