Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre

Camerata Pacifica features a blend of timeless and contemporary works, including the world premiere of The Innocence of Life for mixed octet by award-winning Iranian American composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh, hailed for her singular musical voice, on November 8-13, 2026, at four Southland venues. The 20-minute work for clarinet, oboe, horn, violin, viola, cello, percussion and piano is the first of two highly anticipated Camerata Pacifica-commissioned world premieres presented during the 2026-27 season.
The performances are Sunday, November 8, 3:00 pm, at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray Scherr Forum; Tuesday, November 10, 7:30 pm, at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; Thursday, November 12, 8:00 pm, Zipper Hall, at Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; and Friday, November 13, 2026, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.
“Niloufar Nourbakhsh possesses a unique and powerful musical voice,” says Camerata Pacifica Founder/Artistic Director Adrian Spence. “Even without the overlay of current world affairs, the music of a young Iranian woman presented publicly in the world’s concert halls is itself a statement.”
Nourbakhsh’s music, described as “stark” (WNPR) and “darkly lyrical” (The New York Times), has been performed at numerous festivals and venues, including Carnegie Hall, Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center, and the Direct Current Festival at the Kennedy Center. A founding member and co-director of the Iranian Female Composers Association, Nourbakhsh is a strong advocate of music education and equal opportunities. She received an OPERA America 2026 Commissioning Grant from its Opera Grants for Women Composers program as well as OPERA America’s 2019 Discovery Grant. She also won the 2022 Beth Morrison Projects Next Generation competition, among other awards.
The program also features Principal Oboe Nicholas Daniel performing multi-Grammy-winning composer Michael Daugherty’s Firecracker, a virtuosic chamber concerto that celebrates the rhythmic and explosive potential of the oboe.
Other contemporary works include Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli’s Vespers for Violin, for amplified violin and electronics, as well as I prefer living in color by the late Sarah Gibson, inspired by a colorful David Hockney painting.
Mozart’s Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Major, K. 452, scored for piano, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn, provides musical context for these five contemporary works.
The program features Alena Hove, violin; Robert Brophy, viola; Ani Aznavoorian, cello; Catherine Gregory, flute; Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinet; Eleni Katz, bassoon; Ben Goldscheider, horn; Irina Zahharenkova, piano; and Ji Hye Jung, percussion, along with Nicolas Daniel, oboe.
Camerata Pacifica, a Southern California-based chamber music collective celebrated for its exceptional artistry and compelling programming of legacy classics and daring new work, was named 2026 Ensemble of the Year by the national service organization Chamber Music America. Praised as “innovative and intrepid” (The Daily Telegraph), “visceral and powerful” (The Economist), the ensemble has a considerable commissioning portfolio that includes more than 20 works by such established and rising composers as John Harbison, Jake Heggie, Huang Ruo, Lera Auerbach, Bright Sheng, Ian Wilson, David Bruce, Libby Larsen, and John Luther Adams. Camerata Pacifica was founded in 1990 by Adrian Spence, who was named to Musical America’s prestigious list of Top 30 Professionals in Classical Music in January 2026.
For tickets ($85 at The Huntington, Music Academy of the West, and Zipper Hall; $75, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information, visit <a href="https://www.cameratapacifica.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">cameratapacifica.org.</a>

Local Event: Camerata Pacifica Presents World Premiere by Niloufar Nourbakhsh

Los Angeles County

Sierra Madre

California

Camerata Pacifica Presents World Premiere by...

Camerata Pacifica features a blend of timeless and contemporary works, including the world premiere of The Innocence of Life...

