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Home / Life! / Entertainment / Fun things to do this week: Dec. 9-15

Fun things to do this week: Dec. 9-15

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From Tchaikovsky to The Temptations to Snoop Dogg, Southern California’s music scene is about to get extra exciting this week. A little snow (you read that right) is also predicted in parks around Los Angeles County and you won’t want to miss that winter magic.

Dec. 9 

American Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’

Segerstrom Hall | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Dec. 9-18 | scfta.org

Choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky with sets and costumes from Tony Award-winner Richard Hudson and Tchaikovsky’s score played by Pacific Symphony, American Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker” is just what you need to get into the holiday spirit. 

Big Band Bash

The Shannon Center | 6760 Painter Ave., Whittier, CA 90601 | Dec. 9 | eventbrite.com

The Whittier Regional Symphony will be joined by The Wiseguys Big Band Machine in this tribute to the Big Band era that will raise fund for the symphony’s music enrichment programs in LA County. 

Taiwan Good Food Day

Pearl Plaza | 18888 Labin Court, Rowland Heights, CA 91748 | Dec. 9-11 | eventbrite.com

Enjoy free samples of Taiwanese food like pineapple cake, nougat, fried noodles, drip coffee and more, from 1-6 p.m.

Dec. 10

The ensemble cast of ‘Christmas Carol’ at A Noise Within. | Photo by Craig Schwartz

Sensory-Friendly Performance Of ‘A Christmas Carol’

A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 | Dec. 10 | anoisewithin.org

A Noise Within is offering a special, sensory-friendly, “relaxed” performance of its beloved production of “A Christmas Carol.” Relaxed performances provide an inviting environment for those living with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, neuromuscular disorder, sensory integrative dysfunction, attention deficit disorder, or any other disorder of social interaction and communication. All the quality production values audiences expect from A Noise Within are still in place, with light and sound levels adjusted to create a sensory-friendly environment for all attending. The performance will feature a shorter run time; freedom to talk and move around the theater during the performance; reduced lighting and sound effects; designated activity/relaxation spaces for those who need a break; and trained staff available to assist patrons throughout the event.

LA Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’

Performing Arts Center | 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278 | Dec. 10-11 | losangelesballet.org

The holiday classic gets a twist in this production set in 1912 Los Angeles. Journey with young Clara and her beloved Nutcracker as they battle a most memorable Mouse King, encounter dancing Snowflakes and travel to the Palace of the Dolls, all while finding scenes of Southern California throughout the two acts.

Kate Inoe and Santiago Paniaqua in the Los Angeles Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” | Photo by Reed Hutchinson for Los Angeles Ballet

LA3C

LA State Historic Park | 1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 10-11 | la3c.com

Celebrate LA’s diverse cultural scene at this two-day music, art and food festival featuring Snoop Dogg, Gerardo Ortiz, Free Nationals, Maluma, Lil Baby and many other musicians. 

Teddy Bear Tea

The Langham | 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106 | Dec. 10-11 | langhamhotels.com

This special Teddy Bear Tea for kids and adults alike features a seasonal afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, sweet treats and a visit from Santa. Each child will be given a teddy bear to take home. 

Symphonies For Youth: Dudamel Conducts The Nutcracker

Walt Disney Concert Hall | 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 10 | laphil.com 

Gustavo Dudamel hosts and conducts this special 45-minute concert designed for ages 5 to 11 featuring the drama and many musical colors of Tchaikovsky’s holiday favorite. Plus, enjoy a pre-concert art activity with your family, starting at 10 a.m.

Yuletide Cinemaland: ‘Edward Scissorhands’

Heritage Square Museum | 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, CA 90031 | Dec. 10 | streetfoodcinema.com

Arrive before either showing of the bittersweet Tim Burton holiday cult classic to take a tour of Victorian homes decked out in holiday decorations, grab a drink or food, sing along to a live piano, shop from vendors and snow dance. 

