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Looking forward: The month of December in the arts
Ready or not, here’s the last month of 2022. Arts happenings for this weekend – the first one in December – were laid out Thursday in the Catalyst. Check it all out at this link.
Now, on to the rest …
Our friend Matthew McGee has played dozens of characters onstage around these parts. Now the bay area’s hardest-working actor is playing … well, however many characters there are in the classic Frank Capra film It’s a Wonderful Life. American Stage’s Helen R. Murray and Jason Lott have created a one-person stage adaptation, and Matthew has the lead role, and all the others too. It’s called Wonderful Life, and it’s American Stage’s holiday offering – playing as a pop-up between Dec. 15 and 24 at thestudio@620, Coastal Creative, the James Museum and Gulfport’s Catherine Hickman Theatre. Can’t wait to see his take on Violet Bick.
Holiday concerts
Dec. 8: Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday, an annual treat from the gifted guitarist and company, at the Palladium Theater.
John Huls and his merry band of impov-o-maniacs descend on thestudio@620 Dec. 9 and 10 for Dirty John’s Mistlestoned.
The Florida Orchestra’s Holiday Pops concert is presented Dec. 9 at the Straz Center Morsani Hall, Dec. 10 at the Mahaffey Theater, and Dec. 11 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. At the Mahaffey Dec. 17, and the Straz Center Dec. 18: Michael Francis conducts The Florida Orchestra “for a cozy concert that evokes a traditional English Christmas on the cobbled streets of a snow-covered village.”
Also on Dec. 11, A Holiday Tea at the studio@620 with singer Stephanie Roberts and guitarist Lee Ahlin.
Dec. 14: Jazz twosome Orilla at the Palladium with Holidays Around the World. Orilla plays holiday tunes Dec. 22 at the Dali Museum, too.
Holiday-themed concerts at Ruth Eckerd Hall include Engelbert Humperdinck (Dec. 12); Bowzer’s Holiday Party with Peter Noone, Gary U.S. Bonds, Joey Dee and more (Dec. 17).
Ruth’s sister venue, the Capitol Theatre, has got Chris Isaak’s holiday show (Dec. 7); Outlaws Yuletide Jam (Dec. 9 and 10); Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Dec. 14); Debbie Gibson (Dec. 15); Rockapella (Dec. 16); Mindi Abair (Dec. 17); Celtic Angels (Dec. 22).
St. Pete Opera’s Holiday Sparkle. Photo: Jim Swallow.
Between Dec. 15 and 22, St. Petersburg Opera Company’s annual Holiday Sparkle concert is performed at Opera Central, the company’s headquarters. This year’s show includes the Gian Carlo Menotti mini-opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Not officially a Christmas show, but it IS called the 93.3 Jingle Ball. Happening Dec. 16 at Amalie Arena, the bill features Backstreet Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Big Time Rush and more.
Dec. 18 at Amalie, it’s a mad, musical electric Christmas, courtesy of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Radio Theatre Project – the group that does “live radio broadcasts” onstage – has a Christmas show Dec. 19 at the studio@620.
Non-holiday stuff
Actress Becca McCoy is back in town with a one-woman stage adaptation of her book The Year of Extraordinary Travel. It’s Dec. 8-18 at Studio Grand Central.
Pop diva Taylor Dayne has a Dec. 11 date at the Palladium Theater.
Easy listening/jazz composer and musician John Tesh has a Dec. 11 appointment with the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo.
Kenny Loggins has two night stand at Ruth Eckerd Hall – Dec. 13 and 15. It’s not listed as a holiday show, but we’ll see. Maybe he’ll ride into the Santa Zone (and what’s he doing on the 14th, anyway?)
Dec. 17 at Amalie Arena, it’s a retro R&B spectacular featuring Xscape, Bell Biv DeVoe, Ginuwine and others.
Comedy at the Seminole Hard Rock Live: George Lopez (Dec. 15) and Ron White (Dec. 18).
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