Camerata Pacifica Presents World Premiere by Niloufar Nourbakhsh

Sierra Madre Playhouse

Jazz and blues vocalist Mara Kaye joins the Marlonius Jazz Orchestra, led by virtuosic bassist/composer Marlonius (who goes by a single name), to celebrate the iconic musical legacy of Billie Holiday, on Sunday, November 8, 2026, 8:00 PM, at Sierra Madre Playhouse. Holiday, known as Lady Day, is considered one of history’s greatest jazz singers, inspiring generations of artists with her raw emotional delivery and revolutionary phrasing mimicking a horn player by bending notes and shifting rhythms.
Kaye, herself, has been proclaimed “one of New York’s great gifts to the world… (with) a substantial stage presence…and a voice that matches her larger-than-life presence (Jazz Lives). She performs jazz and blues standards with a deep passion and respect for the music’s original storytellers. The Brooklyn native, who has shared her artistry around the globe from Moscow to Lincoln Center, brings to the stage the emotional power and swing of Billie Holiday and the sorrows and joys of Bessie Smith. Blues legend Jimmy Vivino compared Kaye’s voice to “Louis Armstrong’s trumpet at a rent party.”
Marlonius is noted for filtering his classical chops and a deep jazz sensibility through a keen modern creative vision. A product of the Colburn Conservatory of Music, he studied classical bass and orchestral performance before evolving into a leading voice in the LA’s jazz community. Marlonius is the founder and artistic director of the Marlonius Jazz Orchestra, which performs his original compositions and compelling reinterpretations of jazz classics. He has toured and collaborated with a remarkable range of artists, including Stewart Copeland, Mike Garson, and Quatuor Ebène, and continues to bridge genres, instrumentation and musical cultures with his work.
For tickets ($35) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Marlonius Jazz Orchestra & Vocalist Mara Kaye Pay Tribute to Billie Holiday

Marlonius Jazz Orchestra & Vocalist Mara Kaye...

Jazz and blues vocalist Mara Kaye joins the Marlonius Jazz Orchestra, led by virtuosic bassist/composer Marlonius (who goes by...

Marlonius Jazz Orchestra & Vocalist Mara Kaye Pay Tribute to Billie Holiday

The Sierra Madre Playhouse revisits its beginnings as a silent film movie house with a one-night-only screening of Faust, a hauntingly beautiful 1926 silent fantasy horror masterpiece directed by F.W. Murnau, on – fittingly – Friday, November 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. One of the towering achievements of silent cinema, the film, packed with gothic imagery and mythic themes, comes alive once again through live piano accompaniment by Larry Garf, whose dramatical score heightens every flicker of beauty and despair.
Writer and humorist Rich Procter introduces the film and leads a post-show discussion exploring Murnau’s artistry, the legacy of Expressionist cinema, and why Faust continues to fascinate a century later.
Faust is F.W. Murnau’s visionary adaptation of Goethe’s classic tale of ambition, temptation, and redemption. Combining the grandeur of German Expressionism with a deeply human story, the film follows the scholar Faust as he makes a fateful bargain with Mephisto, trading his soul for youth, power, and passion.
Murnau’s Faust remains a visual marvel filled with sweeping camera movements, intricate set design, and striking use of light and shadow. Its imagery influenced generations of filmmakers, from Hitchcock to Bergman, and stands among the most haunting depictions of good and evil ever captured on film.
For tickets ($20 and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Faust, 1926 Silent Fantasy Horror Film, Features Live Piano Accompaniment

Faust, 1926 Silent Fantasy Horror Film,...

The Sierra Madre Playhouse revisits its beginnings as a silent film movie house with a one-night-only screening of Faust, a...

Faust, 1926 Silent Fantasy Horror Film, Features Live Piano Accompaniment

The historic Sierra Madre Playhouse, an intimate 99-seat performing arts center and civic hub noted for its eclectic programming and deep community ties, received a record $2.5 million from the State of California for critical upgrades to its century-old building. The $2.5 million represents the largest single investment in Sierra Madre Playhouse in its history. The funding was championed and secured by Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena), who presented the check to Sierra Madre Playhouse Artistic and Executive Director Matt Cook and President David Gordon on stage prior to a performance on October 4, 2026.
The funds from the State of California will enable Sierra Madre Playhouse to make ADA-compliant accessibility improvements, modernize building systems including HVAC and plumbing, and renovate lobbies and public areas to support recent expansions in the Playhouse’s programming. The building will be a 21st-century space wrapped in its historic shell.
“Since 1924, the Sierra Madre Playhouse has been an anchor for visual and performing arts in the San Gabriel Valley with national renown,” said Assemblymember Harabedian (D-Pasadena). “This funding will ensure that the Playhouse remains a place that local artists can call home and provide culturally enriching programming to our communities for years to come.”
"The Sierra Madre Playhouse is deeply grateful to Assemblymember Harabedian for recognizing that a town's cultural infrastructure is civic infrastructure, too,” said Gordon and Cook. “This significant investment allows us to preserve an important historic building while transforming it into a more resilient, accessible resource the community can rely on for generations. For over a century, the Sierra Madre Playhouse has been the central gathering place at the heart of this small but vibrant town. It's one of the few remaining spaces where neighbors come together for live performance, community events, and shared experience.”
The money was allocated in the latest California budget bill, Assembly Bill 113, after Assemblymember Harabedian (D-Pasadena) championed the request for funding.
The $2.5 million allocation far exceeds the Playhouse’s previous funding record – a 2024 multi-year General Operating Support Grant of $450,000 from the Perenchio Foundation to bolster operational resilience, which was a major milestone for the venue.
Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), the performing arts center has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts centers presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, jazz, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland.
The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theater to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.
For information on the Sierra Madre Playhouse, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Sierra Madre Playhouse Receives Record $2.5 Million in Support from State of CA

Sierra Madre Playhouse Receives Record $2.5...

