Arts Alive San Antonio

NEWS ROUNDUP, 11/22/2024

Festive music is everywhere!

London-based The Kingdom Choir, is best known for its show-stopping performance at the wedding of Prince Henry and Meghan Markle, in May 2018, when a global audience of about two billion saw them and enjoyed their performance. The choir is directed by Karen Gibson, an award-winning choir conductor who had conducted some prestigious choruses across the UK and beyond. Her choirs are regular finalists or winners of choir competitions.

Well, San Antonians have an opportunity to hear the mighty choir sing this weekend at the Carver Community Cultural Center. (Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. p.m.; Jo Long Theater, Carver Community Cultural Center;
226 N. Hackberry, 78202; tickets are $22-$42; call 210-207-7211; more info https://thecarver.org)

The Children’s Chorus of San Antonio will have a showcase – “Elements in Song” this weekend with music inspired by the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.  No specific composers or titles are listed.
(Nov. 23 at 4 p.m.; University Methodist Church; tickets are $9-$16.; contact the chorus at 210-826-3447;
more at https://ChildrensChorusSA.org) In December, the choir will be joined by YOSA Mariachi for a Holiday Spectacular at the Tobin.

A big music event for Tejano music fans and performers is coming up: the 44^th Tejano Music Awards this Friday. The awards event is sponsored by the Texas Talent Musicians Association and will feature outstanding vocalists and instrumentalists, as well as song-writers, producers and other.  (Nov 22 at 7 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m.; Boeing Center at Tech Port Arena; 3331 General Hudnell Drive, 78226; box office 1-800-514-3849; or www.boeingcenter.techport.com)

Flamenco is still in the air and on our stages after several outstanding shows during, the “We – Flamenco Fest. Raices de Arte Espanol will host guest artist, Bianca Rodriguez as part of the city-wide, month-long festival. She graduated with a BA in Dance Flamenco from the University of New Mexico in Alburquerque. During her time there, she performed with several flamenco companies, including “Entre
Flamenco.” She has performed at the Fountain Theater in Los Angeles and the Brava Theater in San Francisco. Also performing will be Drea Pacot and Genevieve Obregon, plus vocalist Celia Corales and guitarist, Jose Manuel Tejeda. (Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Raices de Arte Espanol, 1722 Fredericksburg Rd., 78201; tickets are: $28-$38; 210-875-3066.)

Ballet afficionados are probably looking forward to the “Nutcracker” productions coming up. Ballet San Antonio’s performances of the holiday classic start Dec. 6 and end Dec. 15. In addition to these eight shows, BSA offers abbreviated performances for local students through its “Send the kids to the ballet: program. (For more info, visit www.balletsanantonio.org)

And speaking of “The “Nutcracker,” there’s a new-style dance show: “The Hip-Hop Nutcracker,”
A contemporary dance spectacle set to the same, timeless Tchaikovsky music. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, the production will be performed by a cast of a dozen all-star
dancers, a D.J., a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip-hop’s “founding fathers.”
(Dec 1. At 6:30 p.m.; Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; Aztec Theatre, 104 S. St. Mary’s St., 78205)

And here’s yet another Christmas show: A Magical Cirque Christmas- A Holiday Variety Show
at the Majestic Theater, “full of nostalgia, charm and awe-inspiring performances for all ages” (Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Majestic Theater, 224 East Houston; tickets $34-$99, at www.majesticempire.com)

Maverick City Music- Good News Tour stops at The Frost Bank Center Nov 30 at 7 p.m. (rescheduled from Oct. 5); tickets are $21 – $111. This is an American Christian contemporary music collective. Tickets through www.ticketmaster.com)

Let’s take a look at theater stages! The Magik Theatre is opening “The Velveteen Rabbit” this weekend. This is a story about a child who discovers a Velveteen Rabbit among the Christmas gifts. Soon it becomes the kid’s favorite toy, and the rabbit becomes worn and shabby. Through his adventures with the child, the Rabbit learns about love and friendship, and the true meaning of being real. The press release says: “The beloved and inspiring story is set in a magical world, full of inspiring moments.”
(Every week through Dec. 29, Saturday at 2 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.; Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo, 210-227-2751, www.magiktheatre.org)

The Overtime Theater continues the tradition of Stocking Stuffers 3: a collection of Holiday Shorts. Five short plays by local playwrights will be featured in the “Little OT” next month at the company’s new location- 4335 Vance Jackson, #103-104. (We’ll tell you more next week.) You can contact the company at www.theovertimetheater.org)

The San Pedro Playhouse has received a matching grant of $100,000, provided by the Rusell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts, and launched a campaign to raise matching funds. Named “Light the Lights” it’s an end-of-year fundraising effort to bring more vibrancy, accessibility, and artistic excellence to the San Pedro Playhouse.” You can make a donation by contacting the Development Team at 210-733-7258 ext. 1109, mailing the donation to the Playhouse or online. To find out more go to www.sanpedroplayhouse.org

On the visual arts front, you may want to visit the Blue Star complex just south of downtown and find the Blue Star Contemporary, a center for contemporary art. The organization recently held its Red Dot exhibit and art sale where original works of art by mostly San Antonio artists are on sale. You can still visit the gallery and even see the available artworks. In fact, you can see the latter even on the organization’s website, www.contemporarysa.org.

 An exhibit we are curious about will be opening at the McNay in a couple of months: “Sports Gear Becomes Art.”  Basketballs, footballs, tennis rackets, jerseys, sticks and other sports paraphernalia has been transformed into art in “Sport and Spactator” which will open March 1, 2025. The press release says “The exhibition celebrates American sports culture and confronts its complex intersection with race, gender and class.” The exhibition includes 40 sculptures, textiles, screenprints and installations. Too bad we have to wait more than two months to see this.