LIFEWAVE

THURS12_17

‘ELF’

The late, great Roger Ebert began his review of this crowd-pleasing 2003 comedy, “If I were to tell you Elf stars Will Ferrell as a 6-foot-tall human named Buddy who thinks he is an elf and Ed Asner as Santa Claus, would you feel an urgent desire to see this film? Neither did I.” Fortunately, Elf overcomes Ebert’s qualms and proves to be that rare holiday film with both a heart and a wicked sense of humor. Director John Favreau gains points with inspired casting, like Bob Newhart as Buddy’s elf dad, contrasted with James Caan as Buddy’s human father. Elf is the final film playing at Camp North End’s Skyline Drive-in. More: $30 per car, Dec. 17, 7 p.m.; Camp North End, 400 Camp Road; camp.nc/events THURS12_17

MERCURY CARTER

Mercury Carter, he released a homemade six-song EP Mercury in 2016 on Soundcloud. The EP introduced listeners to Carter’s astounding vocals, boasting an extraordinary 3.5 octave range that rival those of Prince and Freddie Mercury. Now 25, Carter has proven himself to be one of the greatest voices of his generation. He couples his vocal talent with nuanced tone and dynamics, melodic arrangements, unique phrasing and mature lyrics. Utilizing his knowledge and passion for the genres that inspire him, most notable the golden age of soul, he has created a sound that will stand the test of time. More: $10 suggested donation; Dec. 17, 7 p.m.; online; neighborhoodtheatre.com

Mecklenburg Community Church presents its first-ever Christmas at Meck Experience Dec. 18-23 This immersive walkthrough event journeys through the entire story of Christmas, brought to life with dramatizations about holiday traditions. The journey takes patrons to Santa’s Workshop where you just might catch a glimpse of the jolly ol’ man himself. The trip wraps up with an equally immersive outdoor experience at Bethlehem Village where visitors can set foot right onto streets of the famous town at the core of Christian beliefs and meet local townspeople of the day. The journey offers spectacular lighting, free treats and other holiday surprises. Although the event is free, visitors are urged to get their free tickets online for the safe, socially-distanced and family-friendly experience.

More: Free; Dec. 18-23, 5 p.m.; Mecklenburg Community Church, 8335 Browne Road; mecklenburg.org/christmasatmeck/ FRI12_18

ONQ PRESENTS A SOULFUL NOEL

OnQ Productions was launched in 2006 with a mission to educate and produce classic, contemporary, and original performance works that reflect the Black Experience. The cast of OnQ creatives reframe tradition in a contemporary way with classics such as, “Ave Maria,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “What Do the Lonely Do.” OnQ founder Quentin Talley celebrates Christmas through the lens of Black families who gravitate to holiday music by James Brown, the Temptations or the Jackson 5 over Bing Crosby, Elvis or the Beach Boys. More: $38-40; Dec. 17, 6 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Dec. 18, 6 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Middle C Jazz, 300 S. Brevard St.; middlecjazz.com SAT12_19

THE STORY OF THE NUTCRACKER

The Charlotte Symphony presents a family-friendly adaptation of The Nutcracker, streamed directly to your home, just in time for the holidays. For The Story of the Nutcracker, the Charlotte Symphony, led by resident conductor Christopher James Lees, pairs Tchaikovsky’s glorious music with the traditional story of a little girl named Clara whose adventures with a nutcracker-turned-prince take her to the Land of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy presides over a celebration of treats from around the world: chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China and candy canes from Russia. More: $15; Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.; online;

THURS-WED CHRISTMAS AT MECK EXPERIENCE 12_18-12_23 charlottesymphony.org

THE STORY OF THE NUTCRACKER

12/19

DANCE & CIRCUS FOR ALL

ONGOING

SUN12_20

ADRIAN CRUTCHFIELD: FOR YOU ON CHRISTMAS

Experience Christmas magic with composer, recording artist and saxophonist Adrian Crutch eld. Charlotte resident Crutch eld is known around the world for his neo-soul sound in a variety of genres such as jazz, R&B, pop, funk, soul, hip-hop and fusion. The evening of Christmas magic and jazz with Adrian Crutch eld will be streaming live in HD and stereo from Charlotte. Pay What You Can, Show Some Cheer, and Christmas Magic VIP passes (special song download included) are available. More: $5-$10; Dec. 20, 7 p.m.; online; adrianforyou.eventbrite.com ONGOING DANCE & CIRCUS FOR ALL 12_19-12_31 Local professional contemporary dance and cirque company Caroline Calouche & Co. are trailblazers and community builders who have never been afraid of vulnerability on stage. With an artistic goal to authentically connect with the audience they present Dance & Circus For All on demand. With the show, CC & Co. premiered seven new works on Nov. 21-22 through a live-stream performance from their studio theater at the Charlotte Cirque & Dance Center. People from Lebanon to Costa Rica to the United States joined the virtual audience, and CC & Co. made history within their nonpro t organization and in Charlotte. “While there are cracks in our walls from the COVID-19 pandemic, our foundation is strong due to our artistic leadership, dedicated artists, sta and board,” says the company. They now o er Dance & Circus For All on demand from Dec. 19-31 through donation-based household ticketing. Dance lovers can watch the show as many times as they like with their donation. More: Suggested donation $20; Dec. 19–31; online; carolinecalouche.org

WED12_23

BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA CHRISTMAS SHOW

The only long-running gospel group to stay active and make an impact on post-millennial music, the Blind Boys of Alabama are a staple of American roots music and a national institution. Although the group formed in the late 1930s, they didn’t enjoy widespread success until 1988 . This live-stream from the UC Theatre in Cali will feature songs from their 2014 Talking Christmas! album along with Blind Boys’ gospel classics and other gems spanning their 70-plus-year career. More: $18-100; Dec. 23, 9 p.m.; online; neighborhoodtheatre.com SUN12_27

THE MAYHEW BOSTIC GROUP: SOUL HOLIDAYS

This free live virtual concert series features The Mayhue Bostic Group. In addition to Bostic, the band consists of Dawn Nicole Anthony on vocals, Letron Brantley on saxophone, Ocie Davies on drums, John Simmons on piano and Wil Thompson on bass. Bostic has toured the world playing jazz, blues and rock. He currently resides in South Carolina, where he is pursuing a masters degree in Jazz Studies and is a frequent performer on the upstate regional jazz circuit. Registration required. More: Free; Dec. 27, 7 p.m.; online; jazznsoulinspires.eventbrite.com

ADRIAN CRUTCHFIELD

12/20

TUES12_29

KWANZAA CELEBRATION WORKSHOP

The Gantt Center commemorates the AfricanAmerican cultural celebration Kwanzaa virtually this year, sharing several ways families can celebrate during the seven-day observance. The Gantt will celebrate Ujamaa, which represents cooperative economics, highlighting the importance of supporting our community’s businesses and sharing in the wealth that we create. Kathy Fogle, a local candle artist and owner of Happy Kat Candles & Gifts, will lead workshop attendees in creating candles at home. Participants will need to purchase the necessary supplies. More: Free-$10; Dec. 29, 7 p.m.; online; ganttcenter.org