Category: Entertainment News

Tickets on sale for shows at the Majestic Theatre and Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Tickets for four new shows are now on sale, including two nights of Willie Nelson & Family. Photo: Majestic Theatre

Tickets are now on sale for four new shows at the Majestic Theatre and the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. For full calendar and listing of events, visit the Majestic Theatre online. (Majestic Theatre, 2021)

Sebastian Maniscalco: Nobody Does This Tour – Majestic Theatre
Friday February 18 at 7p.m.

“The hottest comic in America,” as touted by The New York Times, is making a stop on the Majestic Theatre stage Friday, February 18, 2022. Currently on the road for his new Nobody Does This Tour, the man Vulture has “built a tremendous fan base the old-fashioned way: one joke at a time, one audience at the time.” With so many new experiences to draw from this last year, Maniscalco is sharing his unique comedic perspective with the masses with this brand-new show.

“I’ve been unable to share my comedy for over a year,” Maniscalco shared exclusively with Billboard earlier this year. “I’m busting at the seams to get back out on the road and share my observations about life and family on this brand-new tour!”

During the last year, the comic NBC’s Nightly News dubbed, “comedy’s new superstar,” found new ways to connect with fans and flex his comedic muscles including hosting several virtual dinners with friend and chef, Dominick DiBartolomeo. Billed as “Sebastian’s Sunday Supper” the events have offered the ultimate virtual dinner party, filled with amazing food and packed with special guests including Jerry Seinfeld, Lester Holt, J.J. Watt, Christopher Lloyd and Rick Caruso.

The comedian also still managed to notched several career firsts in 2020 including a two-night run guest-hosting ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” In addition to adding late night host to his growing list of hyphenates, Maniscalco also add executive producer with the release of Sebastian Maniscalco presents Pat McGann: When’s Mom Gonna Be Home?

Me, Myself & Shirley – Charline McCombs Empire Theatre
Friday February 25 at 7p.m.
Saturday February 26 at 2p.m.
Saturday February 26 at 7p.m.

Cindy Williams will take the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre stage in a one-woman show, Me, Myself & Shirley for a limited three-show engagement February 25 – 26, 2022. Tickets start at $39.50.

The legendary star of the iconic comedy series, Laverne & Shirley will share memories of her career and hilarious backstage tales from her lifetime in entertainment. Although best known for her role as Shirley Feeney, Cindy Williams is a versatile actress and comedienne who overcame a challenging childhood to pursue her love of acting and found stardom.

During Me, Myself & Shirley, Williams will chronicle the stories, the secrets, the embarrassing moments, and the highs and lows of her life in Hollywood. Her career includes working with Academy Award-winning directors Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, George Cukor, Roger Corman and Jack Nicholson and in several films including two nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: American Graffiti and The Conversation. Her friends and co-stars include Penny Marshall, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Henry Winkler, Richard Dreyfus, Gene Hackman, Dame Maggie Smith, Gene Kelly, Andy Kaufman and Robert Duval.

Among her favorite honors are her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, her TV Land award for Fan Favorite as well as winning Best Actress at the L.A. Comedy Film Festival for the Indy film Stealing Roses. Cindy also garnered a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) nomination for best supporting actress in American Graffiti. Unfortunately, she was beat out by Ingrid Bergman. Cindy still wonders how all that happened.

Willie Nelson & Family – Majestic Theatre
Special guest: Kimberly Kelly
March 21 and 22 at 7:30p.m.

The Majestic Theatre is proud to welcome the return of Willie Nelson & Family with guest, Kimberly Kelly for two very special nights. With a seven-decade career, Willie Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.

In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10New York Times’ bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, been honored by the Library of Congress with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his 5th degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie’s Reserve and Willie’s Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine. In July 2020, Willie released his album First Rose of Spring – an atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances. September 2020 brought a memoir with his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson titled, “Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band.”

For 2021, he released a new studio album in February —That’s Life, Willie’s second album of standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra (his first, 2018’s My Way, earned Willie the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Solo Album). The two legends were friends, musical colleagues, and mutual admirers of each other’s work. In June 2021, a collection of his thoughts on America, family, faith and music hits shelves as a new book titled “Willie Nelson’s Letters to America.” These creative endeavors as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

Chelsea Handler: Vaccinated and Horny Tour – Majestic Theatre
Saturday May 14 at 8p.m.

