A Classic Musical
In celebration of its 18th birthday, City Theater Company revives one of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music,” which breezes through a weekend in the country with a perfectly Sondheim-ean score and unforgettable characters. CTC promises that “A Little Night Music” will “keep up our tradition of reinvigorating classic shows like ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’ with CTC’s trademark bravado and intimacy.” See it Dec. 2-17. 220-8285, city-theater.org
Holiday Music with a Different Flavor
You may know Raul Malo best as the distinctive voice of The Mavericks. See him as never before in a special holiday show that melds Latin musical styles and instruments with country, blues and rock in a journey that tells the story of his rise from Miami to one of the most respected musicians on the scene today. Leave it to World Café Live at The Queen to present a show of such ingenuity. See it Dec. 8. 994-1400, queen.worldcafelive.com
More Holiday Music
The Rainbow Chorale will celebrate the love and joy of being home for the holidays during a special show of favorite tunes like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Carol of the Bells” and jazzy numbers such as “Snowfall” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” The concert happens Dec. 11 at First and Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. Don’t miss the hilarious take on what really happened during the 12 days of Christmas. 654-5371, fandc.org
A Victorian Holiday
Party like it’s 1889 during Fezziwig’s Christmas Party on Dec. 11 at the Smyrna Opera House. The Dickens-style Christmas party features plenty of holiday music, Victorian and contemporary, including a few selections from the “Messiah” by the Ardensingers. There will be holiday-related skits and other entertainment. 653-4236, smyrnaoperahouse.org
What is Christmas Without Peanuts—or a Touch of the Green?
It so happens the acclaimed Eric Mintel Jazz Quartet, with The Jazz Chords of Calloway, from our very own Cab Calloway School of the Arts, will return to the baby grand On Dec. 11 to play all your favorite Vince Guaraldi tunes from “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” including “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Skating” and “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.” Two shows happen:1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Later, Irish Christmas in America brings a special flavor to the holiday season through traditional ballads and holiday carols, fiddle tunes, and folk dancing, all with distinctive Celtic humor and energy—all presented some of the best contemporary Irish artists. The show begins at 7 p.m. 652-5577, thegrandwilmington.org
The Cavalcade of “Christmas Carols” Continues
The New Candlelight Theatre presents a modern, Broadway-oriented retelling of “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 23. You’ll hear tunes such as “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and “We Need A Little Christmas.” 475-2313, visit nctstage.org
Delaware Children’s Theatre presents “Scrooge: The Musical” at its historic playhouse through Dec. 18. It’s the same story as the classic Charles Dickens tale, but with music. Don’t miss it. 655-1014, dechildrenstheatre.org
Delaware Theatre Company continues its premiere of “A Cappella Humana” by Kevin Ramsey. You may know Ramsey as the creator and director of “Chasin’ Dem Blues” and “Fire on the Bayou,” which have played at DTC in recent years. “A Cappella Humana” is a different kind of Ramsey work, telling the nativity story in part through powerful renditions of “Go Tell It On the Mountain” and “Mary Did You Know,” as well as original compositions. “A Cappella Human” runs through Dec. 18. DTC is located at 200 Water St., in Wilmington. 594-1100, delawaretheatre.org.
Heavenly
Serafin String Quartet’s big news: a series of three Collage Concerts at World Cafe Live at The Queen. The concerts are one-hour performances of short pieces by various composers, with talk by the musicians. The first occurs Dec. 11: “String Quartet Time Machine—Haydn to Higdon,” featuring works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorák, Ravel, Martinu and Higdon. “Serafin String Quartet is pleased to be presented by LiveConnection in Wilmington’s newest performance venue, World Cafe Live at the Queen,” says Serafin violinist Kate Ransom. “It is one of the rare places that is actively and effectively making connections for listeners who want to experience different kinds of music in different ways.” Whether you’re new to traditional music or a longtime aficionado, you’ll enjoy. All concerts begin at noon. Go early for brunch, which begins at 11 a.m. 994-1400, queen.worldcafelive.com
Classic
A Brandywine Christmas at Brandywine River Museum continues with, new this year, a dollhouse once owned by Ann Wyeth McCoy, crafted and furnished by hand by members of the Wyeth family, including her brother Andrew Wyeth. A reproduction of N.C. Wyeth’s “Old Kris” even hangs above the mantel. At more than 9 feet high, it’s filled with Mrs. McCoy’s dolls, all dressed in clothing of her own design. Don’t miss the special chance to see this miniature world. As ever during A Brandywine Christmas, you can watch the cars of an O-gauge model railroad running on more than 2,000 feet of track, and don’t forget the thousands of “critter” ornaments made from natural materials by volunteers of the Brandywine Conservancy. The holiday classic is on display till Jan. 8. (610) 388-2700, brandywinemuseum.org
See it Before it’s Gone
Catch “Noises Off” by UD’s Resident Ensemble Players through Dec. 11. Watch a woefully inept theatre troupe—or, should we say, watch the brilliant REP portray a woefully inept troupe—as it attempts to perform a sex comedy called ‘Nothing On.’ Says REP, this “madcap melee of theatrical mishaps that will have you grasping your sides and gasping for air!” We’re sure. 831-2204, rep.udel.edu
Looking Ahead…
The Delaware Valley Chorale presents A Choral Fantasie of music from the 16th century to the 21st by R.V. Williams, Giovanni Gabrieli and Gustov Holst, as well as a special performance of the Daniel Pinkham Christmas Cantata for mixed chorus, organ and brass. See it Dec. 19 at The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew in Wilmington and on Dec. 20 at Newark United Methodist Church. 740-2410, delawarevalleychorale.org
