It seems to be destiny for Glenda Thornhill to sing in “The Forgotten Carols” Broadway show on Thursday in Brookhaven.

     Thornhill was driving through downtown Brookhaven in mid-November when she saw a “Book Sale” sign outside of the library. She decided to stop and visit the Friends of the Library book sale.

     Looking through the books, she found a beautiful Christmas book with a bright red leather cover and gold lettering she thought would look nice on a coffee table: “The Forgotten Carols.”

     Little did she know, that book would have great significance.

     “I was gonna give it as a gift, but I read the story and can’t give it away,” said Thornhill.

     She was enthralled by the moving story about a nurse with a Scrooge attitude who is hired to take care of an elderly man during the holiday season. The man’s depictions of forgotten characters of the Christmas story eventually lead the nurse to a change of heart.

     “The story is absolutely beautiful,” she said.

     After reading the book, the following Sunday, Thornhill saw an interesting story in The DAILY LEADER.

     Much to her surprise, “The Forgotten Carols” would be performed in Brookhaven as a Broadway show. Organizers were asking for locals to join the choir that would be accompanying the Broadway actors and actresses.

     “I just said ‘OK, Lord, I think you want me to sing in that musical,'” she said.

     She hurried over to the Chamber of Commerce and asked to be a part of the musical.

     “If the story touched me like it did, what’s the musical gonna do?” she thought.

     She is now a member of the choir, which consists of about 50 local singers who are enjoying rehearsals.

     Thornhill was surprised and delighted to see a friend when entering the church for the first choir practice.

     She and her friend are a part of the Lincoln Chorale. Thornill is also a member of the Fair River Baptist Church choir.

     She is married to Bobby Thornhill and they have two sons and three grandchildren.

     Thornhill expressed excitement about a Broadway show coming to Brookhaven.

     “The fact that we’ve got Broadway stars coming to Brookhaven, I can’t wait to hear them,” she said.

     The show has toured the West Coast for several years and last year began to tour the Southeast.

     The Brookhaven production is 7 p.m. Thursday at Easthaven Baptist Church. All proceeds will go to Mississippi Scholars.

     “The gist of it is everybody has a song in their heart, but you need Jesus to express it,” said Thornhill.