Chelsea Handler is bringing her Vaccinated and Horny Tour to San Antonio for one night this spring, Saturday, May 14, 2022. Handler is a comedian, television host, best-selling author and advocate whose humor and candor have established her as one of the most celebrated voices in entertainment and pop culture. After a strong seven-year run as the host of E!’s top-rated Chelsea Lately, a tenure in which Handler was the only female late-night talk show host on-air, she launched her documentary series Chelsea Does and her talk show Chelsea on Netflix in 2016. She has penned six best-selling books, five of which have reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, including 2019’s “Life Will Be the Death of Me.” Most recently, she released her first stand-up special in over 6 years, the critically acclaimed Chelsea Handler: Evolution on HBO Max, and launched her iHeart Radio advice podcast, Dear Chelsea. In 2021, Chelsea embarked on the Vaccinated and Horny Tour, bringing her sensational stand-up set to 40+ cities across the nation.

Official lineup for the 10th annual Key West Film Festival

Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘C’MON, C’MON’ will have its Florida premiere at this week’s Key West Film Festival. Photo: A24, used with permission.

The 10th Annual Key West Film Festival announces its official 2021 lineup including major falls films from Jane Campion, Sean Baker, Mike Mills, Pedro Almodovar, and Paolo Sorrentino. More than 75 films will be part of the five day festival, which runs November 17-21 and celebrates its 10th Anniversary. A full lineup of the festival is available online. (Key West Film Festival, 2021)

The star studded spotlight films will be joined by the previously announced RED ROCKET (A24), whose director, Sean Baker, will be honored with the prestigious Golden Key Award for Excellence in Filmmaking, along with JOCKEY (Sony Pictures Classics), starring Clifton Collins Jr, which will also see its director, Clint Bentley, honored with the inaugural Golden Key for Breakthrough Florida Filmmaker.

As previously announced, BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD, will open the festival on November 17 at an outdoor screening under the stars at the Key West Amphitheater. The short film BLONDIE: VIVIR EN HABANA, about the celebrated artist’s recent concert in Cuba, will precede the film.

This year’s LGBTQ films, programmed with the assistance of Eugene Hernandez, Director of the New York Film Festival, and Brian Brooks of Cinetic Media, include GREAT FREEDOM, winner of the Jury Prize for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, the Cold War forbidden love story FIREBIRD, and BOULEVARD! A HOLLYWOOD STORY, chronicling the love triangle that resulted from Gloria Swanson’s attempts to adapt “Sunset Boulevard” into a musical and directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, which marks his fourth film to play at the festival (I am Divine, Tab Hunter Confidential, The Fabulous Alan Carr).

Documentaries take center stage at the festival this year, with each film featuring a live appearance or event. Award-winning director Penny Lane (Our Nixon, Nuts!, Hail Satan!) will appear with her newest film, LISTENING TO KENNY G; multiple Gotham Award and Cinema Eye Award nominee Douglas Tirola comes to town with his Leonard Bernstein film, BERNSTEIN’S WALL; Danielle Kummer will cross the pond to appear with ALIEN ON STAGE, about a small town musical of the sci fi classic Alien, and KWFF will host a special wine tasting after the screening of BLIND AMBITION, which follows Zimbabwe’s first team to compete in the international wine tasting tournament.

International films include Academy Award-winner Paolo Sorrentino’s HAND OF GOD and FINAL SET, starring Kristin Scott Thomas.

KWFF 2021 will host additional outdoor events at the Lawn at The Perry Hotel, where a special sing-along edition of the 20th Anniversary of the 2001 film MOULIN ROUGE will be screened along with Eric Clapton’s latest concert film, ERIC CLAPTON: THE LADY IN THE BALCONY. The Perry will also screen a collection of boundary pushing short films prior to a Welcome Party for visiting filmmakers and VIPs on Thursday, November 18.

Florida gets its moment in the sun with an all-day Florida Focus on Sunday, November 21. A collection of award-winning shorts from Key West High School’s Conch 5 Studios – who recently sent NINE films to the National High School Student Film Awards – will be screened in the morning, followed by the 15thanniversary screening of Florida Filmmaking legend Billy Corben’s COCAINE COWBOYS. Corben will participate in a discussion following the screening. The award winning Miami-produced feature LUDI will also screen at the festival.

