Arts Alive San Antonio

– News Roundup –

If you missed Ballet San Antonio’s Nutcracker, don’t fret. Here comes another one: American Midwest Ballet’s version presented by ARTS SA. It promises to be bigger and better than last year, with 130 professional and student dancers, “lavish sets, and more than 250 beautiful costumes.” It will have four performances at the Lila Cockrell Theater Dec. 19-20 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet and Dorothy Keck Dancers are also part of the production. (Lila Cockrell Theater, 200 E. Market St.; tickets:  artsa.org/the-nutcracker-pricing-guide/)

San Antonio theaters are mostly presenting fun holiday shows right now, but there’s one Christmas play everyone should see even though it will probably leave you with a heavy heart. Originally produced by the Public Theater several years ago, the play, All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914, is based on the real-life, spontaneous cease-fire that occurred on a freezing Christmas Eve 2014 between the German and Allied troops. No commander approved it. Homesick and cold, the young trench soldiers took matters into their own hands. They emerged slowly from their trenches, sang Christmas songs, exchanged cigarettes and small gifts, even showed each other pictures of their families. It’s a deeply touching show and a disturbing one. Many of them never returned home.

This year’s performances will take place at a new location: the Buena Vista Theater, on UTSA’s downtown campus at 501, W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. (Dec. 19- 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m.; for tickets and info contact the Public at www.thepublicsa.org or call 210-733-7258)

For more entertaining fare, visit the Woodlawn Theater, which is currently presenting A Christmas Carol, The Musical, the singing version of the beloved story about the miserly and mean Ebenezer Scrooge who finally learns what compassion and the true spirit of Christmas can do for him and others around him. It’s a story “that never gets old” said director Ronald Watson in the theater’s press release. How true!

The Woodlawn is hoping that patrons will make donations of coats and blankets for kids ages 12 months to 6 years who have serious health or developmental challenges. These children and their families receive helpful services from the nonprofit Any Baby Can, which will receive the donations.

So, have fun and be generous. “The Ghost of Christmas Past doesn’t want you to miss the musical of the season!” (Woodlawn Theater, 1920 Fredericksburg Rd.; Dec. 19 – Dec. 23 (yes, Monday!); tickets are $18-$30; go to www.woodlawntheatre.org or call 210-267-8388)

At this time of year, the San Antonio Symphony makes its own contribution to the holiday spirit in a grand way with the Holiday Pops concerts, scheduled for Dec. 20-21 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. Led by associate conductor Noam Aviel, the orchestra will be joined by the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio and the Trinity University Handbell Ensemble. (Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets at box office, by phone 210-223-8624 or online tobi.tobincenter.org

Well-known jazz crooner, Ken Slavin, has also prepared a special Christmas repertoire for his annual Swingin’ Holiday Show at Sam’s Burger Joint on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Accompanied by a quartet of seasoned musicians – Polly Harrison (guitar), Barry Brake (keyboard), Darren Kuper (drums) and Chuck Moses (bass) – Slavin will perform jazz-styled Christmas songs as well as famous jazz classics. He has a lot of followers, so get your tickets ASAP. (Dec.18 at 8 p.m.; Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson; $15 if you get your tickets in advance, $20 on Wednesday; www.samsburgerjoint.com)

Not exactly Christmas-y, but the show currently playing at the Overtime Theater, Tales from the Little OT: Worthy looks interesting. Described as “a series of enigmatic stand-alone stories,” the tales are staged in installments, written and directed by various Overtime members, including Scott McDowell, Jules Vaquera and Jonathan Schell. Authored by Vaquera,the story of Worthy is set in a future time when only “the worthy” are allowed to have children. When a particular young woman finds that she’s been designated as “worthy,” she surprises everyone by stating that she has no desire to have a child.

Jules Vaqeura is an ATAC Globe Award Winner in the categories of Original Scrip and Original Song, who has been associated with Overtime for years. (Dec. 20-21 at 8 p.m.; Overtime Theater, 5409 Bandera Rd., Ste 205, 78238; tickets $8, theovertimetheater@gmail.com or online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com, and at the door. For info call 210-557-7562)

And here’s an opportunity to buy unique holiday gifts made by local artists and artisans. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center has partnered with the Avenida Guadalupe Association to once again host Hecho a Mano, an outdoor market at the Plaza Guadalupe offering a wide range of hand-made treasures. Access is free. (Dec. 21 from 12-6 p.m.; 1327 Guadalupe ST, 78207) In case of rain, the market will move into the Guadalupe Theater.