DASHING
TO THE SHOW
By
Devon Nespica
November
2007
It’s
officially the holiday season: coffee
shops are serving their signature seasonal
treats in festive paper cups; retail
stores with extended hours are illuminating
the streets with a florescent glow; and
my mom just bought our family tickets
to see A Christmas Carol this
December.
Every year I look forward to seeing the play with my mom and brother as part
of our family tradition. Going to the show has been our annual ritual for as
long as I can remember, and it always serves as a comforting reminder that
the holidays are finally here. After my family and I moved to California from
Missouri, it was difficult to recreate that winter-weather feel without all
of the snow and ice and other obvious signifiers that are normally associated
with the season. Luckily, that first year (and every year since), my mom has
fervently tracked down tickets for A Christmas Carol—infusing
me with childhood nostalgia and restoring my sense of security.
Whether intentionally or not, most families have some sort of ritual during
the holidays. And just as each family is unique, so is each family’s
tradition—for some, it means baking together in the kitchen; for others,
it includes taking a vacation or going on a family trip. But if you never picked
up grandma’s knack for cooking and the thought of traveling during the
busiest time of year makes you cringe, then seeing a show can be the perfect
alternative—no cooking or crowded airports required. And there’s
nothing like a holiday show to get you into the spirit of the season. Classic
performances such as the Nutcracker are as essential to recreating that festive
feel as fruitcake. It makes the holidays feel like the holidays, and reminds
us that we should be celebrating with our loved ones. The Central Coast has
plenty of spectacular venues and talented performers who eagerly await your
eyes and applause. For your convenience, I have compiled a list of holiday
shows appearing this season on the Central Coast. Check out these performances
and start your own family tradition.
HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES
(Check back for the 2008 performance times)
nov 16 – dec 30
Holiday
Extravaganza:
A Christmas Carol and Hansel and Gretel
Great American Melodrama
& Vaudeville, Oceano; (805) 489-2499,
www.americanmelodrama.com
dec 1
The Gingerbread Man’s
Christmas Adventure
Presented by Pinki’s Playhouse – Theatre for Children to See
Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
www.simi-arts.org
dec 3, 10, 11, & 17 – 23
A Bare
Naked Christmas
Presented by the California Cabaret Theatre
Avila Beach Golf Resort; (805) 489-4426
dec
14 – 16
The
Twelve Days of Christmas
Presented by Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo and American Dance of SLO
Pismo Beach Veteran’s Hall
www.americandanceslo.com
dec 14 – 23
It’s
a Wonderful Life
Presented by the Ojai Art Center Theatre
Ojai Center for the Arts
www.ojaiact.org
The Nutcracker:
dec 7 – 9
Monterey Peninsula Community
Theatre Company
Monterey Peninsula College Theatre Building
www.mpctheatreco.com
dec
8 – 9, 15 – 16
Allen Hancock College’s
Youth Dance
8 – 9: Santa Maria High School’s Ethel Pope Auditorium
15 – 16: Clark Center, Arroyo Grande
(805) 922-8313
dec 8 – 9
Civic Ballet Dancers
with special guest artist
Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo; (805) 544-4363|
dec 15 – 16
Santa Barbara Dance Alliance
Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara
(805) 963-0761
dec 15 – 16
Pacific Festival Ballet
Fred Kalvi Theatre for the
Performing Arts, Thousand Oaks
(818) 707-3267, (805) 449-ARTS,
www.californiadancetheatre.com
OTHER
GREAT SHOWS THIS SEASON
nov 8 – dec
23
The Sound of
Music
Presented by PCPA TheaterFest
Marian Theatre, Santa Maria
www.pcpa.org
nov 15 – dec 23
You Can’t
Take it With You
Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura
(805) 667-2900
nov 21 – dec 31
The Full Monty
Presented by Pacific Repertory Theatre
Golden Bough Theatre, Carmel
www.pacrep.org
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