The festival shines on an Alumni spotlight on Nell Teare’s BOLIVAR. This is her first feature after having won numerous awards for her short films at the festival.

The shorts programs and Florida feature films were curated from over 1000 submissions, with entries from nearly all 50 states and dozens of countries.

Returning programs this year include the 7th annual Critics Panel, in which top film critics will join both in person and virtually by Zoom to cover the seismic changes in the industry this year; the sixth annual Golden Key for Excellence in Costume Design awarded to Paul Tazewell for his work in WEST SIDE STORY, making KWFF the only such festival to annual honor this art; Kibbitz with Critics series, in which the curating critic shares one of their favorite films from the last year over brunch. Aguilar will present the charming immigration story LIMBO; and the presentation of the prestigious Critics Prize, given each year to one film across the program as decided upon by participating critics. Past critics have included Kenneth Turan, Jen Yamato and Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times, Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post, Eric Kohn of Indiewire, Emily Yoshida of New York Magazine, David Fear of Rolling Stone, Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out New York, and Amy Nicholson of KPCC-LA’s Film Week.

Photo: Key West Film Festival, used with permission.
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Recently restored Out of the Blue to be released theatrically in New York

Out of the Blue will be released theatrically for the first time in New York at the Metrograph on November 17, 2021. Photo: Discovery Productions, used with permission.

Shocking. Controversial. Unforgettable. Dennis Hopper’s brilliant punk rock masterpiece of adolescent rebellion is ready for a new, long overdue close-up. A kind of spiritual sequel, and cautionary counterpoint, to Hopper’s own Easy Rider, Out of the Blue chronicles the idealism of the sixties decline into the hazy nihilism of the 1980s. After its 4K restoration and timed to its 40th anniversary, Out of the Blue will be released theatrically for the first time in New York next week at the Metrograph on November 17, 2021. (Discovery Productions, 2021)

Don Barnes (Dennis Hopper) is a truck driver in prison for drunkenly smashing his rig into a school bus. Linda Manz (Days of Heaven) plays Cebe, his daughter, a teen rebel obsessed with Elvis and The Sex Pistols. Her mother (Sharon Farrell) is a waitress, shoots up drugs, and takes refuge in the arms of other men. Cebe runs away to Vancouver’s punk scene and ends up on probation under the care of psychiatrist Raymond Burr. After Don’s release, the family struggles to re-connect before the revelation of dark secrets leads to a harrowing conclusion. Directed by Dennis Hopper, it stars Linda Manz, Dennis Hopper, Sharon Farrell, Don Gordon, and Raymond Burr.

Born in Dodge City, Kansas, May 17,1936: Actor-director Dennis Hopper’s “Out of the Blue” premiered at Cannes in 1980. His directorial debut, “Easy Rider “(1969, Cannes Award “Best First Work,” was a countercultural landmark whose success helped spark the New Hollywood era of seventies filmmaking). His follow-up “The Last Movie” (1971) won the CIDALC Critics Prize Award at the Venice Film Festival. He went on to direct “Out of the Blue,”(1980) – Official Cannes selection; “Colors,” (1988) “Backtrack,” (1990) and “The Hot Spot,” (1990). His 200+ acting roles include “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Giant,” “Mad Dog Morgan,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Blue Velvet,” and “Hoosiers” (Academy Award nomination, Best Supporting Actor). Also a renowned photographer and artist, Hopper died in Los Angeles, May 29, 2010.

Working from the original 35mm negative restored by Discovery in 2010, John Alan Simon and Elizabeth Karr’s Discovery Productions undertook the digital scan and mastering of Out of the Blue to premiere as an official selection at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, preserving Hopper’s landmark film to make it available to new audiences.

