Christmas in the Key of A with Alisabeth Von Presley returns to the Paramount

It's hard to believe that Alisabeth Von Presley is a millennial. The throwback of an entertainer loves old school variety shows, hair metal and fun films that predate her existence.

"I'm an old soul who was raised on Carol Burnett," Von Presley said.

That's evident at the annual variety Christmas shows Von Presley presents at the Paramount Theatre. Quirky sketches and original songs are on tap when Von Presley delivers "Christmas in the Key of A" Friday, Dec. 12, at the Paramount.

The fifth annual event is a family friendly show comprised of eclectic entertainment. It's part musical/part comedy, but it's an all holiday concert, which often shines a spotlight on the iconic.

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One of the highlights will be a look back at the beloved holiday film and John Hughes blockbuster "Home Alone." Von Presley tips her cap to the acclaimed performances by venerable "Home Alone" actors Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci, who portray a pair of inept burglars. The cartoonish thieves try to exact revenge on a wily pre-pubescent, played perfectly by Macauley Culkin who is always two steps ahead of the kooky criminals, known as "The Wet Bandits."

"I love that part of the film," Von Presley said. "So I'm doing a 'Wet Bandits' tap dance number. I also have a Scrooge scene with music executives. There will be backup dancers that are past, present and future. I'm in all of those (segments)."

A four-piece band will back the dynamic Von Presley, who dyed her hair pink for her "Pink Christmas."

"It's going to be a fun show," Von Presley. "It's always a blast. I love going back to another era with 'Home Alone' and '(National Lampoon's) Christmas Vacation.' It reminds me of how I grew up during the holidays. Everyone in our family was always so busy during the year, but we took time during the holidays to spend a lot of time together."

Von Presley grew up in Marion but left in pursuit of a Broadway career in New York. After also spending time in Chicago and Memphis, Von Presley moved to Cedar Rapids for her family.

"My grandma got really sick, so I came back home," Von Presley said. "At that time I had a manager who said, 'Why don't you play yourself?' and that had a massive impact on me. So I started writing scripts and plays, and that is what I need to do."

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Von Presley, who has the energy and spirit of a “Saturday Night Live” cast member, recently crafted nine original Christmas songs, which will be featured in "Christmas in the Key of A."

"I'm so excited about performing those songs and everything else at the Paramount," Von Presley said. "It's an honor to play a venue like the Paramount since it's the crown jewel of the city. I just love that theater. I remember doing dance recitals at the Paramount when I was 6 years old. I dreamed of one day performing on that stage, and that dream has become a reality."

Entertaining is the dream that has become a reality for Von Presley. Despite being born years after the prime of Van Halen and Joan Jett, Von Presley is a huge fan of both recording artists, who became icons during the '80s.

"I always loved what came out of the '80s," Von Presley said. "I love the shredding guitar. Van Halen was amazing. I saw them three times. It was so cool seeing them with (vocalist) David (Lee Roth) and (vocalist-guitarist) Sammy (Hagar)."

While opening for the '80s tribute act Hairball at Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in 2018, Von Presley impressed by covering Van Halen's "Eruption," an instrumental that changed the sonic lexicon.

"But the thing is that I played ‘Eruption' on the keytar, which the guys in Hairball loved," Von Presley said.

Von Presley is in Cedar Rapids for the long haul since she owns a photography studio, TINT, and is the director/choreographer for show choir at Kennedy High School and show choir director at Franklin Middle School and Grant Wood Elementary.

"I love it here," Von Presley said. "It's a great place to be. I get to do so much here. I couldn't be happier."

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Part of the reason Von Presley is over the moon is due to the her 4-month-old daughter, Lyric, which is a perfect name for a child whose mother is all about words.

"I've always said that if I had a baby girl I would name her Lyric," Von Presley said.

It makes sense since the entertainer, who has been a theater girl ever since she can remember, has been writing lyrics for most of her life.

"I love coming up with words in songs," Von Presley said. "And now I have a daughter, who has become a complete game changer. I get to be a mother and put on shows like ‘Christmas in the Key of A.' I have no complaints."