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If you like to go behind the scenes of a performance – especially when there’s a chance to witness someone else’s disaster and “enjoy” a little schadenfreude – the Americana Theatre Company’s production of “An Americana Christmas Carol” might be just the ticket. Performances at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., begin Thursday, Dec. 12, and continue on select dates through Dec. 21.
The play, written by the company’s artistic directors Derek Grant Martin and Jesse M. Sullivan, puts a twist on the classic Charles Dickens story, “A Christmas Carol.” In this version, the play’s producers, Charles and Isabella Richardson (who were once married), struggle with the production of the play. To start with, Charles is playing the lead role as Ebeneezer Scrooge – both on stage and off. Some of the cruelty of Scrooge evidently rubs off on him, and as Isabella tries to hold things together, the actor “wreaks havoc” on the play, as well as behind the scenes of the production. Can the three ghosts of Christmas work their magic on the real-life Charles, as they do on the fictional Scrooge?
The production is directed by Marianne Savell, and features Sullivan as Charles, along with company actors David Friday, Erin Friday, and Nick Hancock in the cast. The show is playing Dec. 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m. on Dec. 15 and 21. Tickets are $40 for adults and $35 for students and seniors, and you can buy them here or by calling 508-591-0282.
Monday, December 2
The Plymouth Public Library presents a Holiday Piano Concert with Sergei Novikov from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library’s Fehlow Meeting Room. Novikov returns to perform a classical jazz and holiday music program to put you into the holiday spirit. A Russian immigrant, Novikov began his musical studies at age 6 learning on the three-stringed balalaika. He moved to the United States in 1990 at the age of 21 and he has become a major force in contemporary composing while traveling throughout the New England area. Registration is required and seating is limited. You can register here.
Tuesday, December 3
The first Tuesday of every month is Inebri-Art Figure Drawing night at New World Tavern, 56 Main St., from 7 to 9 p.m. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a brand-new doodler, life drawing in this casual environment is an affordable, fun, and artistic adventure. Invite your friends and sip on a craft beer as you embark on this creative experience. Admission is $10, and you can get tickets here.
Wednesday, December 4
The Young @ Art show at the Plymouth Center for the Arts at 11 North St. opens and will run through Dec. 22, with a reception on Dec. 7 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. with a reception on Dec. 7 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Work by artists ages 6 -18 will be on display, and the show and reception are free.
Thursday, December 5
Cape Symphony presents Life & Lyrics with Cara Brindisi and Brian Calhoon at the Spire at 7:30 p.m. Every month, Brindisi, a local performer and recent contestant on “The Voice,” takes the stage for an intimate concert and podcast at the Spire. Calhoun joins her this month to share his acclaimed Marimba Cabaret, which blends marimba and vocals, bringing pop covers and show tunes to life. Beyond the music, both performers share stories of their lives during an in-depth interview. Tickets are $15 and you can buy them here.
Friday, December 6
Get into the season’s spirit with the Pilgrim Festival Chorus’s holiday program, “A Basically British Christmas – Seasonal Favorites from Across the Pond,” at 7:30 p.m. at St. Bonaventure Parish, 803 State Road. If you can’t catch the show today, performances will also take place on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. Artistic directors William B. Richter, conductor, and Elizabeth Chapman Reilly, organist, lead the chorus accompanied by the orchestra. The Pilgrim Festival Chorus continues its annual tradition of making “joyful” music at Christmastime with works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, John Rutter, and James Whitbourn, British composers who created choral pieces traditionally performed during this festive season. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $15 for students over 14, and can be purchased here, from members of the chorus, or at the door. Card to Culture attendees and children ages 14 and under are free.
Got greens for the holidays? The Plymouth Garden Club’s Holiday Greens Sale takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. today, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Fehlow Room at the Plymouth Public Library. The sale features decorated wreaths, swags, porch and graveside baskets, large and small arrangements, and baked goods. Proceeds from the sale help fund three scholarships the club awards to three high school seniors – one each from North High School, South High, and Rising Tides. The scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded to seniors going into environmental studies, landscape art, and similar fields. The club also uses the funds for town beautification, the library garden beds, Brewster Gardens, and the Junior Garden Club.
The annual Light up the Season celebration takes place on the Town Hall green from 4:30 to 8 p.m., featuring live performances from The Road Back Home, Plymouth Public Schools students, and Cara Brindisi. Santa arrives at 6 p.m. for the tree and menorah lighting. At 6:30 p.m., kids can meet Santa at the Spire Center across the street. There will be hot cocoa, cookie decorating, and other family-style activities.
