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Arts and Entertainment

Holiday Play(s) Around L A

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photo by abraxas3d via flickrRemember when Charlie Brown had a bad case of S.A.D. and after he gave Lucy a nickle, she tells him that he needs more "involvement." Then they put on a nativity play and well, you know the rest. It's December and Los Angeles is rife with holiday plays and musicals. Just because you're too old to land the starring role in the Christmas pageant, or don't happen to have kids who are performing in one, don't think you get to skip your seasonal dose of fabricated sentiment. Afterall, when it's 80 degrees outside, we Angelinos can use all the holiday cheer (or parodies there of) we can possibly stand.

Here's a partial list of live performances around town. I've focused on the smaller playhouses, because cheaper and cheesier is a lot more fun. Look to the Calendar section for giant productions with live camels and prestigous dance troups, if you must. Quite a few of these plays are brimming with adult content. So, read the PR before you take grandma or the little 'uns.

Greetings!
The Attic Theatre Ensemble
Attic Theatre and Film Center (L.A.)
Fri. & Sat. through Dec. 22nd.
Attic Theatre
A touching and amusing fable that your mom will like too.

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A Christmas Twist
The Ark Theatre Company
Ark Theatre (L.A.)
Thurs.-Sun. through Jan. 5th.
Ark Theatre
Hilarious Dickensian spoof. Discount tickets for WGA members!

The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play
The Long Beach Shakespeare Company
Richard Goad Theatre (LBC)
Thurs, Fri. & Sat. through Dec. 22nd
LB Shakespeare Co.
Renn Faire + Xmas, it works for me.

Bob's Holiday Office Party
Lounge Theatre (L.A.)
Thurs.-Sun. through Dec. 22nd
Holiday Office Party
"Hilariously Deranged," just like your own office party.

A Tuna Christmas, sequel to Greater Tuna
Theatre Asylum (Ho'wood)
Thurs.-Sun. through Jan. 6th
A Tuna Christmas
Comics Mindy Sterling and Patrick Bristow's two-person, costume-changing extravaganza!

"A Christmas Carol", Dickens' Holiday Classic Retold
Celebration Theatre (We. Ho.)
Thurs.-Sun. through Dec. 23rd.
Celebration Theatre or phone: 323.957.1884
Eben Scrooge as a fashion designer whose life takes a downward spiral, but with "big, gay, fabulous ghosts." Not your mama's Dickens.

and for a similar audience...

Pop-Rock Musical Twist, Based on Dickens' Oliver Twist
Avery Schreiber Theatre (No. Ho)
Fri.-Sat. through Dec. 30th
Avery Schreiber Theatre
Oliver! meets Rocky Horror.

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Winter Wonderettes
El Portal Forum Theatre (No. Ho)
Wed.-Sun. through the Dec. 31st.
El Portal Theatre
The Marvelous Wonderettes do Xmas. Bouffant-a-rama.

The Eight: Reindeer Monologues
Chandler Studio Theatre (No. Ho)
Fri.-Sun, through 12/23
Reindeer Monologues
Trashy scandal at the North Pole (not for kids).

&/or

7 Santas
Open Fist Theatre (Ho'wood)
Thurs.-Sun. through Dec. 22nd
Open Fist Theatre
Even more crass Santa-trash!

A Christmas Story
Canyon Theatre Guild (Newhall)
Weeknights & Weekends through Dec. 21st
Canyon Theatre
Based on the motion picture.

Buon Natale!: Christmas Eve, Italian Style
NoHo Arts Center (Theater 2)
Fri.-Sun. through Dec. 23rd.
NoHo Arts Center
Big, Fat, Italian, Dysfunctional Christmas.

The Retro Radio Christmas Cavalcade
Sacred Fools Theater (L.A.)
Tues & Wed, though Dec.19th
Sacred Fools Theater
All-New Old-Timey Radio live on stage. Grandma friendly.

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Definately "kid tested-mother approved":

Mrs. Scrooge
West of Broadway players
Edgemont Center for the Arts, (Santa Monica)
Weeknights and weekends through Dec. 20th
West of Broadway

Wreck the Halls With Boughs of Folly
Bubble Gum Playhouse (Sherman Oaks)
Sat. through Dec. 29th
Bubble Gum Playhouse

Yo Ho Ho! A Pirate's Christmas
NoHo Arts Center (Theater 1)
Fri. & Sat. through Dec.30th
No Ho Arts Center

A Partridge in a Pear Tree
Westchester Playhouse (Los Angeles, CA)
Sat. Dec. 8th & Dec. 15th
Kentwood Players

Babes in Toyland, Victor Herbert's Timeless Musical
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Sun. (2 shows only) Dec. 16th
La Mirada Theatre

'Twas The Night Before Christmas
Redondo Beach Playhouse
Fri-Sun, through Dec. 16th
Redondo Beach Playhouse Info.

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Oh, and for your Sugarplum Fairy fix, here's just one of the many Nutcracker performances out there.

The Nutcracker 2007
Le Studio Dance
Lanterman Auditorium (La Canada)
Sat. (2 shows only) Dec. 22nd
Le Studio Dance

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