Festival Of Carols

Walt Disney Concert Hall | 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 10 & 17 | lamasterchorale.org

Usher in the holidays with traditional Christmas carols and festive folksongs from around the world. Joining the Master Chorale for this holiday favorite is special guest Jonathan Antoine, who earned international acclaim after his appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent” and became the world’s most viewed television audition of any performer in history. 

Festival Of Lights And Holiday Concert

Azusa City Hall | 213 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702 | Dec. 10 | instagram.com/p/Cl1RozsPZjs 

The event kicks off at 4 p.m. with music by Mariachi Herencia Michoacana and La Chaparrita’s will have food available for purchase. The tree lighting will take place at 5:30 p.m. There will also be photos with Santa, toy giveaways, light exchange and game booths. 

Got Sole!

Pasadena Convention Center | 300 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Dec. 10 | gotsole.com

Sneakerheads gather to buy, sell and trade sneakers and clothes. There will be giveaways, special guests, contests and live performances.

Arcadia Holiday Fair

Downtown Arcadia | First Avenue (Huntington Drive to Diamond Street), Arcadia, CA 91007 | Dec. 10 | downtownarcadia.org

Join the Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association for free fun for kids, shopping booths, live music, beer and wine booths, and a visit from Santa. There will be giveaways for a bike from REI; tickets to the Lakers, Clippers and Kings; and a one-night stay at Le Meridien. You can also drop off a toy for Foothill Unity Center’s toy drive.

Family Literacy Festival ‘Reading Opens The World’

Ellen Ochoa Prep Academy | 8110 Paramount Blvd., Pico Rivera, CA 90660 | Dec. 10 | erusd.org

This event will provide over 40,000 books to children and families from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be COVID-19 boosters and flu shots, and photos with Santa. You do not need to be a Pico Rivera resident or an ERUSD student to participate. Pre-register at tinyurl.com/ERUSDROWPreReg.

Jackalope Fair

Downtown Burbank | 200 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank, CA 91502 | Dec. 10-11 | jackalopeartfair.com

Buy some gifts from over 180 local artisans selling jewelry, paper goods, home decor, household items, photographs, food and more. 

Dec. 11

Holiday In The Park

Beardslee Park | 2000 Buena Vista St., Duarte, CA 91010 | Dec. 11 | accessduarte.com

Get into the holiday spirit and enjoy a snow play area, sledding, reindeer, train rides, Santa’s workshop, boutiques, food and a Christmas tree lane. 

Duarte’s Holiday in the Park celebration in 2021. | Photo courtesy of City of Duarte via Facebook

‘Lo, How A Rose’

Walt Disney Concert Hall | 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 11 | lamasterchorale.org

“Lo, How a Rose” pays tribute to the classic Renaissance Christmas carol by Michael Praetorius that depicts the beauty and comfort of the nativity. Music on this program includes works by former composers-in-residence Shawn Kirchner and Morten Lauridsen, world premieres by Mari Esabel Valverde and Cristian Grases and music by Benjamin Britten, Stacey Gibbs, Ariel Quintana, Carlos Simon, Hyo-Won Woo and more.

Chita: The Rhythm Of My Life

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Dec. 11 | scfta.org

The incomparable Tony Award winner Chita Rivera will recreate signature moments from her legendary Broadway career from “West Side Story,” “Sweet Charity” and “Bye Bye Birdie” to “Chicago,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “The Visit” and more. She will be joined by George Dvorsky and her daughter, Lisa Mordente.

Chita Rivera. | Photo by Laura Marie Duncan

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides

Library Park | 321 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Dec. 11 and 18 | cityofmonrovia.org

Horse-drawn carriage rides are offered in Old Town Monrovia from 3-6 p.m. Rides are $5 per person or free for every $20 spent in Old Town on the same day. 

