By Michele E Buttelman
It’s never too early to plan your holiday entertainment activities. Tickets to many events are often sold out if you wait too long and in the crush of holiday travel, entertaining and parties it is easy to miss out on fun events.
Disney on Ice Road Trip Adventures
Join 50 of your Disney friends and buckle up! Explore favorite Disney destinations in “Disney on Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures,” an immersive experience featuring iconic Disney stories from “Aladdin” to “Toy Story 4” to “Incredibles 2” and more, all coming to life on ice.
Disney On Ice show creators have flipped the lens, producing a one-of-a-kind interactive experience where audience members don’t just observe, but participate…making them feel like they’re part of the show.
Each scene showcases iconic moments and treasured characters with cutting-edge updates to reflect modern day stories that will appeal to guests of all ages.
Tickets: www.disneyonice.com.
Dec. 8-11
Crypto.com Arena
1111 S. Figueroa St.,
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Dec. 15-19
Honda Center,
2695 E Katella Ave.,
Anaheim, CA 92806
Dec. 22-26
Toyota Arena,
4000 East Ontario Center Parkway,
Ontario, California 91764
Dec. 29-Jan. 2
Long Beach Arena,
300 E Ocean Blvd.,
Long Beach, CA 90802
Holiday Music
The sounds of the season, from “White Christmas,” to “Feliz Navidad,” are part of the magic of the holidays. Find a sing-along, a concert, or a musical performance to experience the joys of holiday music.
Holiday Sing-Along
Dec 3
Walt Disney Concert Hall,
111 S. Grand Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets: www.laphil.com/events
Raise your voice and your spirit in this annual holiday tradition that offers fun, cheer and a whole lot of music for the entire family.
The Nutcracker with Dudamel: Tchaikovsky & Ellington
Dec. 3-4
111 S. Grand Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets: www.laphil.com/events
Dudamel conducts the holiday favorite with a twist, when he leads both Tchaikovsky’s original score, as well as Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s swinging reimagination of the many colors and drama of the original.
Santa Clarita Master Chorale presents “Celebrate Today”
Dec. 11
Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road,
Valencia, CA 91355
Tickets: www.scmasterchorale.org/tickets
“Hodie” is a Latin adverb meaning “Today” and there are numerous works that have been composed over the centuries celebrating the day Christ was born. The SC Master Chorale will present several of those classical works along with music for Hanukkah, favorite carols and other musical holiday treats. Nothing celebrates the season better than a concert of music with live singers and instrumentalists.
David Arkenstone and Friends
Dec. 22
El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd.,
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Tickets: https://elportaltheatre.com
Join five-time Grammy nominee David Arkenstone for an enchanting evening filled with joyful holiday spirits. Virtuoso musicianship and classic holiday favorites reimagined and performed in exciting new arrangements.
His music will evoke both fond memories from years past as well as inspire new feelings of joy fit for a contemporary holiday season.
Tickets: $55 (center section) and $35 (side sections).
The Nutcracker
Does any holiday entertainment event hold more enduring memories than the Nutcracker Ballet? Set to Peter Tchaikovsky’s classic score, the story of a little girl and her Nutcracker prince has enchanted audiences since the first performance on Dec. 17, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Famous Russian composer, Tchaikovsky was commissioned by Marius Petipa, a choreographer, to compose the ballet.
Los Angeles Ballet Nutcracker
Los Angeles Ballet stays true to the traditions of the holiday story with some surprises. This production is set in 1912 Los Angeles. Throughout the five scenes in two acts are hints and tastes of Southern California with a Spanish style home, calla lilies, bougainvillea, the snowy forests of the Sierras, Venice archways, a moonlit Pacific Ocean and more. The Nutcracker will have performances in theaters across Southern California.
Tickets for all venues: www.losangelesballet.org/the-nutcracker
Dec. 3-4
Alex Theatre,
216 N Brand Blvd.,
Glendale, CA 91203
Dec. 10-11
Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center,
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd.,
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Dec. 16-18
Royce Hall UCLA,
10745 Dickson Court,
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Dec. 22-26
The Dolby Theatre, with the Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra,
6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
Festival Ballet Theatre Nutcracker
Dec. 10-24
Barclay Theatre,
4242 Campus Drive,
Irvine, CA 92612
Tickets: www.festivalballet.org
Performances of the Festival Ballet Theatre’s annual Nutcracker began in 1989. It’s home since 2007 is the beautiful 754-seat Irvine Barclay Theatre on the University of California, Irvine campus.
Tickets start at $45.
Pacific Festival Ballet Nutcracker
Dec. 17-18
Fred Kavli Theatre- B of A Performing Arts Center,
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Tickets: www.pacfestballet.org
The resident ballet company of the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks will present the Nutcracker with guest dancers from the New York City Ballet, Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia.
The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle
Nov. 19-Dec. 31
Lighthouse Immersive Los Angeles
6400 Sunset Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Experience the timeless holiday tale the Nutcracker like never before – brought to life on a majestic scale. This is not a ballet production but an immersive experience that captures elements of the ballet accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s sweeping music, including iconic selections like “The March of the Toys” and “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”
Timed entry tickets start at $30 each.
