charlie brown christmas

Things to Do This Week, Dec. 9-15

There is music in the air to bring out the best of the holidays in song, Santa checks in at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, and A Charlie Brown Christmas delivers the message of the season.

JIM POWERS Attractions, Current Digital

charlie brown christmas
A live adaptation of A Charlie Brown Christmas comes to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
GO: STEVEN FALES, CONFESSIONS OF A MORMAN BOY / THROUGH JAN. 2020

Steven Fales is in the midst of a five-month residency at Hotel Zoso with its “Storytelling Tuesdays” series. The one-man show tells the story of what happened to Fales and his gay brothers and sisters in the Mormon Church at the turn of the millennium. mormonboyexperience.com

• READ NEXT: Steve Fales Chats About The Story Behind His Performance.

GO: REACH FOR THE SKY:TRADITION + INSPIRATION / SEPT. 11 – JUNE 2020

Music legend Herb Alpert has created totem pole art after being inspired by the work of the Hunt family, and Sunnylands has brought both collections together to display in Rancho Mirage. or the first time in the United States, the new Sunnylands exhibition brings together three generations of Kwakiutl art representing the Northwest Coast’s most significant carving family: Henry Hunt, his son Stanley, and grandson Jason. sunnylands.org

GO: MARX BROTHERS COLLECTION / THROUGH 2019

Bill Marx, the son of Harpo Marx, loans a stunning array of memorabilia from his famous family to the Rancho Mirage Public Library with the hope of revealing a powerful legacy. ranchomiragepubliclibrary.org or harposplace.com

• READ NEXT: Our Interview with Bill Marx, Who Talks About Creating Music with His Father.

GO: Christmas with the Crawfords / Through Dec. 22

Spend the holidays in old Hollywood. Palm Springs’ LGBTQ theater company Desert Rose Playhouse puts on this zany play about Joan Crawford’s attempts to keep the overzealous Christmas spirit of Katherine Hepburn, Judy Garland, and other midcentury stars from spoiling a big-deal audition. desertroseplayhouse.org

GO: The King and I / Through Dec. 22

This Rodgers and Hammerstein show nabbed Tony awards in 1952, 1996, and 2015, but the making of the musical wasn’t exactly smooth sailing — the duo overcame the limited vocal range of their star actress and a rare dispute over lyrics, among other issues. See the final product at Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs. palmcanyontheatre.org

GO: Mary Poppins / Dec. 6–22

Indio stage company Desert Theatreworks’ production of this classic tale about a magical, umbrella-toting nanny is supercalifragi … you know the rest. dtworks.org

marypoppinsdeserttheatreworks

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY DESERT THEATREWORKS

Mary Poppins

GO: Brave New Worlds: Explorations of Space / Through Dec. 15

Five artists transform Palm Springs Art Museum’s grand galleries into uniquely transportive, sensory new spheres in which sculpture comes alive and Southern California’s artistic traditions are both celebrated and challenged. psmuseum.org

GO: Touching History: Stonewall 50 / Through Mar. 29

Fifty years after the uprising at the Stonewall Inn in New York City that kickstarted the fight for LGBTQ rights, the Palm Springs Art Museum presents this exhibition of photographs and collages exploring the power of queer intimacy and touch. psmuseum.org

GO: Reach for the Sky: Tradition + Inspiration / Through June 7

A striking 30-foot-tall totem pole has greeted visitors to Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s Rancho Mirage estate, Sunnylands, since 1978. Carved by indigenous artist Henry Hunt and later restored by his son Stan and grandson Jason, the totem pole serves as the focal point for a new exhibition featuring work by the Hunts and American sculptor Herb Alpert. sunnylands.org

GROOVE: Scott Wilke and Friends / Dec. 9

Jazz pianist Scott Wilkie recreates his 2015 holiday album Joy live at Coachella Valley Repertory in Cathedral City with bandmates Pat Kelley, Nathan Brown, Monette Marino, and Jeff Olson providing smooth instrumental backing on guitar, bass, percussion, and drums. cvrep.org

GROOVE: Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel / Dec. 9

Jeffrey Siegel is a piano man with the gift of gab — he furnishes his catalog of melodic classics with commentary on the origins and importance of each song and its composer. His latest concert at the McCallum Theatre celebrates Slavic, Nordic, and German musical geniuses including Tchaikovsky, Stenhammar, and Brahms. mccallumtheatre.com

GROOVE: Judy Kuhn / Dec. 9

Best known as the vocalist behind “Just Around the Riverbend,” “Colors of the Wind,” and other enduring anthems from the Disney classic Pocahontas, Judy Kuhn has also starred in (and scored Tony nods for) musicals like The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Les Misérables, She Loves Me, and Fun Home. Hear her “sing with all the voices of the mountains” at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs. psmuseum.org

PLAY: Clubs Fore Kids Golf Tournament / Dec. 11

You’re helping tykes at every tee when you play this annual tournament at Escena Golf Club in Palm Springs. There’s also a player breakfast, holiday luncheon, and raffle with all proceeds benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs. palmspringshospitality.org