Dec. 12

‘Elf’ 

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | 700 W. Seventh St., #Unit U240, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | Dec. 12 | theblocla.com

Head to The Bloc for a screening of “Elf” starring Will Ferrell. Check in at 4 p.m., grab your complimentary concession and get ready to laugh as Buddy heads to New York City to find his father. 

Dec. 13

‘Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations’

Ahmanson Theatre | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 13-Jan. 1 | centertheatregroup.org

Featuring Grammy winning songs and Tony winning moves, “Ain’t Too Proud” follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

L-R: Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Marcus Paul James, Jalen Harris, Harrell Holmes Jr., and James T. Lane from the National Touring Company of “Ain’t Too Proud,” playing at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre December 13, 2022 through January 1, 2023. | Photo by Emilio Madrid

‘Latina Christmas Special’

A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 | Dec. 13-14 | anoisewithin.org

You thought your holidays with the family were dramatic? Try these three hilarious, touching and surprisingly personal Christmas stories of holidays past told by three acclaimed Latina comedians. When these three sassy BFFs get together, they down plenty of tequila and dish about everything from moms to cucarachas (cockroaches) to Farrah Fawcett, and share their funny and intimate stories of childhood Christmas “dramas” that make them uniquely American, undoubtedly Latina and, most of all, friends.

Maria Russell, Diana Yanez and Sandra Valls in “Latina Christmas Special.” | Photo by Xavi Moreno

A Chanticleer Christmas

Walt Disney Concert Hall | 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 13 | laphil.com 

The much-celebrated, Grammy-winning, 12-man ensemble makes its return for a classic holiday program of a cappella choral music, presented with stunning clarity, precision and excellence.

Free Tuesday!

The Autry | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Dec. 13 | theautry.org

Enjoy a free visit to The Autry Museum of the American West every second Tuesday of the month. While there, catch “A Word on Westerns,” an opportunity to hear stories from stars and filmmakers of forgotten classics. 

Dec. 14

Holiday Jazz And Soul Classics Featuring Ella Fitzgerald

Vertigo Event Venue | 400 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202 | Dec. 14 | feverup.com

PureSoul Los Angeles will provide the vocals and instruments for holiday song favorites like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Cool Yule” and “The Christmas Song.”

Lola Boutée Presents TRiPTease Burlesque

TRIP Santa Monica | 2101 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405 l Dec. 14 l eventbrite.com

Lower your inhibitions and see what’s hot at LA’s longest running weekly burlesque and variety show. Every Wednesday features a fresh new lineup of talent hosted by the original dame herself, Lola Boutée.

Dec. 15

National Geographic Live: Cosmic Adventures

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage | 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Dec. 15-16 | broadstage.org

Discover the marvels of our cosmic backyard through the eyes of the robotic spacecraft sent out to explore it. Aerospace engineer Tracy Drain works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop, test, and operate the complex machines that uncover some of the countless mysteries within and beyond our solar system. Join her for stories of engineering challenges and scientific discoveries from the Juno mission to Jupiter, a behind-the-scenes account of the Kepler mission to find planets beyond our solar system, and a peek into the Psyche mission to one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt. 

Tracy Drain. | Photo by Ryan Lannom

The Best Of Hans Zimmer

Vertigo Event Venue | 400 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202 | Dec. 15 | feverup.com

Orchid Quartet plays music by Hans Zimmer from films like “Inception,” “The Dark Knight,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “The Lion King.” 

‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ 3D Early Screening

El Capitan Theatre | 6838 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Dec. 15 | elcapitantheatre.com

There will be an early screening event of James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” at 3 p.m. on Dec. 15. Tickets include an 85-ounce Nest Popcorn Container, 20-ounce bottled beverage and credential with a lanyard.

“Avatar: The Way of Water.” | Photo Credit: © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Kate Baer In Conversation With Elizabeth Holmes, Discusses ‘And Yet: Poems’

Vroman’s Main Store | 695 E. Colorado St., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Dec. 15 | vromansbookstore.com

Poet Kate Baer, writer of New York Times bestseller “What Kind of Woman,” has released her second full-length poetry book diving into themes of motherhood, friendship, love and loss.

