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Guest host Mark Mazrimas sits down with Mike Balsamo — the voice and spirit behind Christmas at the Tivoli — to talk about the magic of this long-running holiday tradition in Downers Grove. As the host and leader of the annual sing-along, Mike shares stories about the mighty Wurlitzer organ, the festive audiences who travel from ALL OVER CHICAGO to attend, and what keeps this event so special year after year.

This season’s lineup includes timeless favorites like White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, and The Polar Express — each bringing holiday cheer to the beautifully restored Tivoli Theatre. From laughter to music to community connection, it’s a heartwarming look at what makes a Classic Cinemas Christmas truly one of a kind.

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Mike kicks things off with Classic Cinemas’ own Mark Mazrimas to talk Predator: Badlands and the legacy of sci-fi’s deadliest hunters. Then, vintage monster expert Mike Balsamo joins the conversation to trace the origins and evolution of cinema’s greatest “creature” monsters — from Dracula and Frankenstein to Godzilla’s thunderous reign and King Kong’s stop-motion wonder. Together, they journey through decades of monster movie magic — from Alien to The Thing — exploring that indescribable fear (and thrill) that still lurks just beyond the theatre door.

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Filling in for Mike, Mark Mazrimas welcomes Classic Cinemas CEO/CPE Chris Johnson for a lively conversation about Springsteen: Deliver Me to Nowhere and the decades of music biopics that paved the way. From the lip-syncing legends of the ’80s to today’s actors who master the vocals and guitar riffs of their heroes, the music biopic has become a powerful way to rediscover the artists who shaped generations. Whether it’s Springsteen, Queen, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, or Bob Dylan, these films keep the music—and the mystique—alive for new audiences.