By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
Dancing rats, singing creatures and ancient Greeks, plus more Christmas events for your stocking: All this and more in this week's roundup of events through Dec. 15.
Arts
- It's a monster of a musical, but Amarillo Little Theatre does a remarkably job in taming the beast in Young Frankenstein, the hilarious stage adaptation of the classic Mel Brooks film. The show itself feels a little too flabby, particularly when you think of how economic the film is, but the opening-night audience, myself included, ate up every bit of the hammy fun. Stephen Crandall, last seen in ALT's The Mercy Seat, stretches his comedy and musical muscles again for the first time in too long, giving a fully committed performance as Frederick Frankenstein that's an absolute delight from start to finish. Annika Spalding and Kristen Loyd are equally amusing as Frederick's two love interests, the Transylvanian lab assistant Inga and New York debutante Elizabeth, and Ryan Sustaita is a stitch as Igor, Frederick's humpbacked manservant. Janice Easterday, in a welcome return to the stage, has some delicious fun as Frau Blucher, while Zeke Lewis threatens to steal the show as the monster himself. Virtually every aspect of the show is a winner, though, from the set design (by David Walsh), costuming (by Leigh Anne Crandall) and choreography (by Crystal Bertrand) to the energetic ensemble members. The show will continue at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Dec. 15; 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Dec. 16 and 17; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 18 18. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for students and seniors, and $16 for children Thursdays and Sundays, and $25 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and $18 for children Fridays and Saturdays. I hear that Sunday's show is virtually sold out, but plenty of seats remain for the remaining performances. Call 806-355-9991.
- TheaterAC students will perform the ancient Greek play Pseudolus, a comedy believed to have been written around 191 B.C., at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Amarillo College Experimental Theatre on the Washington Street campus. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Call 806-371-5359. Here's my preview for more on the show.
- Amarillo Opera will stage Seymour Barab's Cinderella, a humorous children's show adaptation of the classic tale, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Fibonacci Space, 3306 S.W. Sixth Ave. Tickets are $22 and available through PanhandleTickets; for $12 student tickets, call the opera office at 806-372-7464. Don't miss my preview for more details.
- Lone Star Ballet's traditional staging of The Nutcracker is set for 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium, 401 S. Buchanan St. Tickets are $13 to $48, plus fees. Call 806-378-3096. And check out my preview to see what's new this year.
- Artist Rachael Edwards will open Buggernaught: Photos by a Painter with a reception at 5 p.m. Saturday at The Chalice Abbey, 2717 Stanley St. Edwards is primarily known for her socially-conscious works in acrylic and spray paint but turned to photography to explore landscapes and wildlife images. Edwards was recently named a fellow for Peripheral Vision, a digital art criticism journal, curatorial platform, and commercial art gallery working with emerging and mid-career U.S. visual artists. The show will be on view through Jan. 23. Call 806-576-2480.
- Author Kirk Manton, a production-services director at Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo and for the C.S. Lewis Foundation, will sign copies of his book The Grace of Rain at a 6:30 p.m. Sunday event in the Amarillo College Concert Hall Theater lobby on the Washington Street campus. The event will include musical performances by Theresa Rowley, Jim Laughlin, the Amarillo College Jazz Band, Amarillo Youth Jazz Orchestra and singer-songwriters Dennis Garvey and Clint McKinney; art by Alicia Cartrite, Cody Watson and others, and film screenings provided by the Amarillo Filmmakers Collective. The event is free.
Holiday
- The Amarillo College Christmas tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday on the Oeschger Family Mall on the Washington Street campus.
- The annual Tascosa Pops concert and dinner begins at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Heritage Ballroom, 401 S. Buchanan St. Tickets are $25; deadline was Dec. 1. The performance by Tascosa High School's orchestra and band also will feature guest orchestra conductor Mark Bartley of West Texas A&M University and narration by Billy Talley. Call 806-326-2662.
- The Waterfield Christmas Walk is open from 6 to 9 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1 at the Citadelle Gardens, 520 Nelson St. in Canadian. Admission is free. Call 806-323-8899.
- Harrington House has decked the halls in '50s fashion for its annual holiday exhibit, on view through Dec. 15 at the historic home, 1600 S. Polk St. Sybil B. Harrington's gowns from designers such as Bob Mackie, Bill Blass, Pierre Balmain and others also are on view. Free tours are by appointment only on the half hour between 10 and 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 806-374-5490.
