'First Look' at Center Stage
Seeking an antidote to all the fa-la-la? Check out a reading of The Murder of Isaac, part of Center Stage's "First Look" series, in which a play under development is performed before a live audience with scripts but without costumes or props. Murder tells the story of a group of Israeli patients suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome who re-enact the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as part of a therapeutic psychodrama. The script was written by Motti Lerner (pictured), an Israeli filmmaker, activist and award-winning playwright. The readings are at 8 p.m. today and tomorrow at Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. Tickets are $10, $5 for students and subscribers. Call 410-332-0033 or visit www.centerstage.org.
To market, to market
Don't miss your last chance in 2002 to visit the Baltimore Farmers' Market. The market, located under the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday and Saratoga streets, closes for the season on Sunday. In addition to the usual fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, cheeses, organic foods and smoked meats, vendors' last-day wares will include holiday decorations, such as wreaths, garlands, poinsettias, holly and fresh pine, and handmade crafts suitable for gift-giving. The market is open from 8 a.m. till sellout (usually noon). Call 410-887-BALTIMORE.
Merry music from Mannheim Steamroller
It's beginning to sound a lot like Mannheim Steamroller. The New Age label -- essentially the alter ego of its creator, Chip Davis -- has sold gazillions of holiday records to fans who enjoy a light, tinkly sound and clever arrangements of traditional carols. Davis himself describes his keyboard-driven music as "18th-century classic rock." The Steamroller is coming to the Baltimore Arena at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow for its annual concert, this year called "Christmas Extraordinaire." Tickets cost $40-$75. The arena is located at 201 W. Baltimore St. Call 410-481-SEAT or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Handel Choir's 'Messiah'
Hallelujah! The Handel Choir of Baltimore will present its 69th annual holiday concert of The Messiah this weekend. Soloists include soprano Amanda Balestrieri, mezzo-soprano Sally Wilson, tenor Darren Chase and baritone Richard Hobson. Show times are 8 p.m. tomorrow at Christ Lutheran Church, 701 S. Charles St.; 8 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at Goucher College's Kraushaar Auditorium, 1021 Dulaney Valley Road in Towson. Tickets cost $15. A free lecture an hour before the Saturday and Sunday performances will help audience members get the most from the concert. Call 410-366-6544.
Jewish Museum open house
For the third year in a row, the Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd St., will hold an open house Christmas Day. This year, the event focuses on Odessa, Baltimore's sister city in the Ukraine. Activities include musical performances, cooking demonstrations, art projects and a film screening. Guitarist Becky Gordon will lead a children's sing-along, storyteller Gail Rosen will perform for adults, and the Yom Toy Puppet Theater will present Fiddler, a program of klezmer music. Open-house hours are 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for museum member families, $2 for individual members, $10 for nonmember families and $4 for individual nonmembers. Call 410-752-6400.
'Nutcracker,' urban style
Only The Nutcracker could be so sweet without being saccharine. This weekend, The City Nutcracker 2002 will boast the familiar score by Tchaikovsky and performances by 100 professional and student dancers under the auspices of Baltimore Dance Tech and the Stephanie Powell DanseEnsemble. The dancers will create a world of swirling snowflakes, flowers, soldiers, angels and dancing dolls, in a present-day setting. Show times are 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday, with a matinee at 1 p.m. Saturday. All performances are at Coppin State College, 2500 W. North Ave. Tickets cost $10. Call 410-233-1101.
'LION KING' ROARS INTO SCIENCE CENTER
See the king of the jungle larger than life when the IMAX Theater at the Maryland Science Center presents Walt Disney Pictures' The Lion King. Premiering Wednesday and running through the spring, the animated film about Simba, Mufasa and the beastly Scar has been reformatted specifically for large-screen cinemas. In addition, the Disney classic features a newly remixed soundtrack. Show times vary. Tickets are $10-$12. The Science Center is located at 601 Light St. Call 410-685-2370.