GROOVE: Let There Be Peace / Dec. 11, 15

The professional and committed amateur singers who make up the California Desert Chorale join voices at the Indian Wells Theater for a night of music in which “all is calm, all is bright.” californiadesertchorale.org

GROOVE: Desert Symphony’s Holiday Extravaganza / Dec. 12

Jazz singer and big band leader Michael Andrew lends his vocal chops to the Desert Symphony’s orchestral arrangements of seasonal standbys at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. desertsymphony.org

GO: BOOK SIGNING WITH AUTHOR JIM MOORE / DEC. 12

Jim Moore, GQ creative director at large, will be in attendance for a book signing event for Hunks & Heroes: Four Decades of Fashion at GQ from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 12, at Trina Turk / Mr Turk, 891 N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. For more information, visit trinaturk.com.

jimmooregqnewbook

BOOK COVER BY ALASDAIR MCLELLAN

PLAY: The Narrow Door Golf Tournament / Dec. 13

Grab your irons and head to the Classic Club in Palm Desert for a do-gooder day on the green. Local nonprofit The Narrow Door raises funds to help end hunger in the Coachella Valley with this yearly tournament and the banquet dinner that follows. fb.com/thenarrowdoor.org

GROOVE: The Colors of Christmas / Dec. 13

This holiday show featuring songsters Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, Ben Vereen, and Jody Watley has been described by multiple reviewers as resembling a TV special — picture the heart-lifting energy and high production value of a celeb-hosted silver-screen Christmas concert, live at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com

GROOVE: The Storm Large Holiday Ordeal / Dec. 14

The Pink Martini singer takes the McCallum Theatre by storm with “The Storm Large Holiday Ordeal,” a cheery and sometimes cheeky Christmas concert now in its 13th year. mccallumtheatre.com

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE

Storm Large

GROOVE: “SOUNDS OF THE HOLIDAYS” / DEC. 13

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 13, a different high school choir performs holiday favorites at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Mountain Station. Show times are 5 and 7 p.m. on the Pines Café Stage with food and beverage service. pstramway.com

GO: Santa Visits Palm Springs Aerial Tramway / Dec,. 14-15

Santa visits the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 14. Free candy canes and photo opportunities for the kids bring another dose of Yuletide merriment to all who visit the Tramway’s Mountain Station. On Dec. 15 is “Breakfast with Santa” starting at 9 a.m. Join Ol’ St. Nick for crafts, holiday treats, and a leam in an alpine setting. Tickets are $40 for adults and seniors, and $26 for children (ages 3-10). Tram fare is included. Advanced tickets are required by calling 760-325-1449.

GO: Desert Art Festival / Dec. 14

Around 80 artists and craftspeople appear at Frances Stevens Park in Palm Springs for this monthly event that delights serious collectors and casual shoppers alike. Vendors must apply to exhibit and are chosen by expert judges to ensure that all available art is top-notch. westcoastartists.com

GROOVE: Femmes of Rock / Dec. 14

As much as the phrase “hard-rock electric violin quartet” may sound like some fanciful accident of an online musical genre generator, the Femmes of Rock are no joke.

femmesofrock

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SPOTLIGHT 29

Femmes of Rock

The bow-wielding beauties, who boast Beyoncé, Shakira, and Stevie Wonder on their list of past collaborators, play their singular takes on rock and pop favorites like David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” and A Star is Born’s “Shallow” at Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella. spotlight29.com

GROOOVE: A Big Band Christmas / Dec. 14

A nine-piece band and four talented crooners offer audiences at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater a free trip to the 1940s via swingy holiday songs and clips from retro commercials. There’s also tasty treats, such as hot cocoa, gratis. whereisranchomirage.com

LAUGH: Gabriel Iglesias / Dec. 14

With three comedy specials, a number of TV shows, and a host of voice and acting credits including appearances in Magic Mike and Coco, Gabriel Iglesias — known as Fluffy thanks to his crowd-favorite quip “I’m not fat; I’m fluffy” — is one of America’s most successful stand-up stars. See his latest side-splitting set at Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon. morongocasinoresort.com

GO: CAMFest / Dec. 14

This event at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is a celebration of art and music for the grade-school set. With appearances by adorable elementary schoolers and professional performers, as well as an exciting holiday raffle, it’s a veritable kid-chella. desertsandsef.org

GO: Paws N’ Claus / Dec. 14

Even when dogs are at their naughtiest, they can’t help but be on the nice list. At this event at the The Gardens on El Paseo, Saint Nick treats four-legged good boys and girls to photo ops, canine games, and pet-friendly snacks. thegardensonelpaseo.com

GO: Ability Festival / Dec. 14

The possibilities are endless at this program hosted by the Desert Ability Center. The free festival at the Palm Desert Community Center offers adaptive recreational sports for all, plus a resource fair for people impacted by disabilities. desertabilitycenter.org

GO: A Charlie Brown Christmas / Dec. 14

It’s the true meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown! This live stage adaption of the cherished TV special brings the Peanuts gang’s attempts to stage a holiday play (and spruce up the world’s spindliest pine tree) to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. fantasyspringsresort.com

• Looking for More Things to Do? How About 50 in December.