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Celebrate the holidays with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Sarita Ocón in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” performing December 1-26 at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto.Photo Credit: Paciano Triunfo Hershey Felder returns to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in “Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin” January 19 - February 13, 2022 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Photo Credit: Hershey Felder Presents

For many, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has become as synonymous with the holiday season as candy canes or eggnog. This year, experience this yuletide favorite in a new way with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, performing December 1-26.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the enduring classic film starring James Stewart and Donna Reed almost didn’t stand the test of time. In its 1946 release, It’s A Wonderful Life was critically acclaimed but failed to win any awards, up against postwar blockbusters like The Best Years of Our Lives, ultimately fading into obscurity for decades. The film gained a second life when it entered the public domain, frequenting televisions across America. It’s A Wonderful Life makes an annual sold-out run at Palo Alto’s Stanford Theatre. Sadly, that theatre remains closed, but this beloved story finds a new Palo Alto home at the Lucie Stern Theatre with TheatreWorks’s new stage production.

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play offers the film as a 1940s era radio play, complete with live foley-style sound effects. Presented in a fun, theatrical style, this live radio-play version of the holiday favorite is told by a diverse cast, including Moses Villarama, Sarita Ocón, Phil Wong, Luisa Sermol, and Todd Cerveris. These five nimble actors take on dozens of roles, sharing George Bailey’s iconic tale of love, loss, and redemption on Christmas Eve. On-demand streaming will also be available for audiences to enjoy this theatrical treat from home.

Whether you’re a veteran viewer or it’s your first time visiting Bedford Falls, It’s a Wonderful Life should be on your must-watch list this season. Its message still rings true today—much as the community rallies behind George Bailey in his time of need, Silicon Valley communities have supported and uplifted their members, despite not being able to gather in person. Giovanna Sardelli, who directs the play, says, “It’s A Wonderful Life is about celebrating those who often feel unseen and unvalued. It offers hope about who we can become, and it reminds us of the best within ourselves—our ability to overcome adversity, to support one another, to envision a better world together. This is why people return to it time and time again.”

Also, something to look forward to in 2022: virtuoso pianist/ performer Hershey Felder is returning to TheatreWorks in the musical masterpiece Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin, performing January 19- February 13, 2022 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Felder dazzles as brilliant Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin, illuminating an exclusive piano lesson with this musical master. In this stunning solo show, the “Poet of the Piano” tells his romantic story while sharing dazzling performances of his compositions. Tickets for this highly-anticipated show make excellent holiday gifts for theatre fans and music lovers alike.

Tickets for It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (December 1-26, 2021) and Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin (January 19-February 13, 2022) are now available at theatreworks.org or by calling (877)-662-8978.

Child Advocates of Silicon Valley: LIFTING UP Foster Youth

Give the gift of hope this holiday season by supporting local foster youth

Child Advocates of Silicon Valley, an independent nonprofit formed in 1986, is dedicated to serving foster children from birth to 21 years old that have been placed in the Santa Clara County foster care system for having experienced abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. Child Advocates provides them with the nurturing support and resources needed to thrive.

About 1,000 children are in the Santa Clara foster care system at any given time. Child Advocates strives to ensure every one of these children has a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer. These volunteers are community members appointed by a judge to be a mentor, advocate, and voice for a child/ youth in foster care. Zianna and Joelle exemplify the kind of support a foster youth can receive from a CASA.

Earlier this year, Zianna, a teen foster youth, and her CASA Volunteer, Joelle, began navigating the college application process. They applied for scholarships and financial aid. With Joelle’s support, Zianna is now attending UC Davis, is enrolled in several programs to support her transition into college, and has received scholarships and funding to cover housing, tuition, and books.

Child Advocates also works to build enduring community partnerships to broaden and strengthen its impact. In 2020, Child Advocates launched partnerships with eight local organizations, including the Children’s Discovery Museum and the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, which have agreed to offer free resources, programming, and/ or free admission for foster children and the volunteers.

Child Advocates depends on individual, corporate, community, foundation, and government partners to make their work possible, and there are many ways to help yearround. Donations also help recruit, train and support new volunteers.

Consider contributing online at childadvocatessv.org/donate/ or contact development@ childadvocatessv.org to learn about opportunities to become a sponsor at one of the three Child Advocate signature fundraising events.

The annual Holiday Toy Drive is also collecting gifts through December 5. Make a donation or purchase a gift from their Amazon Charity list at childadvocatessv.org/ holidaytoydrive/.

You can help LIFT UP foster youth this holiday season. Learn more at childadvocatessv.org. Sobrato Center of Nonprofits 509 Valley Way, Bldg. 2, Milpitas childadvocatessv.org

The 56th Nutcracker

Experience the Magic of this Bay Area Tradition

Audiences across San Jose will be swept up in the magic of the season as San Jose Dance Theatre returns to live performances this December, with the 56th annual classic Christmas favorite, The Nutcracker, performing at The San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

For 56 years, San Jose Dance Theatre has created countless family memories and holiday traditions with the magical production of their Nutcracker!

Step into an enchanting world of elegant sugarplums, a thrilling battle between brave soldiers and menacing mice, waltzing flowers, and for the first year; debuting a new extra-large Christmas tree that grows over 200 feet! This year features the San Jose Dance Theatres professional ballet company and youth ensemble – choreographed by Linda Hurkmans and accompanied by a live orchestra, the Cambrian Symphony, with musical direction by Scott Krijnen.

This production offers an unforgettable experience. San Jose Dance Theatre is excited to present this year’s production back in the theater at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose, December 10 - 12 and 17 - 19. Audiences will be awed by the grace and talent of exquisite performers from our professional company.

This year you will again be able to purchase The Nutcracker VIP package. See more than just the show, experience it! VIP ticket holders will take a behind-the-scenes look at the production with a preshow discussion. Meet and greet with the costumed cast members at the exclusive Candy Kingdom party held in the Ridder Lounge, all while enjoying delicious holiday treats. VIP ticket holders also skip the crowds by using a special entrance into the theater and have use of the Ridder Lounge restrooms during intermission.

“We are very excited to be back in the theater this year, and with our professional ballet company performing in the San Jose Dance Theatre Nutcracker for the first time, I am so excited to be able to share this Christmas tradition with the community again this year,” Linda Hurkmans says.

Performances: • Fri., December 10, 2021 @ 7:30pm • Sat., December 11, 2021 @ 2pm & 7:30pm • Sun., December 12, 2021 @ 2pm • Fri., December 17, 2021 @ 7:30pm • Sat., December 18, 2021 @ 2pm & 7:30pm • Sun., December 19, 2021 @ 2pm

Tickets and more information are available at www. sjdt.org/the-nutcracker/