Despite critical acclaim at its original Cannes premiere in 1980, Out of the Blue went unreleased because it was considered too bleak for U.S. audiences. John Alan Simon, then a film critic/journalist, rescued the film from the shelf, secured distribution rights and took it on the road with Dennis Hopper back in 1982 to art house theaters across the U.S. including a 17-week record-breaking run at the Coolidge Corner Cinema in Boston and then NYC and Los Angeles theatrical releases.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Out of the Blue be preserved for future generations to experience its emotional impact and as the artistic achievement that helped re-establish Dennis Hopper as an important American director.” – Elizabeth Karr on behalf of Discovery Productions.

“For me, this restoration project was pay-back for all I learned from Dennis Hopper when we originally took Out of the Blue on the road in 1982 after I rescued it from the shelf. He was an amazing artist and friend and Out of the Blue remains as unforgettable as he was and serves as an indelible tribute to the talents of Linda Manz.” – John Alan Simon from Discovery Productions

Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival at Hemisfair

Texas artists and groups representing over 200 individual artists will showcase live music, large-scale art installations, film, dance, fine art, theatre, poetry, and fashion at San Antonio’s iconic nighttime celebration of the arts. Photo: Luminaria

On Saturday November 13, the opening ceremonies at 5:30p.m. will kick off the official 2021 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival, the most prominent arts festival in South Texas. The ceremony will begin with a blessing from the elders of Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, followed by remarks from Yadhira Lozano, Luminaria Executive Director, and Jesse Borrego, 2021 Honorary Curatorial Committee Chair. City of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Mayor Phil Hardberger, founder of Luminaria, will be onsite as honorary guests. (Luminaria, 2021)

The Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival, a nighttime celebration of the arts, will be held from 6pm to midnight featuring more than 200 individual artists from across Texas, highlighting live music, fine arts, film, digital art, dance, theatre, fashion, poetry, and large-scale art installations.

Casa De Ojos founder and award-winning artist, Fabian Alejandro Diaz, will present a fashion show, “Metamorphosis.” Deanna Arriaga will offer “An Immersive Experience” light show. Justin Parr and Adam Smolensky will present a large, neon sculpture honoring San Antonio’s famed Rose Window. URBAN-15’s performance will feature lasers and a drumming show. Breathe Collective, a BIPOC San-Antonio-based artist collective, will offer creative experiences of reflection and healing through breathing. Austin-based dadaLab will install four lit towers to offer an immersive art, technology and science designing experience.

This festival is free and open to the public and it will be held at Hemisfair, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, and the San Antonio Riverwalk with plenty of outdoor space to socially distance and enjoy the art. Full festival lineup is available online. 

Hemisfair, Luminaria Main Stage
434 S Alamo St.
San Antonio, TX 78205 (between Yanaguana Garden and the Mexican Cultural Institute)

Main Stage at Hemisfair
6p.m. IlaIla Minori
7p.m. Jeremy Kingg/Satara
8p.m. Heartless The Monster
9p.m. Bombasta
10p.m. Los Texmaniacs feat. Flaco Jimenez
11p.m. Pop Pistol

Film Stage at River Walk
6p.m. Film Loop
7p.m. Anna De Luna
7p.m. Film Loop
8:30p.m. URBAN-15
9p.m. Film Loop
9:30p.m. Casa De Ojos
10:30p.m. URBAN-15
11p.m. Film Loop
11:45p.m. End

Market Stage at Convention Center (Merida Plaza)
6p.m. Eddie Vega
6:45p.m. Paula Cortez
7:45p.m. DeAnna Brown
8:45p.m. Ballet Folklórico Sol de San Antonio
9:45p.m. Patricia Vonne

TikTok star Galvancillo launches Regional Mexican music career and music label

Part of a growing trend of using social media to launch music careers, twenty year old influencer makes the jump from custom car TikTok videos and Instagram fashion posts to Regional Mexican singer-songwriter. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

With social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram becoming a legitimate outlet for breaking new musical acts, social media influencer Galvancillo, aka Lorenzo Ochoa, pivots from posting custom car videos and fashion photos to that of “Regional Mexican” singer-songwriter. (Galvancillo, 2021)

Twenty year-old Galvancillo’s more than four million followers know him for his custom car videos that he shoots from his friend’s auto shop and posts on TikTok. He also has a burgeoning modeling career. Now in addition to his good looks, cute smile, fashion sense, eye for style, and amazing personality, he is adding to his resume the title of singer-songwriter. Building off the TikTok videos that made him famous, Galvancillo stays true to the fans of his custom car videos and fashion posts by centering his debut single and music video on the same subjects that made him famous.

