Jingle 6 feet away
Metro Phoenix holiday shows will look rather different this year
On some levels, yes, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. ● Just not any Christmas we’ve experienced in this lifetime with many families facing tough decisions about how to navigate holiday gatherings at a safe social distance due to COVID-19. ● That extends, of course, to larger, more public, holiday events, most of which have either canceled or had to adapt to follow health and safety guidelines in the face of a global pandemic. ● For example, Dave Koz & Friends’ annual Christmas show has morphed into a virtual event, for which you can purchase tickets via Mesa Arts Center and enjoy at home.
Meanwhile, Chandler Center for the Arts has a holiday concert as part of a socially distanced outdoor series called Under The Stars – CCA at the Chandler Museum. But the capacity for the event is limited to 50 so it sold out quickly.
Here’s a look at a handful of holiday highlights you can still experience in person, for now at least, in the Valley.
‘A Christmas Carol’
There are a new outdoor stage and new shows at the Herberger Theater in downtown Phoenix.
Longtime Valley actresses, Katie McFadzen, brings to life Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol,” a one-woman show presented by Tempe theater Childsplay.
Details: 7 p.m. Nov. 28-Dec. 23. Herberger Theater, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. $32.00 – $39.50. 602-252-8497, herbergertheater.org/
‘Unwrapped’
On a new outdoor stage, The Phoenix Theatre Company presents “UNWRAPPED: An Original Christmas Revue.”
The show puts a rock ‘n’ roll twist on contemporary holiday hits like NSYNC’s “Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays,” Pentatonix’s Winter “Wonderland/ Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and original arrangements of other holiday favorites. Performances include artists Alyssa Chiarello, Walter Belcher, Sam Primack, Alexandra Ncube and more.
Details: Times vary. Dec. 2-23. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $59. 602-254-2151, phoenixtheatre.com.
’Nochebuena’
Coming live from Los Angeles, and for the first time in Arizona, are two socially distanced performances of “Nochebuena” from dance group Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar at The Vista Center for the Arts in Surprise.
Through song and dance, “NocheBuena” (Christmas Eve) showcases some of the many holiday traditions that people in Mexico celebrate.
BFLA has worked on stage with Grammy Award winners Lila Downs, Pepe Aguilar, Mariachi Divas and Mariachi Camperos. Most recently, BFLA was part of the new Disney live production of “Coco.”
Mariachi Garibaldi was founded by Jaime Cuéllar, and is an ensemble of 812 mariachi musicians led by his son, three-time Grammy award winner Jimmy K. Cuéllar.
Details: Times vary. Saturday, Dec. 5. The Vista Center for the Arts, 15660 N. Parkview Place, Surprise. $20-$40. 623-523-888, thevistaaz.com.
Small Works Art Show
Scottsdale’s Legacy Gallery will host its annual Small Works show featuring the exhibition “Life with Santa” by Tom Browning. Browning has been painting Santa Claus portraits for 30 years and 15 of his new pieces will be on display.
An in-person Santa will be available for photos during Browning’s artist reception. The art show runs Dec. 10-31.
Details: 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. Legacy Gallery, 7178 E. Main St., Scottsdale. Free. 480-945-1113, legacygallery.com.
How the Sugar Thieves Stole Christmas
These
local
roots
revivalists
will
bring their soulful sensibilities to an evening of holiday favorites in a familyfriendly performance.
Together since 2006, the Sugar Thieves have those years incorporating elements of country, blues, folk, gospel, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz into their own distinctive brand of American roots music, touring extensively throughout the U.S., Mexico and Europe.
This show can be experienced in person in the socially distanced Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (while tickets last) or via livestream.
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. $15-$30 in person or livestream. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
A We3 Christmas
Renee Patrick, Suzanne Lansford, and Nicole Pesce will salute the season with an evening of seasonal jazz, swing and blues standards.
Guests aged 2 and up will be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth. Complimentary masks will be available at entry.
Guests will be assigned seats to provide a six-foot distance from other par
ties. Tickets purchased under the same order will be seated together.
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $39.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.
Holiday Music featuring Phoenix Brass Collective
This is part of a Classical Lounge series curated by MusicaNova to showcase the talent of Arizona classical musicians in a casual, informal setting.
Phoenix Brass Collective (PBC) is a local, nonprofit symphonic brass ensemble.
This show can be experienced in person in the socially distanced Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (while tickets last) or via livestream.
Details: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13. Scottsdale Center for the Performing
Arts. $24-$28
480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
in person; $24
‘A Holly, Jolly Christmas’
virtual.
Fountain Hills Theater has an outdoor stage and space heaters at the ready for a holiday musical and a new way to visit with Santa.
Kristen Drathman and a musical ensemble will sing some holiday classics during “A Holly, Jolly Christmas: A Holiday Revue.” The 90-minute show features over 30 holiday songs including “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Santa Baby” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
Also showing at the Theater is “’Twas the Night Before…The Santa Experience,” an interactive indoor production. Guests in small groups will be escorted to the theater for a reading of the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Katie Moore.
After the reading, there will be a live broadcast with Santa on the theater’s projection screen. The show takes place 4-6 p.m. on Dec. 5-7, 12-13, 19-20. Tickets are $6.
Details: 7 p.m. Dec. 19. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. $18-$35. 480-837-9661, fhtaz.org.
‘A Merry-Achi Christmas’
Mariachi maestro José Hernández and his Mariachi Sol de México, 2018 Latin Grammy nominees for Best Mariachi Album, are staging a holiday tour in continued support of “A Merry-Achi Christmas.” The album includes their version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, played mariachi-style, “Hallelujah Chorus,” “Silver Bells” and more.
This show can be experienced in person in the socially distanced Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (while tickets last) or via livestream.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. $39-$59 in person; $35-$55 virtual. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
This four-night-stand with New Year’s in the middle may be getting here late in the season. But photos on the venue’s website shows Brickman seated in front of a Christmas tree.
Brickman’s signature style of easylistening piano pop has earned him two Grammy Awards, four Gold albums and 30 hits on the adult contemporary charts, most recently “Christmas Where You Are” with Five for Fighting on vocals. He once held the top three spots on Billboard’s new age chart at one time.
Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30Saturday, Jan. 2. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $39.50. 480-4786000, mim.org.