Amarillo entertainment in brief

ALT presenting 'Defying Gravity'

Amarillo Little Theatre is presenting "Defying Gravity" through today, Nov. 21.

This free structured look at the 1986 Challenger disaster places the teacher who died with six others as they hurtled into space at the center of an exploration of our need to reach beyond ourselves and dare the universe.

"Defying Gravity" artfully interweaves the past with the present and the lives of participants and bystanders, drawing parallels among painter Claude Monet’s artistic quest, the zest of the teacher selected to be the first civilian astronaut, the perspectives of her grieving daughter, the aspirations of elderly tourists who drive their Winnebago to Florida to watch the space shot and dream of hotels in space, the guilt felt by a NASA mechanic, and his girlfriend’s fear of heights.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the ALT website at amarillolittletheatre.org

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas promises holiday cheer

Civic Amarillo & Celebrity Attractions presents the Million Dollar Quartet Christmas at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, in the Civic Center Complex Auditorium, Entrance #12, 401 S. Buchanan St.

Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley come together again to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Sun Records, now donned with a Christmas tree, garland, and mistletoe, rings with the sounds of the season and the chart toppers that made these four famous.

Follow along with the gang’s usual antics as we journey through a story of Christmas past, present, and future. It's a jam packed evening of holidays hits and classic characters you won't want to miss.

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas is a special add-on production to the 2021-2022 Broadway Season. Tickets were made available to season ticket holders before the general public. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit panhandletickets.com.

Maxwell's Magical Christmas opens Friday

Maxwell's Magical Christmas opens for the holiday season with a variety of 20-plus attractions on Friday, Nov. 26, at Maxwell's Pumpkin Farm, 12908 S. Bell St.

Santa is on the farm every day through Dec. 23. Attendees can snap a picture and tell him what they'd like for Christmas. Santa's grand entrance at the farm will start around 6 p.m. daily. Other festive features include a trail of thousands of lights sure to make nights that much brighter, giant slides, alighted hayride trail and Christmas market.

Hours of operation are 5:30-9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26 and 27; Fridays through Sundays, Dec. 3-12; and daily, Dec. 17-30 except for Dec. 24 and 25, when they'll be closed.

Admission at the gate is $20.95 plus tax, and children 2 and younger are admitted free. The admission pass includes visits with Santa Claus, the Trail of Lights, Magic Carpet Ride, Lighted Hayride Trail, Candy Chaos Obstacle Course, Wagon Train Ride, Tube Slides, Farm Animals, Corn Hole Acres, photo ops and more.

For more information, visit www.maxwellspumpkinfarm.com/christmas or call (806) 373-9600 or email info@maxwellspumpkinfarm.com .

Hollywood 16 to screen 'West Side Story' for 60th anniversary

TCM Big Screen Classics Presents "West Side Story 60th Anniversary" on the big screen at Cinemark Hollywood 16 & XD, 9100 Canyon Drive, at 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, and and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1.

This electrifying musical, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics from Stephen Sondheim, sets the ageless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in the slums of 1950's New York.

"West Side Story" explores the rivalry between two teenage street gangs – white working-class Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks. When a member of the Jets falls in love with the sister of the Sharksʼ leader, things look hopeful at first, but rapidly go downhill. Illustrating the events are many memorable song and dance numbers such as "America", "Somewhere" and "I Feel Pretty".

Starring Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer and George Chakiris, the film went on to win 10 Academy Awards on its original release in 1961.

Something’s Coming to theatres for this special 60th anniversary event will feature exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies.

Tickets for this special screening are $12.45 and available in advance online at www.fathomevents.com.

Amarillo Symphony to perform 'Messiah'

The Amarillo Symphony presents Handel's Messiah at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.

Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the Coverdale Psalter, the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer.

Tickets for this event are not yet on sale. Check back at a later date to panhandletickets.com

Hollywood 16 to screen 'Eurydice' Met opera

"Eurydice," a Met: Live in HD production will screen at 11:55 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4 , at Cinemark Hollywood 16 & XD, 9100 Canyon Drive in Amarillo.

In this live, new opera production, rising American composer Matthew Aucoin brings a captivating new take on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus — who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved from the underworld — to the Met.

Featuring a libretto by MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Sarah Ruhl, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts an immersive new staging. Music by Matthew Aucoin / Libretto by Sarah Ruhl Language: English, with English subtitles. Tickets are $25-$27; see www.fathomevents.com/ for details.

Williams brings Christmas tour to Amarillo

Zach Williams brings his I Don’t Want Christmas to End Tour to the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7.

The Jonesboro, Arkansas-raised and currently Nashville, Tennessee-based artist has become one of CCM’s leading artists and songwriters by carving a niche with his singular blend of southern rock, country, and faith-filled songwriting, which quickly awarded him his first GRAMMY Award® with his debut album, 2017’s "Chain Breaker".

Tickets for this show range from $32 to $216 for a VIP experience (plus taxes and fees) and are available for purchase online at panhandletickets.com

Lone Star Ballet presents 'The Nutcracker'

Lone Star Ballet presents "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 10-12 at the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium, Entrance 10.

The story of The Nutcracker is loosely based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann fantasy story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King.

Friday's performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 and 6 p.m.

Tickets for this annual production range from $13 to $48 (plus fees) and are available for purchase online at panhandletickets.com

'On Golden Pond' 40th anniversary coming to theaters

TCM Big Screen Classics presents "On Golden Pond" on the big screen to celebrate its 40th anniversary, with 3 and 7 p.m. showings on Sunday, Dec. 12, and Wednesday, Dec. 15, at Regal Amarillo Star 14, 8275 Amarillo Blvd., and Cinemark Hollywood 16 & XD, 9100 Canyon Dr.

In this classic drama, Henry Fonda, brilliant as Norman Thayer Jr., is angry about being 80 and losing his faculties. Katharine Hepburn stars Thayer's fine all devoted wife who shared his summers at their Maine lakefront home, and the alienated daughter is played by Jane Fonda. This 40th anniversary event that includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies.

Tickets are $13.53 and $12.45 for this special event. For more information and tickets, visit www.fathomevents.com/

Amarillo Symphony returns holiday pops concert

The Amarillo Symphony presents its annual holiday concert, Happy Holiday Pops at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.

Come hear Amarillo’s finest musicians bring your family’s favorite carols, magical classics, and holiday spirit to the stage.

Conducted by Chris Confessore, this concert will also feature the Amarillo Master Chorale, this family friendly concert will leave you caroling all the way home.

Tickets range from $21 to $71 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating and are available for purchase at panhandletickets.com

AMoA biennial exhibit continues through Jan. 2

The Amarillo Museum of Art is showcasing its biennial exhibit, "AMoA Biennial 600: Justice • Equality • Race • Identity," now through Jan. 2.

According to its website, this exhibition is the ninth in an ongoing series of juried biennial exhibitions exploring specific areas of artistic practice, material, and content. This year, the AMoA staff and Board of Trustees have offered the museum’s exhibition spaces to artists with a socially engaged practice. The exhibition is a collection of artworks submitted by artists residing within a 600-mile radius of Amarillo, and on view will be more than 120 artworks in a variety of media from 46 artists.

The juror, Leslie Moody Castro, is an independent curator and writer whose practice is based on itinerancy and collaboration. She has produced, organized, and collaborated on projects in Mexico and the United States for more than a decade, and her repertoire of critical writing is also reflective of her commitment to place.

AMoA is located at 2200 South Van Buren in the Amarillo Cultural District. Museum admission is free; fall hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (806) 371-5050 or visit https://www.amoa.org/

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo entertainment in brief