TikTok has become an important platform for the independent music scene with an increasing number of musical talents using the social media platform to reach millions of fans in ways only previously available through radio airplay which often appeared to be completely booked up by major record labels. In contrast today, a relatively unknown artist can use a simple TikTok post to launch their career. Since TikTok is the platform that made him known it only makes sense that Galvancillo will use that outlet to launch his musical career.

Says Lorenzo Ochoa, the man known as Galvancillo, “I wanted the song and music video for Placozo Mi Estilo to be similar to what people already know me for, but more extravagant.”

Lyrically the song is an expression of overcoming, of moving from locked door, to locked door until you find that one that opens for you. Visually the music video, directed by rising filmmaker known as “Barf,” features Lorenzo Ochoa’s home town of Houston Texas. The custom auto shop where he shot many of his TikTok videos has been sexily lit to look more like a night club and the finest of tricked out trucks and low rider cars are featured along with flossy fashion that Galvancillo is known for modeling.

“In the end it’s what I relate to and what my TikTok fans relate to, that life of luxury and exuberant experiences that we all wish for and work so hard to get. Of course it’s extra and over the top, but that’s the fun pretend part.” Adds Ochoa.

Galvancillo / Lorenzo Ochoa is not creating music completely independently though. He has started his own music label, “De La H Music,” and has joined forces with Fausto Juárez, CEO of Lamat Records and renowned producer of Regional Mexican music artists. Fausto will be managing Galvancillo’s artistic development and distribution of music, coordinating tours and of course promotion.

Lamat Records will use all the traditional musical mediums, but will also heavily involve social media platforms such as TikTok to expose Galvancillo’s charisma, with posts that maintain his approachable humility.

Galvancillo’s TikTok fans identify with Ochoa because he is a young dreamer just like them, full of goals which they work hard to attain each and every day. Galvancillo’s TikTok videos and now his songs and music videos demonstrate that anything can be achieved through perseverance, ingenuity, and most importantly to remain unique, try not to copy anyone, but instead stay true to yourself and your audience.

 

Feature documentary Young Plato to have world premiere at DOC NYC 2021

Young Plato will premiere at this year’s DOC NYC. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

An inspiring documentary from the filmmakers of School Life, Young Plato charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey – a maverick who is determined to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty, and drugs. The all-boys primary school in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hot house for questioning violence, as the headmaster sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their parents and neighbors to forsake the prejudice that has kept this low-level civil war on the boil for decades. Young Plato hums with the confidence of youth, a tribute to the power of the possible. (Young Plato, 2021)

Young Plato (Section: International Competition)
World Premiere
Directors: Neasa Ní Chianáín and Declan McGrath
Producer: David Rane
Running time: 102 Minutes
Language: English Country: Ireland (Feature Documentary)

Public screenings of Young Plato at DOC NYC 2021
Sunday, November 14 at 4:05p.m.
Location: Cinepolis Chelsea

Monday, November 15 at 1:15p.m.
Location: Cinepolis Chelsea

Tickets available online.

Neasa Ní Chianáín (Director) is one of Ireland’s most established documentary talents. She has directed nine documentaries (four feature length) and one TV series. Recent films include the award-winning Frank Ned & Busy Lizzie, Fairytale of Kathmandu, and The Stranger, which screened at the 67th Locarno Film Festival. Neasa is currently in post-production on a new feature documentary, ‘The Alexander Complex’ and has recently completed ‘Young Plato’ which will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2021.

Her last film, ‘In Loco Parentis’ (aka ‘School Life’), has been a world-wide success, premiering in competition at both IDFA 2016 and Sundance 2017. ‘School Life’ won the Special Jury Prize in the Golden Gate Awards at the San Francisco Film Festival, and an Audience Award (Prix du Public) at Visions du Réel in Nyon. Neasa was also chosen to take part in the Sydney Film Festival’s ‘Europe! Voices of Women in Film,’ which selected 10 of Europe’s most promising women directors.

