Montecito’s Mixsell Returns to Revel in the Revels

Back in 2017 when Susan Keller founded Santa Barbara Revels to make our city one of several in the nation to present annual Christmas-season traditional cross-cultural shows, she turned to fellow Montecitan Maggie Mixsell to serve as director. The acting coach, teacher, and director – whose credits include running the Speaking of Stories series for many years – helmed the December Revels shows for almost a decade before health challenges forced her to step down. 

Now, Mixsell has returned to the fold for Revels’ 18th annual production, one that represents both a full-circle moment and something entirely new for the series. 

“I believe in Revels, and I’ve always liked it, and now that Susan is wanting to transition out of the producing role, she asked me to come back and direct,” Mixsell explained. “She told me that she came in with me and she wanted to go out with me.”

Mixsell not only agreed, but met the moment in making it possible for Keller to conjure up one of the longstanding national Revels shows that had yet to be produced here in town: The Celestial Fools – A Magical Winter’s Tale. It’s a solstice fable of a traveling troupe of players from the Middle East called Sun-fool, Moon-fool and Star-fool who visit a mythical village somewhere in Europe. This is an arguably timely story of enlightenment wherein a meeting of the arts, culture, and philosophy of the blossoming Eastern world meets the rural folk world of early Renaissance life. 

“We knew that we could not present this tale without finding a Sun, Moon and Stars that authentically represent the arts and wisdom of the East,” Keller wrote in the program’s Artistic Director notes. “We are honored to have three master artists Tom Hinshaw, Ivy Vahanian, and Matthew Tavianini.”

Tavianini is an established Reveler both as performer and director, but it was Mixsell’s connection that enticed Hinshaw and Vahanian, longtime favorites in the Santa Barbara theater world, to join the Revels cast for the first time.

“Why not get the best for these principal roles,” Mixsell explained. “They are really bringing the story to life, working extremely hard to give this play a whole lot of personality.”

The three actors not only play the “wise fools” who bring sophistication, knowledge, and amusement into the village to entertain and educate the townsfolk, they also represent the celestial beings that bring light, an essential part of the story that, like most Christmas Revels productions, features an allegory about descending into darkness and re-emerging into the light, representing the winter solstice. The trio is also starring in the Mummers play that is included with every Christmas Revels production. 

This year, that play also reflects the seasonal theme that centers around coming back to life, Mixsell said. 

“It’s about moving from winter into spring rebirth, bringing back the light, and hope, and joy. It’s about righting the world and reestablishing the light.”

Longtime fans of Revels will be happy to hear that all of the traditional elements are part of this year’s performances. These include a bevy of singalongs that start early in the show as everyone in invited to join with the chorus for “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and the first act’s familiar conclusion with “The Lord of the Dance.” At that, the audience is invited to join the cast both in singing and dancing through the aisles and out onto the Lobero Promenade.

The Pacific Sword Company is back to perform the intricate Sword Dance, and the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance is also part of the show. 

There are also new elements, of course, including a challenging English country dance called “Step Stately Dance” that blends graceful movement with intricate figures, plus tales from cultures Eastern and European, including songs in Basque and a humorous parable about perspective based on a popular Jewish folktale known as “It Could Always Be Worse.”

“There are a lot of songs after the light is restored in the second half of the show,” Mixsell said. “A lot of uplifting and rousing numbers.” 

The Celestial Fools – A Magical Winter’s Tale also has one of the largest casts in local Revels history, totaling more than 100, including the singers, musicians (including a brass band), actors, youth members, and dancers, many of whom perform more than one role. 

As it turns out, several of them have been part of the company for years, including several who date back to the last time Mixsell served as director, she said. 

“It’s been great working side by side with Susan again,” she said, adding that the stage manager, producer and Keller’s administrative assistant are among her former students. “It’s been a little bit like old home week. It’s all very comfortable and lovely.” 

Which is exactly what Revels is all about. 

Santa Barbara Revels’ The Celestial Fools – A Magical Winter’s Tale will be performed

December 20-21 at 2:30 pm. Visit www.lobero.org/events/christmas-revels-2025