As favorite holiday songs festively played, Los Angeles Fire Department Ladder 88 pulled up and parked in the driveway at the intersection of Webb Way and Pacific Coast Highway on the morning of Nov. 29.
Curious onlookers who were driving by and those who gathered for the event cheered on Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Cole Kahle, LAFD Engineer Matt Ricard and Firefighter Paramedic Tony Castaneda as they took a ladder from the fire truck, climbed up the ladder, and carefully positioned a large star on the roof of the Malibu Community Nativity Scene.
Let there be light! Soon, the star’s luminous glow hovered above the gorgeously carved creche statues, beckoning everyone to visit the Nativity, which will be on display through the Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2025.
“The Malibu Community Nativity is a Malibu legacy — it’s one of the longest local holiday traditions,” said Christine Carter Conway, who has undertaken the Herculean task of coordinating the nativity’s installation this year. “My father, Judge John J. Merrick, was instrumental in the effort to keep Christ in Malibu’s Christmas season.”
Brian Merrick said, referring to the effort to have a Nativity in Malibu. “For my entire life, the Nativity has been part of Malibu’s holiday traditions — it’s one of the oldest traditions in Malibu as is the Point Dume Sleigh Parade on Christmas Eve.”
Conway noted that the community once again benefits from having the Nativity this holiday season because of the tireless work of volunteers, including Marie Foti, who is coordinating the talent for the Nativity’s four community gatherings, the first of which was held Dec. 1. The three remaining ones start at 4 p.m. on Dec. 8, 15 and 22.
Conway also extended warm appreciation to Carlos Rosales, Brian Merrick, Damon Geisler, Fred Brostowicz, and Charlie Stieglen, who helps to transport the Nativity and the fragile statues, and Brandon Holland, whom Conway characterized as the “sound savior” for the Nativity’s amplification system. Scott’s Malibu Market also kindly donated breakfast so the volunteers had energy to take care of all the installation details, Conway noted with gratitude.
“It’s cool to help with the Nativity,” Rickard commented. “Now we can see it for the entire holiday season.” Indeed, for many assembled at the Nativity, the holiday season wouldn’t be the same without the Nativity.
A storied history
Local history instructs that Malibu’s Nativity has been erected near Pacific Coast Highway and Webb Way for 73 years during the Advent Season. The Nativity was carefully designed by Goffredo Moroder, an Italian artist from Ortesei, a tiny Tyrolean village at the foot of the Alps in Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Italy.
Moroder painstakingly carved all of the beautiful figures — each piece carved from a solid block of larchwood, a species of pine native to Ortesei. Using clay models as guides, the artists under Moroder’s watchful eye inscribed images on wood, then roughed them out and placed the unfinished pieces in an oven to be cured. The carvings were finished with smaller, delicate tools and the figures were colored by hand-rubbing a mixture of linseed oil and special pigments into them, thereby creating the figures for the nativity scene.
Music, inspiration and special guests
“Come share in the joy as various groups sponsor gatherings!” Conway stated warmly.
The line up of talent is very impressive. The schedule is still being finalized, but Foti gave The Malibu Times a sneak peakat some of those who will share holiday joy at communal gatherings and holiday sing-alongs. Performing musicians include pianist Joe Rozum, who frequently delights patrons at local Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Restaurant with his jazz band; Malibu guitarist John Zambetti and a couple of his friends; bassist Chris Haller, a well-known jazz musician from Santa Monica who performs on his seven-string bass guitar; and drummer Cheryl Bullock.
Our Lady of Malibu’s choir and OLM School’s choir directed by Gina Longo, will entertain attendees on Dec. 15. Appearances by Cantors Laura DeMieri Fercano and Raymond Hall and John Silva, a Pepperdine senior in the university’s music and voice program are also planned.
Foti also shared that special guests include Joe Cortese (“Green Book”), who is traveling around the world and winning accolades for his new starring role in “Here’s Yanni,” which he produced. Foti elaborated about Cortese, noting that, “In 2025, he will star in ‘Death of a Salesman,’ at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.”
Deborah Rennard, an actress, singer and producer known for appearing in “Dallas,” and Al Sapienza (“The Sopranos”), who performed with Kelsey Grammer at the 911 National Guard Memorial Black Tie event at the Freedom Tower and opened for The 5th Dimension this summer will also make Nativity appearances.
Rennard and Sapienza travel around the world performing their show, “The Soundtrack of Our Lives.” Their performances also include Sapienza starring in “Beatlemania” on Broadway and Rennard’s upcoming performances in her original play, “More,” slated to open at the Ruskin Theater In Santa Monica in February 2025.
Actress and singer Rebecca Holden (“Knight Rider”), who is renowned for her roles on TV shows in syndication around the world and her singing performances for Memorial Day services and event hosting, will also join in the celebrations at the Nativity. Foti noted that Holden recently won a Film Festival Best Actress Award for “Once Was a Hero” and is recording an album with Terrell Edwards, with a release scheduled in 2025, when they begin their “Make a Difference” tour.
Clergy who will participate in the Nativity’s holiday sing-alongs and services include Monsignor Charles Chaffman, pastor of OLM, and the church’s former pastor, and Father Bill Kerze. Also overseeing some festivities will be Father Tom Gibbons of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, who is also the vice president of Paulist Productions and wrote and directed the Emmy-nominated “Hollywood Priest: The Story of Father Bud Kieser.”
Although all the details of when all of those talented people appear will be announced soon, one thing is for sure: Local favorite Zambetti will be performing on Dec. 22.
“It’s a community sing-along!” Zambetti proclaime. “I and a few friends will be playing guitar and leading singing of Christmas carols and Father Larry Gosselin of Serra Retreat will do some readings in between the songs.”
As many Malibuites succumb to the frenetic holiday season, they can rest assured that the Nativity is there — as it has been for 73 years — to provide solace from the hectic pace and provide all with a chance to quietly reflect.
The historical sources state the purpose for the Nativity best: “Locals, tourists and travelers can receive peace and joy as they pass by or stop to sing, pray or meditate during the Christmas season.”