Theatre of Lights

Enjoy a free live show, themed street vendors with treats like spiced nuts and hot cocoa, free pictures with Santa Claus and a history lesson in Old Sacramento’s “Theatre of Lights.”

“Theatre of Lights” is an unconventional 20-minute production that will be playing at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays during the holiday season. The actual show will take place on tops of buildings, motioned with a symphony of lights and music. The audience will not be seated but instead be standing out on the street between K and Front streets.

Staying true to the nature of Old Sacramento, where some of the buildings are at least 200 years old, the show will be narrated by an actor portraying Mark Twain as he tells the story of how Old Sacramento celebrated Christmas in the old days.

Living history characters will make an appearance as well as Santa Claus, who will appear on one of the balconies and recite “A Night before Christmas,” while actors come down to visit the audience below.

After the show there will be singing of Christmas carols and Santa Claus will come downstairs to take pictures with the audience for free.

On select nights, charities like Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Salvation Army will stop by to collect items and the show will feature guest celebrity “Papas,” such as news anchors from local news channels and representatives from charity organizations.

A Christmas Carol

When Christmas traditions are forgotten and its meaning lost, “A Christmas Carol,” reminds us of what it originally meant. The play, presented by Sacramento Theatre Company, tells the tale of the spirits of Christmas’ past, present and future that visit a mean-spirited old man. This old man has forgotten how to give and the spirits are meant to help him see clearly again. As the old man finds himself alone on Christmas Eve, he turns away his nephew and refuses to be charitable.

Then the spirits come, the ghost of the old man’s dead partner shows up to warn him of the three following spirits who will visit to make him aware of how he has changed and what he will lose if he does not work to make things right.

The journey starts, as the old man looks at his past Christmases, what his actions have caused for the present Christmas and what future Christmases hold for him.

The Sacramento Theatre Company has created its own musical version of the story. With vintage costumes of times in old Britain and a creative stage set, the cast brings Charles Dickens’ story to life.

The production runs through Dec. 26 at varying times. Tickets are $25.

The Nutcracker

Placer Theatre Ballet practices storytelling through the art of dance this holiday season by featuring a memorable production of “The Nutcracker.” The ballet which is originally based on the story, “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice,” tells a tale of a young girl who falls asleep under a Christmas tree and dreams of her toy Nutcracker her grandfather has given her.

In her dream the Nutcracker comes to life and battles the King of Mice; he then becomes human and takes the little girl on journey through the lands of snow and the land of sweets. Along the way they meet dancing snowflakes, pink ballerinas, and sugar plums, candy canes, dancing flowers and Spanish, Arabian, Russian, and Chinese dancers.

The dancers take the audience on a wild imaginative ride through dancing and their colorful costumes. The little girl then wakes up satisfied with her dream. The Placer Theatre Ballet had its last showing Sunday, but you can still catch the a performance of “The Nutcracker,” at the Sacramento Ballet through Dec. 23, at varying times. Tickets are $75 for adults and $39 for children 12 years of age or younger.

Miriam Arghandiwal can be reached at [email protected]