BBT's 'Nutcracker' set for Dec. 18-19; two comedy shows announced for SPAC [Spotlight]

Nov. 8—Berks Ballet Theatre has announced that tickets are on sale for its production of "The Nutcracker," being staged Dec. 18 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, West Reading.

The production will feature live accompaniment by the Reading Pops Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Willis Rapp.

BBT Artistic Director Kelly Barber and Ballet Master and Resident Choreographer Nathan Bland are cochoreographing the ballet with 21 company dancers and 23 students from Berks Ballet Theatre Conservatory of Dance.

Dancing the role of the regal Sugar Plum Fairy is company dancer Ellie Folga, who has been promoted to this role following her performance the previous season as Lead Candy Cane. The role of Sugar Plum Fairy is traditionally danced by a professional guest; however, Folga has shown she's both technically and artistically ready to meet the demands of the role.

The role of the Cavalier will be danced by New York City-based dancer and Broadway alum Jace Coronado. Returning to dance the role of Snow King is New York City-based dancer Nick Peregrino.

Many soloist roles will be performed by BBT company dancers including the Snow Queen, danced by Lorelei Obst, and the Dew Drop Fairy, danced by Jessica Bealer. Hennessey Kehs-Rossi and Alexis Spitz of the junior company will share the title role of Clara.

Gretchen Kimmel, a senior at Oley High School and recent winner of the Outstanding Young Woman competition, will bring the roles of Victorian Doll, Mouse Queen and Arabian Coffee to life in three solo performances.

For tickets and additional information, visit BerksBalletTheatre.com/tickets or call 610-373-7577.

Comedy

Two new comedy shows have been announced for the Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading.

Jim Jefferies' "Moist Tour" comes to town on Feb. 24, followed by Nate Bargatze's "Raincheck Tour" on March 24.

A Sydney, Australia, native, Jefferies is one of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation, entertaining audiences across the globe with his provocative, belief-challenging and thought-provoking comedy.

Jefferies was honored as Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the Just for Laughs Festival in summer 2019. At the end of 2019, he started his "Oblivious Tour" and toured all around Europe and North America.

His ninth stand-up special, "Intolerant," came out on Netflix last year. He hosts his own podcast, "I Don't Know About That with Jim Jefferies."

Fresh off the release of his second Netflix special, "The Greatest Average American," Bargatze's new tour will feature all new material.

Bargatze's comedy is both clean and relatable, which is evident in his 10 appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" following four appearances on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." In March 2019, Bargatze's first solo one-hour Netflix special, "The Tennessee Kid," premiered to rave reviews.

In July 2020, the comedian teamed up with All Things Comedy to release his new podcast, "Nateland."

Tickets for both shows are on sale at ticketmaster.com.

Concert

Immanuel United Church of Christ will host a Gift of the Arts Series concert, "Songs of the Shoah," on its Shillington campus next Sunday at 4 p.m. The concert marks the culmination of the Violins of Hope tour of the Reading area. The mission of Violins of Hope is to promote unity and understanding in communities by utilizing instruments rescued from the Holocaust.

"Songs of the Shoah" features members of Berks Sinfonietta and Vox Philia performing chamber and vocal works by Jewish composers held at the Theresienstadt concentration camp. A community choir will then perform selections from British composer James Whitbourn's "Annelies," which sets the words of Anne Frank to music.

A rare occurrence, area musicians will be allowed to perform on some of the restored instruments during the concert. The violins, part of a 50-piece collection, were rescued from the Holocaust and lovingly restored by Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein.

Violins of Hope Reading is presented by the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Jewish Federation of Reading. Proceeds from the Gift of the Arts Series will benefit the Reading Music Foundation's needs-based scholarship program.

Concert tickets cost $15 for adults, $5 for students. For tickets and more

information, visit www.immanuel-ucc.org.

Theater

Reading Civic Theatre has announced the lineup for its 2022 season, which will include the Berks County premiere of Disney's "The Descendants," followed by the classic "Guys and Dolls" and ending with "The Full Monty."

Auditions will be held Jan. 9-11, with sign-ups posted at readingcivic.org after Nov. 28. The materials for auditions will be available on the website as of Jan. 1. Come prepared to sing a song from one of the shows you might be interested in auditioning for.

Questions can be directed to Jeannette DeAngelo at jmbway@aol.com or Brandon Kegerize at brandonkegerize@gmail.com.

----The Pines Dinner Theatre, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown, celebrates the Christmas season with the heart-warming tale "Home for the Holidays," opening Wednesday and running through through Dec. 19.

As Sam (Don Hart) and Marty Fergueson (Barbi McGuire) plan for their extended family to visit them in upstate New York, their best plans are thrown asunder as a winter blizzard sweeps up the coast, snarling travel for everyone in the storm's path. Hilarity ensues when Jane (Abigail Garrigan), Walter Marshall (Michael Covel) and their daughter Emma (Mia Moyer) stop in for an unexpected visit.

The show includes traditional Christmas favorites like "Oh, Christmas Tree," "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World," as well as original music and lyrics by Oliver Blatt and Stacy Bechtel, with additional music and lyric credits by Jason Michael and Gene Culkin.

For show times and ticket information, call the box office at 610-433-2333 or visit pinesdinnertheatre.com.

Movies

A premiere for Jorge Gomez's locally produced indie film "Get Lost The Movie" will be held Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St. It will included musical showcases and appearances by the film's producers as well as many of the actors. Tickets are $25 at eventbrite.com.