Best Bets: December 8th – December 14th

With the exception one of pick this week, Cultural Attaché’s Best Bets: December 8th – December 15th will require you to endure some cold weather. Thankfully the productions will warm you up.

MARJORIE PRIME – Hayes Theater – New York, NY – Now – February 15^th

I saw Jordan Harrison’s wonderful play, Marjorie Prime, at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in September of 2014. I’m surprised it has taken this long to make it to Broadway, but it’s here with a terrific cast.

The title character is in her mid-80s. Her memory is failing her and she has started using a holographic companion who is programmed to be and respond like a much younger version of her late husband. All of this is an attempt to stave off further memory loss.

But at what price? And how does Marjorie’s family respond to everything they see and hear?

June Squibb stars as Marjorie. Cynthia Nixon plays her daughter Tess. Danny Burstein plays her husband, Jon. Christopher Lowell plays the hologram of Walter.

Anne Kaufman directs.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

ARIODANTE – Royal Opera – London, England – December 9^th – December 21^st

Handel’s opera had its world premiere in January 1735 at Covent Garden Theatre. This dramatic opera tells the story of Ginevra who is betrothed to the title character who is a Prince. She’s the king’s daughter and is the object of Polinesso’s affections. He’s the Duke and when he’s rebuked by Ginevra, he orchestrates a campaign to smear Ginevra’s reputation by saying she’d been unfaithful.

This is a brand new production by director Jetske Mijnssen who has made a name for herself with productions of Donizetti’s Three Queens operas, Wagner’s Parsifal and Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. She’s also directed multiple baroque works which makes this production one to watch.

Emily D’Angelo sings the role of Ariodante. Jacquelyn Stucker sings the role of Ginevra. Christophe Dumaux sings the role of Polinesso and Peter Kellner sings the role of the King of Scotland.

Stefano Montanari conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

THE NUTCRACKER – Joffrey Ballet – Chicago, IL – Now – December 28th

Rare are the times when I’m inclined to suggest a production of the ballet The Nutcracker. They are ubiquitous and often lacking in imagination. That is certainly not the case with the Joffrey Ballet’s production which is set at the time of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. What better setting than one of Chicago’s most famous events? (Don’t expect this to intertwine the serial killer story that makes Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City so compelling.)

Christopher Wheeldon choreographed this inventive production which was first performed in 2016. The story was written by Brian Selznick (best known for his graphic novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret.) The puppetry is by Basil Twist. The whole thing is a feast for the eyes. And for the ears with Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score.

There’s a large company of dancers as you would expect. Lead roles are rotated throughout the ensemble.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

COUNTDOWN 2026 COLTRANE FESTIVAL – Smoke Jazz Club – New York, NY – December 10^th – January 4^th

This is the 13^th year for Smoke Jazz Club’s Coltrane Festival and they’ve got quite a line-up:

December 10^th – December 14^th: Melissa Aldana on tenor saxophone; George Garzone on tenor saxophone; Linda May Han Oh on bass; Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone; Bill Stewart on drums and Glenn Zaleski on piano. 

December 17^th – December 21^st: Ravi Coltrane Quartet performs. Coltrane is on tenor sax and is joined by Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet; Elé Howell on drums; Chris Lightcap on bass and Adam Rogers on guitar.

December 24^th – December 25^th: Eddie Henderson (trumpet) plus the Vincent Herring Quintet featuring George Cables (piano).

December 26^th – December 27^th: Steve Turre (trombone and seashells) plus the Vincent Herring Quintet featuring George Cables.

December 28^th: Steve Davis (trombone) plus Vincent Herring Quintet featuring Eric Scott Reed (piano).

December 29^th – December 30^th: Sarah Hanahan (alto saxophone) plus Vincent Herring Quintet featuring Eric Scott Reed.

December 31^st – Jazzmeia Horn & the Smoke Jazz Club All-Stars (Jonathan Blake on drums; Cyrus Chestnut on piano and Vincent Herring on alto saxophone).

January 1^st – January 4^th: Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring Quintet featuring Eric Scott Reed.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

ANDREA CHÉNIER – Met Opera Live in HD – December 13^th

Giordano’s opera had its world premiere in Milan in 1896. It features a libretto by Luigi Illica and is inspired by the life of the poet André Chénier who was executed during the French Revolution.

A love triangle is ultimately at the center of this opera. Chénier says one too many things in the presence of Maddalena, Countess di Coigny’s daughter, about the imbalance between the French government and the poverty that has trapped so many of his countrymen. This is just prior to the French Revolution.

Half a decade later, Carlo Gérard, who was a footman to the now executed King Louis XVI and was influenced by Chénier’s talk, is now a leading political figure. The poet, however, is not in their good graces. This interrupts his plans to meet a young woman with whom he has been corresponding. That turns out to be Maddalena. Though she and Chénier are in love, Gérard also has his eyes on her. Politics and passion collide leading to the poet’s execution.

Sonya Yoncheva sings the role of Maddalena. Piotr Beczała sings the role of Andrea Chénier, Igor Golovatenko sings the role of Carlo Gérard.

This is a Nicolas Joël production with Daniele Rustioni conducting.

To find your local theater and for more information, please go HERE.

For those in the Los Angeles area, Beczała has a recital at the BroadStage in Santa Monica on December 19^th. For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

SOMEWHERE – Guthrie Theater – Minneapolis, MN – December 13^th – February 1^st

Matthew López’s play is from 2011 but sight unseen it seems like the perfect alternative to endless productions of A Christmas Carol.

The play tells the story of a family facing the demolition of their home and neighborhood to make way for Lincoln Center. All of this happening while the original film version of West Side Story is being shot in that very neighborhood. (Steven Spielberg made a reference to this in his remake of the film.)

This isn’t just a play. Lopez describes it as a “play with dance.” Of course, the dance has to have music, so it’s filled with all three.

Joseph Haj directs. The cast features Margaret Bofill, Kassandra N. Cruz, Preston Perez, José Sabillón and Sam Stoll.

There’s a place for us to get tickets and more information. It can be found HERE.

That’s all for Best Bets: December 8th – December 15th.

Enjoy your week and go see a show! Even if it’s cold outside!

Main Photo: Piotr Beczała and Sonya Yoncheva in Andrea Chénier (Photo by Karen Almond/Courtesy Metropolitan Opera)