Ongoing

The Brothers Paranormal

David Henry Hwang Theatre | 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Through Dec. 11 | eastwestplayers.org

After a nationwide increase in sightings of “Asian-looking ghosts,” two Thai brothers struggle to launch a ghost-hunting business. The two brothers–one born in Thailand and the other in the American Midwest–are called to investigate the paranormal hauntings at the home of an African-American couple displaced by Hurricane Katrina in this supernatural thriller. A suspenseful, humorous, and compassionate exploration of the trauma of leaving home, whether crossing the country, the globe, or over from the other side.

‘The Nutcracker’ With Dudamel: Tchaikovsky & Ellington

Walt Disney Concert Hall | 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Dec. 14 & 18 | laphil.com

Conductor Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil through Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, “The Nutcracker.” Dudamel will also lead Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s reimagination of the holiday classic. 

Parks After Dark Winter Wonderland 2022

31 LA County parks | Through Dec. 17 | parks.lacounty.gov/winterpad 

Hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Parks After Dark returns for the winter season with snow, sports, exercise classes, dancing, healthy cooking classes, movies in the park, concerts, computer courses, crafts, hot cocoa, snacks, photo opportunities, carnival games and more.

Children play in snow at Parks After Dark Winter Wonderland. | Photo courtesy of County of Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation via Facebook

Sawdust Art & Craft Festival: Winter Fantasy

Sawdust Art Festival |  935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 | Through Dec. 18 | sawdustartfestival.org

Shop handcrafted gifts by 165 artists in a winter wonderland decorated with thousands of lights and featuring three stages with live music, community performances, carolers, puppeteers, art classes and daily visits from Santa. 

‘Annie’

Dolby Theatre | 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Through Dec. 18 | broadwayinhollywood.com

It’s a hard knock life but Little Orphan Annie reminds us that the sun will come out tomorrow. The Tony Award-winning musical with its optimistic message is perfect for the holiday season. 

Ellie Pulsifer and Christopher Swan in the 2022 company of “Annie.” | Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

‘Present Past’ Film Series

Academy Museum | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Through Dec. 19 | academymuseum.org 

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will launch its first-ever celebration of newly preserved and restored films—spanning 1916 to 1998—from the Academy Film Archive as well as from archives, studios, distributors, foundations, and independent filmmakers from around the globe. Each restoration in “Present Past” will be celebrating its Los Angeles, North American, or world premiere screening with a dynamic array of filmmakers, subjects, archivists, and preservationists appearing in person to discuss their work.

‘A Christmas Carol’

A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 | Through Dec. 23 | anoisewithin.org

Acclaimed for its innovative staging, whimsical costumes, original music and boundless good cheer, the festive, musically merry stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol returns to A Noise Within this holiday season.

Christmas On The Farm

Underwood Family Farms | 3370 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 | Through Dec. 24 | underwoodfamilyfarms.com

Get out of the city and visit the farm for holiday photo ops, tractor-drawn wagon rides, an animal center, combine and harvester slides, fields for picking, animal shows and reindeer. There will also be crafts, duck racing, elf training, sleigh rides, and much more. 

‘Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation’

Kirk Douglas Theatre | 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 | Through Dec. 30 | winniethepoohshow.com 

The Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants have come to life as beautiful life-sized puppets that will enchant you with beloved songs like “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” in an all new adventure.

Holiday Road

King Gillette Ranch | 26800 W. Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302 | Through Dec. 30 | holidayroadusa.com 

Be mesmerized by thousands of Christmas lights and “larger than life” holiday-themed installations on the immersive walking trail, Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves. If you get tired, recharge with a bite from one of the food trucks at the event and keep warm with a seasonal cocktail.