The historic Sierra Madre Playhouse, an intimate 99-seat performing arts center and civic hub noted for its eclectic...

Sierra Madre Playhouse Receives Record $2.5 Million in Support from State of CA

The Sierra Madre Playhouse authors series spotlights poet/performer Camille Hernandez, the Poet Laureate of Anaheim, a compelling one-woman play in which she transforms poetry from her celebrated chapbook Motherlands with movement, rhythm, and language into dynamic living performance, on Saturday, November 15, 2026, 4:00 PM.
Motherlands explores themes of diaspora, belonging, and inheritance—what it means to carry many homes within one body. Through her work, Hernandez navigates identity across generations, languages, and geographies, using poetry as both confession and conversation. The performance builds on the traditions of spoken word and performance art while embracing the physicality of dance and theatre.
Hernandez, who grew up in La Palma as a self-described “public library girl” and voracious reader, crafts poetry into vibrant portraits of marginalized women. Her poetry interrupts the cycle of oppression by recreating narratives that dignify Black women, Filipino women, poor women, immigrant women, disabled women, medically marginalized women, gender-expansive women, and mothering women. Her work amplifies their survival, intuition, interconnection, and defiant joy, carving new narrative trails that explore the hushed intimacies lost in suppressed histories.
For tickets ($20) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Poet/Performer Camille Hernandez Featured in One-Woman Show

Poet/Performer Camille Hernandez Featured in...

The Sierra Madre Playhouse authors series spotlights poet/performer Camille Hernandez, the Poet Laureate of Anaheim, a...

Poet/Performer Camille Hernandez Featured in One-Woman Show

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the timeless ballet classic, returns to Sierra Madre Playhouse, bringing joy, wonder and merriment to the holidays with 52 performances from Saturday, November 28, 2026, through Sunday, January 3, 2027. Tickets are just $25.
“There’s something special about seeing Bob Baker’s Nutcracker in a 99-seat room,” says Sierra Madre Playhouse Artistic and Executive Director Matt Cook. “The puppets are only a few feet away, kids can see every detail, and adults get to rediscover a holiday tradition through children’s eyes. Bob Baker has been part of Southern California’s holidays for generations, and we love giving families the chance to experience that magic up close in Sierra Madre.”
The enchanting production features more than 100 handcrafted puppets, including beloved characters from the ballet, such as Clara, the Nutcracker, the Rat King, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, along with many of Baker’s own whimsical creations. With its large-scale marionettes and intricate sets, this dreamscape adaptation has become one of the Southland’s most celebrated holiday traditions. Carefully preserved and adapted over the years by the talented team at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, this one-hour production is a magical experience.
Critics call Bob Baker’s Nutcracker “Christmas magic” (Broadway World) and “a congregation of imagination” (LA Dance Chronicle). LA Theatrix proclaims, "The cutely intimate Sierra Madre Playhouse, with its throwback red velvet seats and curtain, seems ideally suited for this vintage feeling show.”
Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the holidays with family and friends.
Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse in December include a hilarious musical parody of Die Hard, presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. A lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will &amp; Company, is featured December 12, 11:00 AM. Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. Matt Johnson and the New Jet Set swing by with “A Jet Set Christmas!”, a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy, December 20 and 21, at 8:00 PM.
For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Joyous Nutcracker at Sierra Madre Playhouse

Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Joyous...

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the timeless ballet classic,...

Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Joyous Nutcracker at Sierra Madre Playhouse

The holiday offerings at Sierra Madre Playhouse take an uproarious turn with a hilarious musical parody of the smash hit, Die Hard, presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. Tickets are just $25.
Think Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie? It is. Relive the joy and laughter of this favorite action-packed ‘80s film – onstage and wrapped up in a fast-paced musical bow – with 30MM delivering in-your-face thrills, original music, and hilarity all in 30 minutes.
Formed in 2010, 30MM takes beloved cult classic films, distills them into 30 minute musicals, adapts them with original songs and witty dialogue, and performs them live with energy, audience interaction, and theatrical flair. The ensemble’s productions — ranging from Top Gun to Ghostbusters — are praised for their sharp comedic timing, clever musical mash ups, and up close immersion.
Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse this season include 52 performances of Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the beloved ballet classic, which runs from November 28, 2026, to January 3, 2027. A lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ classic novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will &amp; Company, is featured December 12, 11:00 AM. Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. Matt Johnson &amp; the New Jet Set swing by the historic venue with “A Jet Set Christmas!”, a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy, December 20 and 21, at 8:00 PM.
Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the season with family and friends.
For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit <a href="https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sierramadreplayhouse.org.</a> Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Comedy Troupe 30 Minute Musicals Presents Musical Parody of Hit Film Die Hard

Comedy Troupe 30 Minute Musicals Presents...

The holiday offerings at Sierra Madre Playhouse take an uproarious turn with a hilarious musical parody of the smash hit, Die...

Comedy Troupe 30 Minute Musicals Presents Musical Parody of Hit Film Die Hard

Music Academy of the West

Camerata Pacifica’s “Beethoven 32” initiative, which launched last season, begins its second year with a solo piano recital by Principal Piano Gilles Vonsattel devoted to three contrasting Beethoven piano sonatas. Performances are slated for Monday, December 7, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West, and Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 8:00 pm, at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles. “Beethoven 32” is a momentous three-year Beethoven cycle featuring Vonsattel, “a pianist well worth watching” (The New York Times), perform all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in a hybrid blend of solo recitals and chamber programs.
“Camerata Pacifica is thrilled to welcome Gilles Vonsattel back to our stage as he embarks on the second year of his epic ‘Beethoven 32’ journey, which has captivated audiences and critics alike,” says Camerata Pacifica Founder/Artistic Director Adrian Spence. “Gilles’ performances of Beethoven’s 32 celebrated piano sonatas – an incredibly demanding and challenging feat – offer an extraordinary exploration of emotion, transformation, artistic endurance, finesse, and virtuosity.”
Vonsattel opens the solo recital – the first of two this season – with Beethoven’s breezy and humorous Piano Sonata in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1, which includes a parody of Italian opera and introduced the distinctive “Beethovian” musical style that would appear in the composer’s later “mature” works.
Shifting to the dramatic, Vonsattel next interprets Piano Sonata in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2, “The Tempest,” a tragic work composed during a particularly challenging time for Beethoven due to the progression of his hearing loss.
The program concludes with Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, “The Hunt,” a charming, and playful work considered Beethoven’s brightest, most cheerful piano sonata.
Swiss-born American pianist Gilles Vonsattel boasts remarkable versatility and artistic originality. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant, the 2016 Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, and top prizes in the Naumburg and Geneva competitions, he has graced prestigious stages worldwide, enthralling audiences with recitals and chamber performances, and collaborating with renowned orchestras including the Munich Philharmonic and the Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco symphonies. As a champion of new music, he has premiered compositions by celebrated composers such as Jörg Widmann, Heinz Holliger, Anthony Cheung, and George Benjamin. He is an alum of CMS’s Bowers Program and has earned degrees from Columbia University and the Juilliard School. Today, Vonsattel shares his passion for music as a Professor of Piano at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Camerata Pacifica, a Southern California-based chamber music collective hailed for its exceptional artistry and compelling programming of legacy classics and daring new work, was named 2026 Ensemble of the Year by the national service organization Chamber Music America. Praised as “innovative and intrepid” (The Daily Telegraph), “visceral and powerful” (The Economist), the ensemble has a considerable commissioning portfolio that includes more than 20 works by such established and rising composers as John Harbison, Jake Heggie, Huang Ruo, Lera Auerbach, Bright Sheng, Ian Wilson, David Bruce, Libby Larsen, and John Luther Adams. Camerata Pacifica was founded in 1990 by Adrian Spence, who was named to Musical America’s prestigious list of Top 30 Professionals in Classical Music in January 2026.
For tickets ($85) and information, visit <a href="https://www.cameratapacifica.org." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">cameratapacifica.org.</a>

Local Event: Pianist Gilles Vonsattel Featured in Solo Recital for Camerata Pacifica's “Beethoven 32” Project

Pianist Gilles Vonsattel Featured in Solo...