- More than 200,000 lights are on view nightly from 6 to 8 p.m. through Dec. 23 at Christmas in the Gardens at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive. Each night features live music as well from a variety of schools and performing groups. Call 806-352-6513.
- The new Nights of Lights at Enchanted Acres horse farm, 6505 S. Osage St., boasts more than 300,000 Christmas lights. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 6 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 31 (excluding Christmas Day). Admission is $10 per car or $20 per passenger van or limo with more than 10 passengers.
- The new Town Square Village, 9200 Town Square Blvd., has strung 400,000 lights around its main section and offers light shows every half hour between 6 and 9 p.m. Fridays through Sundays through Dec. 31. Call 806-803-8178.
- Amarillo Women's Network will host its annual Christmas and Scholarship Auction Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in the Abuelo's banquet room, 3501 S.W. 45th Ave. KAMR/KCIT's Meaghan Collier will be the featured speaker, and the Angel Band of First Presbyterian Church will perform. Cost is $20; reservations are due Dec. 6. Call 806-374-5058.
- The fifth annual Zoo Lights event will light up the Amarillo Zoo, 700 Comanchero Trail, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Dec. 16 to 23. Stroll through the zoo to see holiday displays, costumed animal characters, kids games, nightly readings, crafts and more. Admission is $4 for ages 13 to 61, $3 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3 to 12. Call 806-381-7911.
- The Northside Toy Drive Black Tie Affair will run from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday at Vintage Autohaus, 8201 W. Amarillo Blvd. Admission is an unwrapped toy or cash for the donation tree, or $300 for a reserved table for 10. The event will feature cocktails, casino games, live music from Natural Change and hors d'oeuvres. Call 806-676-7482.
- Amarillo Activity Youth Center's Christmas Banquet begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the center, 816 S. Van Buren St. Tickets are $10; reservations are required and due by Dec. 5. Call 806-373-2292.
- Martha's Home will provide free photos with Santa Claus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Liberty Tax, 3610 S. Washington St. Donations of paper goods and personal care items also will be accepted. Call 806-372-4035.
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation will screen at noon Saturday at United Artists Amarillo Star 14, 8275 W. Amarillo Blvd. Warn the family.
- PetSmart, 2800 S. Soncy Road, will offer pet photos with Santa Claus from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and Dec. 17 and 18. For a $5 donation to the SPCA, customers will receive a 4x6 color photo of their pet. Call 806-622-0555.
- The annual Texas Panhandle Tuba Christmas concert will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday inside the northeast entrance to Westgate Mall, 7701 W. Interstate 40. The concert — which organizer Jim Hutson describes as "kind of like the county fair — it gets bigger and better every year" — is expected to feature more than 100 low-brass players performing holiday tunes. An open rehearsal begins at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 12 in the Amarillo High School band room, 4225 Danbury St., and lunch will be provided. Call 806-358-2137.
- Amarillo Fellowship Church, 8425 S. Bell St., will stage its Celebrate Christmas holiday production at 6 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Call 806-463-1232.
- The Door Christian Fellowship Church, 708 S. Dumas Ave. in Dumas, will stage The Grinch: A Tale of a Growing Heart at 7 p.m. Saturday. Cash donations will be accepted. Call 806-930-2682.
- The Hood Mass Choir — made up of members from 15 Amarillo churches, according to organizer Donnell Hill — will give its 23rd Christmas in the Hood concert at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St. "We have always done it at churches, but it had gotten so large, so we decided we needed a larger place," Hill said. Tickets are $5. Call 806-378-3096.
- Amarillo Public Library's East Branch, 2232 S.E. 27th Ave., will host a paper-crafting session to teach how to make origami stars for ornaments at 7 p.m. Monday. Call 806-342-1589.
- Amarillo Youth Choirs will give its Songs of the Season concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Paramount Baptist Church, 3801 S. Western St. Tickets are $10 or $5 for ages 8 and younger; they're available at the choir's office, 203 S.W. Eighth Ave., Suite 303. Call 806-372-1100.
Other events
- The Amarillo Bulls will face the Topeka Roadrunners at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St. Single tickets range from $13 to $23, or $9 for children ages 2 to 12. Call 806-242-1122.
Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/chipchandlerwriter on Facebook.
