Wednesday, November 26, 2003
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Wednesday, November 26, 2003 |
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Christmas activities in the big city By MICHAEL
BOYLAN It’s always fun to participate in Christmas activities in your neighborhood, whether it’s caroling, the lighting of the city tree, watching a parade or taking in a local show, but it is also fun to see how a larger city, like Atlanta celebrates. There are lots of activities going on in Atlanta, many of them starting this week. It wouldn’t be Christmas without Atlanta Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” or the Alliance Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” These two staples of the holiday season have enchanted and brought joy to audiences for years. “The Nutcracker” opens Nov. 29 at the Fox Theatre and runs through Dec. 27. The story focuses on Marya who falls asleep on Christmas Eve and has a wonderful dream filled with a growing Christmas tree, dancers from all over the world, dream fairies and, of course, The Nutcracker Prince. Over 300 local children dance in a variety of roles and the Atlanta Youth Choir also performs in the show. The choir represents 35 public, private and parochial schools in five metro area counties. New to this year’s production is revamped choreography in the second act and a traditional Chinese ribbon dance performed by the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company from Norcross. There will also be a beautiful pink ballerina pig on roller blades this year and a snow scene that dumps 20 pounds of snow during each performance. Tickets range from $22-$63. Phone 404-817-8700 or visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.atlantaballet.com for more information. Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is also a beloved holiday classic and the Alliance Theatre’s production is a local favorite. The story deals with Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy miser who learns the meaning of Christmas, after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. This production features a large cast, music and dazzling visuals. For more information on ticket prices or performance times, visit www.alliancetheatre.org. One could also head down to Centennial Olympic Park to enjoy the Holiday in Lights decorations and skating on the ice rink. The lights and skating will be up until the end of December. The fee for skating is $5 for one and a half hours and $2 for skate rental. There will be different radio stations playing music at the rink throughout the week. Visit www.centennialpark.com for a complete schedule. These ideas are merely the tip of the iceberg. There are also activities at Stone Mountain, a chance to visit the Pink Pig at Rich’s/Macy’s, “The Santaland Diaries” at Horizon Theatre and more. Keep your eyes peeled for events that may become a holiday tradition for you and your family. |