Camerata Pacifica’s “Beethoven 32” initiative, which launched last season, begins its second year with a solo piano recital by...

Pianist Gilles Vonsattel Featured in Solo Recital for Camerata Pacifica's “Beethoven 32” Project

Sierra Madre Playhouse stages a lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will &amp; Company, December 12, 11:00 AM. Tickets for the theatrical production, which balances bah humbug with plenty of cheer, are just $25.
A timeless touching story about transformation, A Christmas Carol revolves around miserable, old miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who, after the visitation of the spirits of Christmas Past, Present &amp; Future, learns to live with charity and kindness in his heart.
The presentation combines narration, selected key scenes, and historical context, with an emphasis on audience interaction. Children are invited on stage to participate alongside professional actors, making the performance particularly engaging.
Will &amp; Company, founded by Artistic Director Colin Cox in 1993, performs adaptations of classic works by authors such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Homer, and Cervantes. The company is nationally recognized for productions addressing social justice and has presented acclaimed work across the United States, Europe, and Australia. It has garnered recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the National Association for Campus Activities, and Actors’ Equity Association.
Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse this season include 52 performances of Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the beloved ballet classic, which runs from November 28, 2026, to January 3, 2027. A hilarious musical parody of Die Hard, presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. Matt Johnson &amp; the New Jet Set swing by the historic venue with “A Jet Set Christmas!”, a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy, December 20 and 21, at 8:00 PM.
Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the season with family and friends.
For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Will & Company Presents Family-Friendly Version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Will & Company Presents Family-Friendly Version...

Sierra Madre Playhouse stages a lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles...

Will & Company Presents Family-Friendly Version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, on Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. Tickets are just $25.
Karukas’ soulful touch has made him one of contemporary jazz’s most beloved artists. JazzTimes proclaims, “Gregg Karukas is one of those gifted pianists who can make it sound easy, flying through fleet-fingered, laid-back runs with equal parts sparkle and grace.”
For this engagement, Karukas leads a stellar group – featuring bassist John Leftwich, drummer Joel Taylor, and vocalist Devyn Rush – through a festive program of reimagined holiday favorites and keeps it swinging with a selection of his own acclaimed originals. Karukas, whose music has topped Billboard’s Smooth Jazz charts worldwide, has performed with luminaries such as Boney James, Dave Koz, Sergio Mendes, and Patti Austin.
Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse this season include 52 performances of Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the beloved ballet classic, which runs from November 28, 2026, to January 3, 2027. A hilarious musical parody of Die Hard is presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. A lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will &amp; Company, is featured December 12, 11:00 AM. Matt Johnson &amp; the New Jet Set swing by the historic venue with “A Jet Set Christmas!”, a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy, December 20 and 21, at 8:00 PM.
Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the season with family and friends.
For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: Grammy-Winning Jazz Pianist Gregg Karukas Brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse

Grammy-Winning Jazz Pianist Gregg Karukas...

Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated...

Grammy-Winning Jazz Pianist Gregg Karukas Brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse

Matt Johnson &amp; the New Jet Set swing by the historic Sierra Madre Playhouse to deliver “A Jet Set Christmas!” – a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy – Sunday and Monday, December 20 and 21, 2026, at 8:00 PM. Tickets are just $35.
Suitable for all ages, the cool yuletide musical celebration, complete with a crowd-pleasing sing-along, is sure to transport audiences to that “Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” Think holiday tunes sung in a 1960s ski lodge or Christmas carols on jazz steroids.
Known for its retro-cool jazz interpretations of beloved classics, the band — led by celebrated drummer Matt Johnson, “a hurricane on sticks” (Los Angeles Times) and featuring Adryon De León, a “wildly talented and stunning vocalist” (TheUrbanMusicScene) – brings the seasonal spirit to life with swinging arrangements by Chris Barron, the group’s gifted music director and pianist. The New Jet Set also features Miles Jensen on guitar and David Miller on bass.
Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse this season include 52 performances of Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the beloved ballet classic, which runs from November 28, 2026, to January 3, 2027. A hilarious musical parody of Die Hard is presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. A lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will &amp; Company, is featured December 12, 11:00 AM. Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz, blending sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, to the historic venue, Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM.
Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the season with family and friends.
For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Local Event: A Jet Set Christmas! Adds Jazz and Joy to Carols and Holiday Sing-Alongs

A Jet Set Christmas! Adds Jazz and Joy to...