‘Shambles’

The Actors’ Gang at The Ivy Substation | 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 | Through Dec. 31 | theactorsgang.com 

Blurring the lines between audience and performers, this immersive experience drops theater goers into a ‘60s NASA holiday party complete with alien abductions, ugly Christmas sweaters and free-flowing champagne, as theatergoers meander through curated rooms of wonder. Cirque du Soleil’s Stefan Haves stages a joyful celebration of comedy, acrobatic beauty, and eccentric song and dance numbers.

Holiday Wonderland At Grand Central Market

Grand Central Market | 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Through Dec. 31 | grandcentralmarket.com

Aside from great food, you’ll find Santa, holiday shopping and workshops, music and special events for which you’ll need to register. 

Holiday Ice Rink At Pershing Square

Pershing Square | 532 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Through Jan. 1 | holidayicerinkdowntownla.com 

Back after a two-year hiatus, the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square is the city’s largest outdoor rink at 7,200 square feet. General admission to the rink, including skate rental, is $20, locker rental is $5, and skate helpers are $6. 

People skating at Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square. | Courtesy of the Holiday Ice Rink at Pershing Square

Sparkle DTLA

The Bloc | 700 Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90017 | Through Jan. 1 | theblocla.com

Enjoy 18 million colored lights synchronized to holiday music as you grab dinner or get some shopping done at The Bloc. Light shows are scheduled for every hour from 5-9 p.m.

The Empire Strips Back – the Unauthorized Star Wars™ Burlesque Parody

Montalbán Theatre | 1615 Vine St., Hollywood CA 90028 | Through Jan. 1 | empirestripsback.com

Combining striptease, song and dance, troupe routines and plenty of humor, audiences are transported into the world of burlesque to witness a menacing troop of seriously sexy Stormtroopers, a dangerously seductive Boba Fett, tantalizing Twi’leks, a delightfully lukewarm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker, and of course, scantily clad and daring Droids. Even Darth Vader will explore her feminine side with a fantastical twist.

The San Francisco Cast of “The Empire Strips Back.” | Photo by Kevin Berne

The Science Of Gingerbread Exhibit & Winter Wonderland 

Discovery Cube LA or OC | 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar, CA 91342 | 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92705 | Through Jan. 1 | discoverycube.org

Registration is now open for Southern California’s largest gingerbread competition. Visitors will have until Jan. 1 to experience the winter wonderland featuring a gingerbread village with all the competition entries, cookie decorating, story-time, holiday lights and sounds, and Santa. 

Newport Christmas Parade

Newport Beach | 309 Palm St., Newport Beach, CA 92661 | Through Jan. 2 | christmasparadeboats.com

Hundreds of ships of all sizes are extravagantly decorated with lights and special effects. Bayfront homes also participate in their own light competition. 

Holiday Light Festival

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad | 4400 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Through Jan. 6 | griffithparktrainrides.com

Hop on the train to travel around a festively decorated Griffith Park. In addition to the festive scenes and thousands of lights, there will be a gift kiosk and three open-air photo booths. 

Lightscape

LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007 | Through Jan. 8 | arboretum.org

The popular light display is back with 15 displays (including the very instagramable Winter Cathedral) and the U.S. premiere of three installations: Will-o’-the-wisp, Whole Hole and the biggest Laser Garden.

The Winter Cathedral. | Courtesy photo

‘(Re)Inventing The Americas: Repeat. Erase, Construct’

The Getty | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 | Through Jan. 8 | getty.edu 

Challenging European interpretations and often racist versions of history, “(Re)Inventing the Americas: Repeat. Erase, Construct” analyzes the creation of the mythologies that arose during the conquest and exploration of the Americas and reveals the influence that those myths and visions have had on defining the two continents. The exhibition will feature a collaboration with Denilson Baniwa, a contemporary artist from the Brazilian Amazon region who will generate different artistic interventions throughout the show.

Christmas Nights

123 Farm | 10600 Highland Springs Ave., Cherry Valley, CA 92223 | Through Jan. 8 | 123farm.com

The festival includes festive foods and drinks (including a lavender-infused hot cocoa), horse-drawn carriage tours, a life-size gingerbread house, s’mores pits, a Christmas village, Santa and a display of over one million lights.