Saturday, December 7
Book Love at 7 Village Green South in the Pinehills will hold its Sip and Shop event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are free and there is discounted shopping, along with a wine tasting, just in time for the holidays.
You’re invited to get in the holiday spirit with Pilgrim Hall Museum’s 16th Annual Holiday House Tour, sponsored by North Easton Savings Bank. This year, the museum has been celebrating 200 years of operation. Tickets grant you entrance to a selection of beautifully decorated private homes. The holiday event is also a fundraiser for America’s oldest public museum. Reservations are recommended, and tickets are $55, $50 for members. Exact locations of houses on the tour are confidential until the day of the tour. A booklet and map will serve as your ticket and reveal the locations of the houses. Pick up the booklet and map at Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court Street, between 9:30 a.m. and noon today. You can reserve tickets here, or email membership@pilgrimhall.org or call 508-746-1620, ext. 3.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums invites the public to its second annual Winter Fine Arts & Craft Fair today and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will enjoy a festive showcase of independent artists and makers, as well as hands-on demonstrations, and special presentations in the museum’s Hornblower Visitor Center and other spaces on the museum grounds. This year’s fair features more than 85 artisans including 15 indigenous artisan fellows. A highlight includes a cooking demonstration by Chef Sherry Pocknett (Mashpee Wampanoag) – the first Indigenous woman to be awarded the prestigious James Beard Award. Also, the Standing Quiver Singers from Mashpee will present indigenous dances and songs for audiences of all ages. The fair will also include festive food and drink, hayrides, s’mores, and wood-fired pizzas. Admission is $5, and children 12 and under are free. Purchase tickets at the door. For more information, go here.
“Light the Night” returns to Brewster Gardens and runs nightly through Dec. 31. The event is sponsored by the Plymouth Downtown Waterfront District and promises to be “bigger and better” this year with a trail of lights for the public to enjoy. The event is free, and the lights are turned on daily at sunset.
Sunday, December 8
More holiday festivities are afoot at the Jingle All the Way to The Pinehills Village Green, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.It takes place at the Pinehills Village Green, and includes a Holiday Farmers Market, the 18th annual Reindog Parade, and the Mayflower Winter Beer Garden. Check out the list of vendors and events here. The Reindog Parade check-in is at 1 p.m. and the parade starts at 2 p.m. The categories include: Most Festive Fur Ball, Best Owner/Dog Lookalike, Best Trick, and Best in Show. All dogs (or their owners) must register, and the parade is limited to 80 dogs. The parade requests a $5 registration donation to benefit Plymouth Helping Hands for Animals. Cape Cod 5 and the Pinehills are matching all donations. Register your dog here, and you will be prompted to a payment page for the donation.
Tuesday, December 10
Ever wonder about the real reasons the pilgrims boarded the Mayflower? An evening with Jennifer Rose Sinsigalli may help provide the answers. The discussion with local author J. L. Rose takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Book Love, 7 Village Green South in the Pinehills. The author will discuss her historic novel “Before the Mayflower,” and might answer questions you have about what led more than 100 people to board a ship designed to carry cargo – and not people – and travel to a dangerous new world. Was it really religion? Did they all come directly from England and know one another? Is it true these people were poor and uneducated? The discussion will cover details of life in the 17th century, including clothing, trade, food and family. Names like Brewster, Bradford, Alden, and Carver will be in the mix, and actual 17th century artifacts will be on display. Tickets are $6 and you can buy them and register here.
Thursday, December 12
The Americana Theatre Company opens its production of “An Americana Christmas Carol” at the Plymouth Center for the Arts. See the lead item for more information.
The Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., invites art center friends to join a “Most Enchanting Christmastime” holiday trip to Newburyport, hosted by Jeannine Brayman. Attendees leave the art center by bus at 9 a.m., and the trip includes a tour of Newburyport, lunch at a local restaurant, and time to browse shops and museums after lunch. The bus returns to Plymouth at 6 p.m. The cost is $120 per person, which includes transportation and lunch. You can buy tickets here.
The Spire Lobby Series presents singer-songwriter Jenna Nicholls at the Spire at7:30 p.m. Her melodies have been compared to “vintage vinyl spun anew,” and her work has been featured on TV and in several short films, full-length productions, and documentaries. Nicholls has performed in venues worldwide, including the Beacon Theater in New York and Carnegie Hall. Tickets are $15 for this lobby series event, and you can get them here.