Declan McGrath (Director) is a filmmaker whose recent credits include the award-winning ‘Lomax in Éirinn ‘ (TG4) and ‘Mary McAleese & The Man Who Saved Europe ‘(RTE, BBC). He has written two books on the craft of filmmaking (Screencraft: ‘Editing & Post Productions’ and Screencraft: ‘Scriptwriting’), both translated into five languages. He is also a regular contributor to the New York film journal, Cineaste. Declan also directed the TV series ‘Seinn Liom’ and ‘Cad É An Scéal’ (BBC) and has worked as an editor for over twenty-five years, cutting numerous award-winning dramas and documentaries.

His credits as a director include the acclaimed: ‘Lomax in Éirinn,’ which screened at festivals worldwide, ‘My Struggle For Life,’ ‘Tír Eoghain: The Unbreakable Bond,’ ‘Mary McAleese & The Man Who Saved Europe’ and ‘Women Of The Oireachtas.’ His most recent film ‘Young Plato’ will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2021.

His credits as a producer include: ‘The Occupation,’ which was nominated for the New York Festivals Film and TV Awards in 2018.

The Children’s Nutcracker creates magical holiday extravaganza

The Children’s Nutcracker, Santa, sugarplums, and shopping come together in a magical holiday extravaganza. Photo: The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, used with permission.

From Snow Queens and Sugarplum Fairies to dashing princes and dancing mice, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has been a part of family holiday traditions for decades. The enchanting tale of Clara’s beloved doll coming to life has inspired many a young dancer to take the stage and has fostered a love of the arts in not only the young, but also the young at heart. This year, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio will take the magic to whole new level, combining this timeless classic with immersive and interactive elements, wrapping several cherished holiday traditions into one entertaining and exciting event. From a holiday market to photos with Santa and the Nutcracker cast, magical makeovers, and plenty of sweets and treats it is an unforgettable experience straight out of a sugarplum dream. With a condensed 1.5 hour performance, even the tiniest attendees will be captivated. Tickets are available on the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio website. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2021)

The Children’s Nutcracker:
Friday, December 10, 7p.m.
Saturday, December 11, 2p.m.
Saturday, December 11, 7p.m.
Holiday Market and Photos with Santa opens one hour prior to showtime.

The fun starts from the moment guests enter the theatre and find themselves in a holiday market where they can browse the extensive selection of dress-up items, including tutus and Sugarplum Fairy wands, Mouse King swords, as well as home décor including ornaments and, of course, nutcrackers. Hair and makeup stylists will be on site to offer magical makeovers transforming little ones into regal royals for a glittering good time. Key cast members from princes to queens, and fairies, along with Santa himself, will be on hand for contactless photos on a first come first served basis. Because no holiday is complete without treats, there will be plenty of holiday fare including cocoa, holiday cookies and other seasonal favorites along with hot dogs, mini-burgers, and popcorn.

Award-winning dancers and a talented array of young performers share the stage for this production filled with dazzling costumes, multimedia integrated scenery, and an interactive surprise or two for the audience members. Featuring performers ranging from internationally acclaimed classical dancers to gifted special needs artists ages 3-19, the production highlights a variety of disciplines and talents. Led by founder and former Prima Ballerina and six-time Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher Award winner Vanessa Bessler, CBSA has created a gateway for young artists interested in pursuing a professional dance career. The elite artists have had the privilege to train in some of the world’s best academies including the Royal Ballet School in London, the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, and the School of American Ballet in New York City, to name a few. Through recognition, awards, and scholarships from the most prestigious ballet competitions and schools in the world for many of its dancers, CBSA has elevated San Antonio to the world stage, making it a strong player in the arts world.

The Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

Masks are required at the Lila Cockrell Theatre, hand washing stations and sanitizer are available on site to encourage a safe environment. The Children’s Ballet continues to enforce extensive safety protocols to include both virtual and limited capacity in-person rehearsals, screenings, masks, gloves, long sleeves, social distancing, and more.

Admission proceeds and holiday market profits directly benefit Children’s Ballet of San Antonio in fulfilling its mission to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds. Donations from the event will benefit dance scholarships for special needs and underserved youth, as well as the transportation and organization of several hundred Title 1 school students to attend each performance. Funds also go to the production costs of theatre, costumes, lights, and special effects that allow these dancers to perform in San Antonio’s top theatres in professional productions as part of their professional level training.

