Every holiday season, ordinary life becomes a full-scale production: holiday attire, extra leaves in the dining table, chairs sourced from the den and an endless playlist of wintry favorites blaring over Bluetooth. Are these not the costumes, sets and soundtracks of a holiday show? If so, why not take a break and turn the performance over to the professionals for a bit? We have some suggestions that follow.
Ross
On the Air
George Bailey returns with a microphone as Ross Valley Players stages Joe Landry’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, complete with live sound effects and vintage commercials. Nov. 19–Dec. 20 at the Barn Theatre, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. Thursdays–Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm, with schedule exceptions. $30–$45. rossvalleyplayers.com.
San Rafael
The Secret Garden
Childhood, loss and renewal bloom in Marin Shakespeare Company’s The Secret Garden, Jon Tracy’s adaptation of the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, directed by Jennifer Le Blanc. Five performers bring its Yorkshire estate and hidden sanctuary to life. Nov. 27–Dec. 20 at the Downtown Theatre, 514 Fourth St., San Rafael. Times and tickets at marinshakespeare.org.
Lights, Camera, Magic
Marin Center’s free Holiday Light Spectacular features thousands of lights, nightly crafts and films, including Ghostbusters at 6pm, Dec. 19. Bartolini Gallery’s Industrial Art & Magic displays sculptures and models by former Industrial Light & Magic artisans. Lights: 5–9pm nightly, Nov. 27–Jan. 3; exhibit Nov. 19–Jan. 29, at Marin Center, 20 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. Free. marincounty.gov.
Fired Up
The Ceramic Art Center of Marin’s European-inspired Holiday Market offers locally made ornaments, sculpture, jewelry and one-of-a-kind ceramics. The gift is the art; the shopping is incidental. Thursdays–Saturdays, 11am–5pm, Nov. 19–Dec. 24, at Art Works Downtown, Studio 24, lower level, 1337 Fourth St., San Rafael. Closed Thanksgiving. Free. cacm.studio/gallery.
By Candlelight
Marin Symphony’s Holiday Choral Concerts by Candlelight feature Bach, wassails and audience carols, with conductor Eric Choate, the Chamber Chorus, Marin Girls Chorus, brass quintet and organist Ben Bachmann. 7:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 5, and 4pm, Sunday, Dec. 6, at St. Raphael Church, 1104 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. Adults $45, youth $20. marinsymphony.org.
Novato
Crack the Nut
Marin Ballet presents its 64th Nutcracker production, with Tchaikovsky’s score, a Christmas Eve dream and a cast of young dancers. Some holiday rituals require batteries; this one runs on pointe shoes. 1 and 5pm, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5–6, at Novato High School Center for the Arts, 625 Arthur St. Tickets $34.59–$60.84. marinballet.org.
Mill Valley
Good Grief, It’s Jazz
Jason Crosby and company revisit Vince Guaraldi’sA Charlie Brown Christmas, with a little Grateful Dead in the mix. 1 and 7pm, Sunday, Dec. 20, at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. Maria Muldaur’s Holiday Swing follows there at 7pm, Tuesday, Dec. 22. Tickets and details at sweetwatermusichall.org.
The Gift of Nothing
Mooch the cat searches for a present for his canine friend Earl in The Gift of Nothing, a family musical based on Patrick McDonnell’s Mutts characters. Dec. 17–27 at Marin Theatre, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. Showtimes vary. Tickets $45 plus a $6 per-order handling fee; discounts available. marintheatre.org.
Nicasio
Christmas Tears
Wreckless Strangers bring a bluesy holiday single, “Christmas Tears,” recorded at Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studios, to their West Marin dinner show. The number recalls Freddie King rather than a choir of sleigh bells. 7:30pm, Friday, Nov. 20, at Rancho Nicasio, 1 Old Rancheria Rd. Dinner reservations from 6pm; $30 admission, dinner extra. ranchonicasio.com.
Muir Beach
Made by Hand
More than 40 Bay Area artists bring ceramics, jewelry, textiles, glass and other handmade gifts to the Muir Beach Holiday Arts Fair. The Muir Beach Quilters and California College of the Arts students join the festivities. 10am–5pm, Saturday, Dec. 5, and 10am–4pm, Sunday, Dec. 6, at Muir Beach Community Center, 19 Seacape Dr. Free. muirbeachartsfair.com.