Lavender Nights olive grove. | Photo courtesy of 123 Farm

Holidays At The Disneyland Resort

Disneyland and California Adventure | Through Jan. 8 | disneyland.disney.go.com

The happiest place on earth is ready for the holidays with new tasty treats and drinks, performances highlighting different cultural celebrations for the holidays, World of Color – Season of Light at DCA, holiday decorations all throughout the park including at select attractions, a Christmas parade and fireworks show, and don’t forget snow. 

Knott’s Merry Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm | 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620 | Through Jan. 8 | knotts.com

Knott’s Merry Farm has transformed into a winter wonderland with holiday decorations, lights and snowflakes. Guests can enjoy Home for the Holidays, a musical show featuring holiday songs, an ice show starring Snoopy and the Peanuts, seasonal foods, the Christmas Crafts Village, a nightly tree lighting ceremony, and more. 

Enchanted Forest Of Light

Descanso Gardens | 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 | Through Jan. 8 | descansogardens.org

Enchanted Forest of Light is an interactive, nighttime experience featuring a one-mile walk through unique lighting experiences. Popular returning favorites include an entire town of magical “stained glass” creations built in the Rose Garden by contemporary sculptor Tom Fruin; sparkling geometric installations from HYBYCOZO on the Main Lawn; Flower Power on the Promenade; and exquisite lighting effects in the Ancient Forest.

Hybycozo installation for Enchanted Forest of Light on the Main Lawn of Descanso Gardens. | Photo by © Jake Fabricius

LA Kings Holiday Ice

L.A. Live | 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Through Jan. 8 | lakingsholidayice.com 

Ice skate in front of Crypto.com Arena this holiday season. 

‘Music Inspired Art Exhibition’ 

Malibu City Gallery | 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu, CA 90265 | Through Jan. 13 | malibuartscommission.org

Presented by the Malibu Art Commission, “Music Inspired Art Exhibition” features photography, fine art, and three-dimensional work inspired by music. The opening reception on Dec. 4 at noon is free and will feature complimentary food, drinks, live music by Eduardo Del Signore and artist meetings. 

‘Anatomy Of Gray’

Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039 | Through Jan. 21 | openfist.org

Set at the end of the 19th century in the small town of Gray, Indiana, “The Wizard of Oz” meets “Our Town” in “Anatomy of Gray,” a funny and touching “children’s story for adults.” Following the death of her father, 15-year-old June prays for a “healer” so no one in town will ever have to suffer again. When a man literally blows into town in a hot air balloon, she thinks her prayer has been answered. At first, the new doctor cures anything and everything; but soon his presence leads to a clash between faith and science.

LA Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow

LA Zoo | 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Through Jan. 22 | lazoo.org

The LA Zoo turns into a nighttime wonderland with lantern sculptures of animals throughout the zoo. 

‘Open Flowers Bear Fruit’

USC Pacific Asia Museum | 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Through March 12 | pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

“Open Flowers Bear Fruit” features 10 photographs from Stephanie Shih’s ongoing series Asian American Still Life. Through her references to 17th-century Dutch still life paintings, Shih’s photographs challenge viewers to consider the complexity of the Asian American experience as it has manifested in the foods we eat and the things that remind us of home.

‘Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971’

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Through April 9 | regenerationblackcinema.org

The exhibition explores the achievements and challenges of Black filmmakers in the US in both independent production and the studio system—in front of the camera and behind it—from cinema’s infancy in the 1890s to the early 1970s. A survey of the films and filmmakers explored in the exhibition will be shown until Sept. 29 and will feature more than 20 screenings. The Regeneration Summit, Feb. 3–5, 2023, will be a two-day celebration of Black cinema featuring artists, scholars, and filmmakers participating in conversations, workshops, and activations throughout the museum.

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