"Amahl and the Night Visitors," the Christmas opera by Gian Carlo Menotti, will be performed Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m. at Coastal Carolina University's Wheelwright Auditorium. These three performances are open to the public; a special Thursday, Nov. 20, performance will be held for area school children.

The one-act opera tells the story of how a crippled shepherd boy's life is changed forever when he sees an amazing star "as big as a window." Amahl and his mother are visited by three kings from the East, who are following the same star in search of a "wondrous child." The encounter is a timeless and inspiring message of how faith, charity, love and good deeds can work miracles.

Principle cast members are Chandler Parnell and Naomi Schulman as Amahl; Molly Fay and Whitney Daniels as Mother; Garrett McCann, Justin Hall, Joseph Comes, Nicholas Bone, and Daniel Pippert as the Kings; and Nathan Smith as the Page.

The ensemble cast includes Ashley Canter, Margaret Casella, Juli Clark, Kathryn Gaffney, Valerie McDougal, Phillip Rast, Skyler Whitfield, Carmen Williams and Caitlin Yarosz.

CCU theatre professor Steve Earnest is the stage director for this production, and Timothy Koch, voice faculty, is music director. Jeffrey Jones, assistant professor of music, is producer. Dan Francis is rehearsal pianist.

General admission is $15; senior citizens, CCU alumni, teens, CCU and HGTC faculty and staff, $10; and $5 for CCU and HGTC students and children. To reserve a ticket, call the Wheelwright Box Office at 843-349-ARTS (2787) or go to ticketreturn.com.

Wheelwright Auditorium is located at 108 Spadoni Park Circle at Coastal Carolina University in Conway.