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This weekend’s picks
San Francisco Renaissance Voices: Music Director Katherine McKee leads a free Christmas concert re-creating the Service of Lessons and Carols from Kings College, Oxford. 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, 1750 29th Ave., S.F. www.sfrvoices.org California Symphony: Music Director Donato Cabrera leads a holiday concert featuring “The Composer Is Dead” by Lemony Snicket and Nathaniel Stookey, with Manoel Felciano as soloist. 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. www.californiasymphony.org “Mittens and Mistletoe”: Sweet Can Productions’ winter circus cabaret, featuring aerialists, acrobats, jugglers, clowns and more, returns for an eighth year. Friday-Thursday, Dec. 22-28. Dance Mission Theater, S.F. www.brownpaper tickets.com/event/3101913 “Cinderella”: African-American Shakespeare Company offers a feminist take on the classic fairy tale, starring Paige Mayes and directed by Sherri Young. Friday-Sunday, Dec. 22-24. Herbst Theatre, S.F. www.african-americanshakes. org “Kung Pao Kosher Comedy”: Lisa Geduldig’s Jewish comedy showcase — on Christmas, in a Chinese restaurant — celebrates its silver anniversary. Geduldig hosts, with Cathy Ladman, Gary Gulman and Wendy Liebman headlining. Saturday-Monday, Dec. 23-25. New Asia Restaurant, S.F. www.koshercomedy.com “Unforgiven”: Clint Eastwood’s awardwinning 1992 Western. 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. The Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu “Throne of Blood”: Akira Kurosawa’s 1957 Samurai version of “Macbeth.” 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. The Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley. www.bampfa. berkeley.edu “Purple Rain”: The New Parkway is full of theme nights and retro specials, and this 10:30 p.m. screening of Prince’s “Purple Rain” checks both boxes. Watch the movie on the theater’s comfortable flexible seating. (Bean bag chairs are an option.) Friday, Dec. 22. New Parkway Theater, Oakland. www.thenewparkway.org “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: Randall Craig Fleischer conducts the San Francisco Symphony, with animated film and live performers. 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. $30-$80. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org Chanticleer: The men’s chorus presents its annual Christmas concert, featuring Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, carols and more. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. St. Ignatius Church, S.F. www.chanticleer.org Brian Setzer Orchestra: Led by the former frontman for the Stray Cats, the 19-piece outfit performs swing- and rockabilly-inspired takes on holiday standards plus a handful of originals from its Christmas albums, including the most recent, “Rockin’ Rudolph.” 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. The Warfield, S.F. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com