Matt Johnson & the New Jet Set swing by the historic Sierra Madre Playhouse to deliver “A Jet Set Christmas!” – a festive...

A Jet Set Christmas! Adds Jazz and Joy to Carols and Holiday Sing-Alongs

Camerata Pacifica rings in the New Year with a program of venerated and never-before-heard works anchored by the world premiere of a new work for mixed sextet by Howard Frazin, whose music has been called “touching” (Dallas Morning News) and “ingeniously scored” (The Boston Globe), January 10-15, 2027, at four Southland venues. It is the second of two Camerata Pacifica-commissions to be premiered this season.
The concerts are Sunday, January 10, 3:00 pm, at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray&nbsp;Scherr&nbsp;Forum; Tuesday, January,12, 7:30 pm, at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; Thursday, January 14, 8:00 pm, at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles; and Friday, January 15, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.
“Howard Frazin’s music and orchestrations are notably beautiful, perhaps hearkening back to the 19th century,” says Camerata Pacifica Founder/Artistic Director Adrian Spence. “This program’s mix of instruments will provide an unusually diverse display of sounds and textures, concluding with a smiling Schoenberg.”
The chamber collective’s program also includes Bach’s Flute Sonata in E Major, featuring Principal Flute Sébastian Jacot, and Manuel de Falla’s Concerto for Harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin and Cello, which is rooted in Spanish musical traditions.
Malcom Arnold’s Divertimento, Op. 37, a sequence of six short pieces for flute, oboe, and clarinet, and Strauss’s Kaiser-Walzer, Op. 437, a soaring waltz arranged for string quartet, piano, flute and clarinet by Arnold Schoenberg, cap the program.
Appearing with Jacot are violinists Grace Park and Jason Uyeyama; Che-Yen Chen, viola; Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinet; Nicholas Daniel, oboe; Ani Aznavoorian, cello; and Irina Zahharenkova, piano.
Camerata Pacifica, an international chamber music collective celebrated for its exceptional artistry and compelling programming of legacy classics and daring new work, was named 2026 Ensemble of the Year by the national service organization Chamber Music America. Praised as “innovative and intrepid” (The Daily Telegraph), “visceral and powerful” (The Economist), the ensemble has a considerable commissioning portfolio that includes more than 20 works by such established and rising composers as John Harbison, Jake Heggie, Huang Ruo, Lera Auerbach, Bright Sheng, Ian Wilson, David Bruce, Libby Larsen, and John Luther Adams. Camerata Pacifica was founded in 1990 by Adrian Spence, who was named to Musical America’s prestigious list of Top 30 Professionals in Classical Music in January 2026.
For tickets ($85 at The Huntington, Music Academy of the West, and Zipper Hall; $75, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information, visit www.cameratapacifica.org.

Local Event: Camerata Pacifica Presents World Premiere by Howard Frazin

Camerata Pacifica rings in the New Year with a program of venerated and never-before-heard works anchored by the world premiere...

Camerata Pacifica Presents World Premiere by Howard Frazin

Corey Washington

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The Gooden School is an independent Episcopal school serving students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade in Sierra Madre, California. Founded in 1975, Gooden has spent more than five decades nurturing curious minds, strong character, and a lifelong love of learning within a close-knit and supportive community. At Gooden, academic excellence is paired with a deep commitment to personal growth. Small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and an engaging curriculum allow students to be known, challenged, and supported as individuals. From the earliest years through middle school, students develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills that prepare them for success in high school and beyond. Rooted in the school’s Episcopal identity, Gooden welcomes families of all faiths, backgrounds, and perspectives. The school’s guiding principles, known as the 3Rs—Respect for Self, Respect for Others, and Respect for the World—are woven throughout daily life and serve as the foundation for character development, leadership, and service. Students are encouraged to become compassionate citizens who understand their responsibility to contribute positively to their communities and the wider world. The Gooden experience extends far beyond the classroom. Students participate in a rich array of programs in the arts, athletics, technology, outdoor education, world languages, service learning, and leadership development. Signature traditions, meaningful chapel experiences, and opportunities for public speaking, performance, and teamwork help students build confidence and discover their unique strengths. Families are an essential part of the Gooden community. Strong partnerships between parents, faculty, and staff create an environment where students thrive academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. The school’s welcoming culture fosters lasting friendships and a strong sense of belonging.

The Gooden School is an independent Episcopal school serving students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade in Sierra Madre, California...

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