Pearl celebrates the holiday season with various events

Pearl to celebrate the holiday season with Posada, Chanukah Celebration, Holiday night markets, and more. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

Pearl is excited to announce various programs and events happening on campus this holiday season. The property will begin the festivities with the installation and lighting of the Christmas tree later this month. In December, Pearl will provide guests with Holiday Night Markets, Chanukah celebration, Posada carols, and more. (Pearl, 2021)

The 2021 holiday programming is as follows:

CHRISTMAS TREE INSTALLATION & LIGHTING – November 19
Pearl will welcome a 25-foot Fraser Fir sourced from the mountains of North Carolina later this month. Following delivery, Ginger Diaz, owner of Feliz Modern POP and Rancho Diaz at Pearl, will decorate the tree, which will be officially lit on November 19. The tree will stay up in Pearl Park throughout the holidays for guests to enjoy.

CHANUKAH – December 1 from 6p.m. to 8p.m.
Pearl and Young & Jewish San Antonio will gather to celebrate Chanukah with the lighting of the menorah on property as well as a special message from Rabbi Eli Block about the meaning of the holiday. Austin-based Klezmer band Mazel Tov Kocktail Hour will also perform at the lighting ceremony from 6p.m. to 8p.m. The menorah will be lit at the Pearl Shade Structure each night of Chanukah.

HOLIDAY NIGHT MARKETS – Wednesdays in December leading up to Christmas at varying times
Each Wednesday in December leading up to Christmas, Pearl will host its Holiday Night Market featuring a wide variety of local vendors to help make holiday shopping easier. Guests can find unique gifts ranging from pottery and fine art to artisan chocolates and much more. Local bands and musicians will also be onsite throughout Pearl to perform festive sets. See below for specific times and dates for the Holiday Night Markets and the music performances.

December 1, 6p.m. – 8p.m.
Mazel Tov Kocktail Hour
Location: Near Menorah
In coordination with Chanukah

December 8, 5p.m. – 8p.m.
Noah Harris
Location: Parkito

December 15, 5p.m. – 8p.m.
Mariachi Las Coronelas
Location: Gustav’s Geysers / Park

December 22, 5p.m. – 8p.m.
Groupo Tan Tan
Location: Parkito

HOLIDAY STROLL – December 9 from 5p.m. to 8p.m.
In addition to its Holiday Night Markets, Pearl is also hosting Holiday Stroll on Thursday, December 9, a special shopping event with extended retail hours, retail and restaurant specials and live music. Guests can shop local while enjoying the sounds of San Antonio-favorite Buttercup.

POSADA – December 16 from 6p.m. to 7:30p.m.
In honor of the traditional Latin American Christmas celebration, Pearl will once again host the Mission Concepcion choir for an evening of carols in Pearl Park. Since 2017, Pearl has partnered with Father David and the Mission Conception’s choir and congregation to share a message of welcoming and inclusion. The procession, representing the journey of Mary and Joseph seeking refuge, will begin at 6p.m. on December 16.

Pearl is a dynamic neighborhood built around the historic Pearl Brewery, which operated from 1883 to 1999. Located just north of downtown San Antonio on the banks of the San Antonio River, it is home to architecturally significant buildings like the brewhouse and stable—both built in 1894—and numerous plazas. Today, Pearl is home to dozens of unique culinary concepts, one-of-a-kind retail, weekend markets, residential communities, innovative office tenants, the San Antonio campus of the Culinary Institute of America, and the award-winning Hotel Emma. Pearl is a vibrant district where community gathers to play, work, and live; it is a place where things are made and celebrated with purpose and sincerity. We invite all to gather and experience the best of what San Antonio has to offer.

Tickets now on sale for ‘Tootsie’ at the Majestic Theatre

‘Tootsie’ will play at the Majestic Theatre in March 2022. Tickets are now on sale. Photo: google

‘Tootsie,’ the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical, performs at Majestic Theatre in San Antonio as part of North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio season for a limited one-week engagement March 1 – 6, 2022. Show dates are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30p.m., Friday at 8p.m., Saturday at 8p.m and 2p.m., and Sunday 7:30p.m. and 2p.m. Tickets begin at $45 and are now on sale online through the Majestic Theatre, Broadway in San Antonio, or in person at the Majestic Theatre Box Office. Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). ‘Tootsie’ is based on the story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart and the Columbia Pictures Motion Picture produced by Punch Productions and starring Dustin Hoffman. The National Tour of ‘Tootsie’ is produced and managed by TROIKA Entertainment. (Broadway in San Antonio, 2021)

Call it Tootsie! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg). “In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “Tootsie is it!”

