You’ve got to hand it to Santa.
Along with the usual sack of holiday entertainment goodies – Scrooge and “Nutcracker, “Messiah” and “Deck the Halls” – he threw in a couple of bon bons: Dolly Parton and Bette Midler.
The superstar divas are part of the holiday mix in Snohomish County this year. The sassy Midler brings her “Kiss My Brass Tour” to the Everett Events Center on Dec. 7 and sweet-voiced Parton is right behind with the “Hello I’m Dolly Tour” on Dec. 19; information for both shows at www.everetteventscenter.com, 866-332-8499.
For traditionalists, Christmas brings a welcome return of holiday favorite concerts.
Music
The Snohomish County Windjammers get the season going on a harmonious note with “A Bad Boys Christmas.” The barbershop chorus offers a deft blend of four-part harmony musical high jinks. 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, First Presbyterian Church, Everett.
Duke Ellington wrote his own swinging orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite,” and the Mountlake Terrace High School Jazz Ensemble performs it at 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park, also 7 p.m. Dec. 10-11 at the high school; 425-471-3205.
The Everett Chorale, a community-based choir directed by Lee Mathews, takes listeners on a “A Musical Journey for the Holidays” in concerts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Everett Performing Arts Center. The choir of nearly 100 singers will perform a variety of holiday music from the choral repertoire including works by Randall Thompson and John Rutter, plus selections by Mendelssohn and Menotti among others; 425-257-8600.
Bells of the Sound, the region’s premiere hand-bell ensemble, celebrates the season with its “Ring We Now Noel” concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lynnwood. The sound of hand bells has a particular resonance during the holidays and this concert includes plenty of Christmas songs; 425-778-2159.
The Lynnwood Trolley Band salutes the season with “Holiday Magic,” a free concert that features The Upbeats sax quartet and The Silver Seas flute ensemble, at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, at the Edmonds Church of God, Edmonds; 425-745-9121.
The Seattle Men’s Chorus takes listeners “Underneath the Mistletoe” at their annual holiday show at 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Everett Civic Auditorium. This year’s program blends traditional carols, a nostalgic look back to holiday music from the 1950s and the added accompaniment of harps; 425-257-8600
The Edmonds Community College Symphonic Choir performs traditional choral music for the holidays at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lynnwood; 425-778-2159.
Sno-King Community Chorale presents a holiday concert with director Frank DeMiero at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11, Edmonds Center for the Arts. The Meadowdale High School Chamber Choir joins the choir for an evening of holiday classics including “White Christmas”; 425-673-7671.
The Northwest Boychoir’s “A Festival of Lessons &Carols” is a Northwest tradition. The concert of readings and carols is patterned after the Christmas Eve observance at King’s College in Cambridge, England, and is presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Trinity Episcopal Church, Everett; 206-528-0250.
Harpist Bronn Journey’s annual Christmas concert is blend of holiday music, music from the classical repertoire and Broadway show tunes. Soprano Katherine Journey joins her husband for performances at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15-16 at the Everett Performing Arts Center; 425-257-6360.
“Christmas Treasures” is the theme of the Choral Arts Society holiday concert, an evening of holiday favorites by the choir accompanied on the organ by Paul Tegels. Dec. 17, Trinity Lutheran Church, Lynnwood; 425-778-2159.
The Sacred Music Choral performs the music from the Christian church in a holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood; 425-778-2159.
The Everett Symphony invites the public to join them in a “Messiah Sing-a-Long” at 3 p.m. Dec. 19 at First Presbyterian Church in Everett. Symphony musicians accompany singers in selections from Handel’s oratorio; 425-257-8382
Grammy-winning instrumentalists Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel make their annual visit to Everett with a new holiday album on Dec. 19 at the historic Everett Theatre; 425-258-6766.
Stage
Daniel Sullivan created an instant classic in “Inspecting Carol,” a send-up of holiday shows that shows what happens when a community theater company tries to put on “A Christmas Carol.” What happens is controlled chaos and plenty of laughs. The Whidbey Playhouse in Oak Harbor presents the show Dec. 3-18; 360-679-2237.
A boy and a BB gun are the stars of “A Christmas Story,” Jean Shepherd’s nostalgic comedy about an American Christmas in the mid-20th century. Now it’s a holiday tradition thanks to a well-loved TV movie, but the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts presents the stage version of the show Dec. 3-18 in Langley; 360-221-8268, 800-638-7631.
“It’s a Kaddywompas Christmas” when children’s entertainer Tim Noah and the Popcorn Players get together for a family musical about a Christmas that almost doesn’t happen for a band of weary travelers. The show plays Dec. 4-19 at the Thumbnail Theatre in Snohomish; 360-704-8348.
Get “In the Mood” when Take a Bough Productions presents at a 1940-style USO show that includes music, comedy and sketches performed by eight singers and the Moonlight Swing Orchestra. Performances are Dec. 4-12 at various locations; 360-805-5699.
They are, simply, “the worst kids in the history of the world,” but some this gang of incorrigible kids turn out “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Barbara Robinson’s 1972 story really caught on when it was made in to TV movie, and Driftwood Theatre’s Alternative Stages has the stage version playing Dec. 5-14 in Edmonds; 425-774-9600.
Dance
Like the magical Christmas tree in the story, Olympic Ballet’s “Nutcracker” just keeps growing.
The Edmonds dance company offers a fully staged production of this holiday classic with performance in Everett and Mountlake Terrace. The Everett concerts feature music by the Everett Symphony Orchestra.
This year, OBT is taking its show to Seattle for the first time, with performances schedule for Meany Theatre at the University of Washington.
Performances are Dec. 4 and 5 at Mountlake Terrace Performing Arts Center, 425-774-7570; Dec. 11 and 12 at the Everett Civic Auditorium, 425-257-8382; and Dec. 18 and 19 at Meany Theatre; 425-774-7570.
“A Child’s Storybook: The Nutcracker” will be presented by Everett Dance Theatre at 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Dec. 3, 6 p.m. Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 5 at the PUD Auditorium in Everett; 425-348-5955.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
