Hear the pros: To hear vocal holiday splendor by the folks who really know what they are doing, take in one of the programs titled “Gloria” presented by beloved Bay Area stalwarts, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, in three locations this weekend. Under the direction of chorus master and conductor Valérie Sainte Agathe, the ensemble will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria”; Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G minor, known as the “Christmas Concerto”; and two works by contemporary composers, the world premiere of Roderick Williams’ a cappella work “Quem Pastores Laudavere,” and the U.S. premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw’s five-movement “The Holdfast,” with text excerpts from the Thomas Hardy poem “The Darkling Thrush.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, 2:30 p.m. Saturday at First Congregational Church in Berkeley and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Bing Concert Hall at Stanford. Find tickets, $20-$125, at philharmonia.org/gloria.
Well hallelujah! Holiday festivities start in earnest early this month, with dozens of concerts, dance and theater presentations and gift fairs going on all over the Bay Area. One of the most endearing and welcoming is the annual come-one, come-all “Sing It Yourself Messiah” mounted by the Valley Concert Chorale, this year at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore. Rest assured, there will be many self-singing veterans there to guide singers through George Frideric Handel’s most famous score who are new to the phenomenon. And don’t worry, for those who don’t have their own copy of the beloved Christmas-season oratorio to the event, there will be some hand-out scores available. Trained soloists will take on the toughest soprano, alto, tenor and bass arias and recitatives, and “all we like sheep,” the members of the audience, will handle the choruses, winding up with a lusty rendition of the mighty “Hallelujah Chorus.” Tickets, $15 but free for students, are at valleyconcertchorale.org.
Freebie of the week: The winter holidays annually serve up an eclectic array of fun stuff to do on the cheap. This week, for example, offers an event tied to the holidays but also to a serious issue: freedom of expression. Golden Gate fREADom Writers— a Bay Area group focused on peaceful resistance using the written word and taking action to protect expression—has a holiday theme for this month’s Banned Books Bingo gathering. The event is pretty much what its title suggests: a Bingo game focusing on famous books that have been banned in America. While book-banning may seem like something limited to dystopian sci-fi stories like “Fahrenheit 451,” PEN America points out that it is more prevalent now than ever, and not likely to change while right-wing pro-censorship activists are emboldened by our current president. Banned Book Bingo (consisting of three rounds of the game) runs 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pig & Whistle, 2801 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. Admission is free, but book or toy donations for Toys for Tots are welcome. Refreshments will be served. More information on Banned Books Bingo Holiday Edition and Toy Drive is at eventbrite.com.
Christmas with the GG: The fact that the popular “The Golden Girls,” the sitcom created in 1985 about four senior women sharing a home in Florida, still draws new fans speaks to just how good it is. Considered groundbreaking (elderly women rarely emerged as anything more than novelty characters or somebody’s grandma) the show boasts talented stars—Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty — and some of the finest sitcom writing in American TV history. Not only are its zingers so good and characters imbued with depth; the show addresses issues about aging in America without preaching or sacrificing the entertainment value. Now streaming on Disney+, Hulu or the Hallmark Channel, “The Golden Girls” so rich in comedy, it has inspired a beloved Bay Area holiday production now in its 20th year. “Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes,” features four talented drag performers — D’Arcy Drollinger, Miss Coco Peru, Matthew Martin and Holotta Tymes — re-enacting holiday-themed episodes from the storied show. Over the years, San Francisco has played host to a wide array of eccentric Christmas stage productions. Many have moved on, but this one remains and is worth a visit. Presented by BroadwaySF, it runs through Dec. 21 at the Curran in San Francisco. Tickets are $37.44-$141.57 at broadwaysf.com.
L-R, Deb Anderson, Filip Hofman and Karen DeHart appear in the heartwarming “Over the River and Through the Woods” at City Lights Theater in San Jose. (Christian Pizzirani/City Lights Theater Company via Bay City News)
Uttering the P-word: Even though poignancy may be out of style these days, some folks have the courage to embrace their inner schmaltziness. They’ll be especially amused by “Over the River and Through the Woods,” a family- and somewhat holiday-themed comedy/drama now at City Lights Theater in San Jose. Set in New Jersey, it follows a young man who gathers with his grandparents each Sunday for a dinner full of pasta and pleasantries. It has been a weekly tradition for years, until now, as 29-year-old Nick one day informs his grandparents he is moving across the country to take a new job. The play by Joe DiPietro (best known for penning “Memphis,” the Tony-winning show that got a world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley) is credited with deftly balancing heartwarming moments with true comedy as the four grandparents employ food and girlfriend material to try and get Nick to change his mind. The City Lights Theater Company production plays through Dec. 21 in San Jose; tickets are $30-$68 at cltc.org.