The creative team for ‘Tootsie’ includes director Dave Solomon (Broadway associate director), Broadway choreography by Denis Jones, and associate choreographer Chip Abbott. The design team for ‘Tootsie’ includes original scenic designer David Rockwell, tour scenic designer Christine Peters, costume designer William Ivey Long, associate costume designer Christopher Vergara, lighting designer Donald Holder, associate lighting designers Vivien Leone & Coby Chasman-Beck and assistant lighting designer Colleen Doherty, sound designer Brian Ronan, associate sound designer Cody Spencer, hair and wig design by Paul Huntley, assistant hair and wig designer Loryn Pretorius, and make-up design by Angelina Avallone. Casting is by Binder Casting, Chad Murnane CSA. Supervising Music Supervisor Andrea Grody, Music Supervision by Dean Sharenow, vocal & incidental arrangements by Andrea Grody, dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Simon Hale, and music coordination by Talitha Fehr.

Ella Enchanted at the Magik Theatre this holiday season

In time for the holidays, the Magik Theatre will be presenting Ella Enchanted. Photo: Magik Theatre

Magik Theatre will be turning the much-beloved story of Cinderella upside down when it presents ‘Ella Enchanted: The Musical’ from November 19 to December 24. This special two-act production, adapted by Karen Zacarías as a play from a children’s book by The New York Times bestselling author Gail Carson Levine, will feature music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. (Magik Theater, 2021)

In this fairytale, at birth, Ella of Frell is given the “gift” of obedience by her misguided fairy godmother. But as a teenager, strong-willed Ella chooses to reject her fate and embarks on a quest to break the curse forever. Through her adventures, Ella must outwit evil stepsisters, escape hungry ogres, and save the prince before she can claim her real voice. Ella Enchanted: The Musical emphasizes the importance of self-empowerment, perseverance in the face of insurmountable obstacles, and an eagerness to learn. In this heart-warming and powerful tale, children of all ages are encouraged to discover the power of words within their own voice.

Tickets are now on sale. Single tickets are on sale now for $25 per adult and children $20 ages 2 to 17, with discounts available for educators, military, students, and seniors. The production is recommended for ages 5 and over. Group rates are available to parties of eight or more people.

The special production, which is recommended for ages five (5) and above, runs approximately seventy-five (75) minutes including an intermission, with a five-minute question-and-answer session.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

Opening Day
The official opening day is on Sunday, November 20 at 6p.m.

Military and First Responder Appreciation
The production on Sunday, November 21 at 3p.m. will feature Military Appreciation Day, in which active or retired members of the military with an I.D. pay a discounted price of $11.50 per ticket for their entire party.

Pay What You Wish
On Saturday, November 27 at 6p.m., Magik Theatre will offer one of its Pay What You Wish performances, in which tickets are available only at the door on the day of the production.

American Sign Language Interpreted Performance (ASL)
At the performance on Saturday, December 11 at 2p.m., Robert Cardoza, the San Antonio theatre community’s primary sign-language interpreter, will be available for patrons who require American sign language as their primary form of communication.

“It gives our theatre company a great sense of pride for families to experience the joy and wonder of their favorite children’s book come to life, and we know this next production will not disappoint. Ella Enchanted is the perfect addition to this holiday season.” – Magik Theatre Artistic Director Anthony Runfola.

Magik Theatre is San Antonio’s professional family theatre. Founded in 1994, it has presented more than 160 main stage and touring productions for more than two (2) million children and their families. Magik Theatre’s mission is to utilize the power of theatre to create Magikal storytelling for children that Activates imagination, Grows young minds and Inspires creativity and a love of learning that is the Key to a more literate future for our community. Magik Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For information about Magik’s COVID-19 health and safety measure, click HERE.

Photo: Magik Theatre