MARK AUERBACH
‘Tis The Season…Holiday Fare
There’s an abundance of holiday fare on tap at area theatres and concert halls. Whether you’re looking for something traditional or something off-the-wall, here are some recommendations to make the season bright.
Traditional Fare
***A Christmas Carol. There are two flawless staged productions of the Charles Dickens’ holiday classic. When Eric Hill was Artistic Director of Springfield’s StageWest, he adapted and directed a production of “A Christmas Carol” that became a Springfield holiday tradition. When StageWest folded, Hill took his production to the Berkshire Theatre Group, who presents it annually as a Berkshires holiday tradition. Hill’s version will be performed at Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre on December 14-22. For tickets: 413-997-4444 or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. Michael Wilson, the former Artistic Director of Hartford Stage, left Hartford his outstanding production. Hartford Stage presents their version on November 28-December 28. For tickets: 860-527-5151. or www.hartfordstage.org
It’s A Wonderful Life. (Photo by Kevin Sprague)
***It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Shakespeare and Company adds to the nostalgia mix with the return of their popular holiday entertainment, “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” (December 5-28 on their Lenox campus). Adapted by Joe Landry from the film script, the show, done with radio sound effects and music, the show follows George Bailey as he journeys to discover the value of this wonderful life, guided by “angel second-class,” Clarence who is on his own quest to earn his wings. For tickets: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org The Mark Twain House and Herstory Theater will present their version of the Landry adaptation for two performances on December 6 at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford. For tickets: 860-280-3130
Ronn Carroll and Harry Bouvy in “Christmas on The Rocks” at Hartford’s Theaterworks. (Photo by Lanny Nagler)
***The Nutcracker was not a hit, when it first premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892. The composer, Tchaikovsky, turned the score into a suite, which became a hit, and in 1944, William Christensen mounted a full-length production for San Francisco Ballet. George Balanchine introduced the ballet to New York City Ballet in 1954. Today, the beloved holiday ballet is one of the most-produced holiday classics globally. The gold standard “Nutcrakcer” remains the New York City Ballet production at Lincoln Center. (November 28-January 3. Tickets: www.nycballet.com).
Hartford Symphony Orchestra Cirque de la Symphonie. (Photo by Alan Grant.)
There are several regional ballet productions of “The Nutcracker” visiting the region. Albany Berkshire Ballet visits The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield (December 6-7) and Springfield Symphony Hall (December 13) with their 40th anniversary production. For tickets and information: http://berkshireballet.org/ The Nutmeg Ballet’s production is onstage at Hartford’s Bushnell on December 13-14.For tickets: (860) 987-5900 or www.bushnell.org. The Pioneer Valley Ballet present their version on December 12-14 at Northampton’s Academy of Music. For tickets: 413-584-9032 ex105 or http://www.academyofmusictheatre.com/ And for sumptuous production values, The Boston Ballet has a lavish “Nutcracker” November 28-December 31) at the Opera House. For tickets: www.bostonballet.org.
Seth Lepore (Photo by Jeff Derose)
***Handel’s “Messiah” with its Hallelujah Chorus is stirring holiday fare. The Hartford Chorale, under the direction of Richard Coffey, joined by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and soloists, perform the work on December 10 at The Bushnell. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org
***Home for the Follidays, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s annual holiday pops (December 6) sticks to the tried-and-true this year. The popular Tap Dancing Santas, and cantor Martin Levson join the Orchestra and the Springfield Symphony Chorus for a program of holiday favorites. Harvey Felder conducts, and the SSO’s go-to group for pops these days, Jeans ‘n Classics, provides some soloists. The program includes an audience sing-along. For tickets: 413-733-2291 or www.springfieldsymphony.org
Jason Sokol
Non-Traditional Fare
***Christmas on the Rocks was created by TheaterWorks Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero as an alternative to “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker”. Ruggiero invited a group of playwrights to reimagine the holiday season. Last season’s premiere was a Hartford hit, and this year’s version has been tweaked. This off-beat collection of twisted holiday tales by John Cariani, Jeffrey Hatcher, Jacques Lamarre, Matthew Lombardo, Theresa Rebeck, Edwin Sanchez and Jonathan Tolins. plays Hartford November 28-December 21. For tickets: 860-527-7838 or www.http://theaterworkshartford.org/
***Seth Lepore has been described by the press as “part Friedrich Nietsche, part Jim Carrey”. His monologues walk the fine line between sincerity and mischief. He’s created “Surly Santa: A Holiday Show for the Rest of Us”, with different episodes on December 2, 9, and 16 at Eastworks in Easthampton, MA. For information on The Seth Show. http://www.sethums.com/press/
***Hartford Symphony Holiday Cirque Spectacular. It’s not your ordinary Holiday Pops, when Carolyn Kuan and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra surround themselves with the acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, and contortionists of the Cirque de la Symphonie in a performance of holiday standards and surprises. Two performances, Saturday, December 20, at The Bushnell. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org
Keep in Mind…
***Mummenschanz, the Swiss performance troupe that combines, music, masks and mime to create a visual treat for folks of all ages, returns to the UMass Fine Arts Center in Amherst for a family matinee on Sunday, December 7. Mummenschanz turns every day objects (like a roll of toilet paper) into a stunning and imaginative spectacle. For tickets: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMASS or www.fineartscenter.com.
***Jason Sokol, the American historian, will do a reading and booksigning of his new book, “All Eyes Are Upon Us: Race and Politics from Boston to Brooklyn” at the Odyssey Book Shop in South Hadley on December 4. A former resident of Springfield and Longmeadow, and a graduate of Suffield Academy, Sokol is an assistant professor of history at the University of New Hampshire. For further information: http://www.jasonsokol.com or http://www.odysseybks.com/
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
