WHAT'S GOING ON: Dec. 9, 2011

EVENTS

• Parker House Ranching Museum, 1118 Maple Ave., has scheduled its annual open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. today. There will be cowboy Christmas decorations and seasonal refreshments. Call 335-9918.
• A special in-theater event, George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker LIVE,” presented by the New York City Ballet, will be shown on the big screen at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Century Theatre, 4221 Preston Smith Road and Hollywood Tall City 14, 4915 W. Loop 250 N., Midland. Odessa tickets are $14 for adults, $13 for seniors and students. Midland tickets are $20. Tickets may be purchased at the box office or at www.FathomEvents.com.
• MIDLAND The Petroleum Museum, 1500 Interstate 20 W., Midland, has scheduled a brown bag lunch and lecture series presenting “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” as told by Mary Lou Cassidy, at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. This event is free and open to the public. Bring your lunch and free drinks and cookies will be provided. Call 683-4403 or visit www.petroleummuseum.org.
• All-American Chevrolet of Odessa and The Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, present “A Mariachi Christmas” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ector Theatre, 500 N. Texas Ave. This performance features, Mariachi Tecalitlan, Mariachi Juvenil, Women’s Mariachi Trio and the Chiquititas. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 years and younger. Sponsorships are available for $500, $1,000 and $1,500. Call 339-6422 for ticket information.
• A special in-theater event, “Rodelinda,” by George Frideric Handel, will be shown on the big screen as a special encore presentation at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 4, 2012 at Century Theatre, 4221 Preston Smith Road. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $14 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the box office or at www.FathomEvents.com.

CONCERTS

• MIDLAND Iva Boze/Spiritual Forces Community Choir has scheduled their annual Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Wager and Brown Fine Arts Auditorium, 3600 N. Garfield St., Midland. “For the Lord” from Houston will also be performing. Admission is free. Call 570-0577.
• MIDLAND The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, 1310 N. FM 1788, Midland, has scheduled the following events. Saturday: 8 p.m., Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers in concert. Tickets are $19.50 to $49.50. Jan. 10, 2012: Country Music Hall of Famer Ray Price in concert with special guest Gene Watson. Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 800-514-3849 or 552-4430 or visit www.etix.com or www.wagnernoel.com.
• ALPINE Sul Ross State University, 400 N. Harrison St., Alpine, has scheduled the Alpine community band to perform in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Marshall auditorium. This event is free and open to the public. Call 837-8018 or email cdobbins@sulross.edu.
• The Globe of the Great Southwest, 2308 Shakespeare Road, has scheduled Flying J Wranglers to perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $25. Call 332-1586 or 580-3177, visit www.globesw.org or email hamlet@globesw.org.
• The Ector Theatre, 500 N. Texas Ave., presents the Michael Martin Murphey Christmas Show at 8 p.m. Tuesday. There will be live music and stories. Reserved seating is $25. Call 580-0898.
• La Ley Radio 104.7 FM has scheduled 24 Horas in concert from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday at El Club Patron, 5850 W. University Blvd. Call 381-9378 or 559-6709.
• Bleu Edmondson will be performing in concert at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Graham Central Station, 4240 Preston Smith Road. Doors open at 9 p.m. Visit www.bleuedmondson.com or www.facebook.com/events/ 190756574345821.
• MIDLAND The Glovebox will perform in concert at 9 p.m. Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 at Hot Shorts, 615 W. Wall St., Midland. Call 687-3582 or visit www.facebook.com/events/309109792433606.
• BIG SPRING Big Spring Symphony Orchestra has scheduled its 2011-12 concert season with the following performances at 8 p.m. at the Big Spring Municipal Auditorium. Dec. 17: Nutcracker Ballet. Feb. 4: Piano Celebration. March 31: Pops Celebration. Visit www.bigspringsymphony.com.

PERFORMANCES

• The Permian Playhouse, 310 W. 42nd St., presents “The Gospel According to Scrooge” at 8 p.m., today, Saturday and Dec. 16-17 and at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and Dec. 18. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $7 for children 12 years and  younger and $10 for groups of 12 or more. Call 550-5456 or visit www.permianplayhouse.com.
• ALPINE Theatre of the Big Bend, has scheduled their third annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre themed “Death at the Disco,” at 7 p.m. Saturday at Café Oso in Alpine. Tickets are $35 each. Call 888-722-7778 or visit www.sulross.edu/theatre.
• MIDLAND The Midland Festival Ballet has schedule performances of “The Nutcracker” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, 1310 N. FM 1788, Midland, and at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Big Spring Municipal Auditorium, Big Spring. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children, students and seniors. Groups of 15 or more will receive a $2 discount per ticket. Call 686-0071 or visit www.midlandfestivalballet.org.
• MIDLAND The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, 1310 N. FM 1788, Midland, has scheduled the Moscow Ballet performance of “The Russian Nutcracker,” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26. Tickets are $27.50 to $350. Call 800-514-3849 or visit www.etix.com or www.wagnernoel.com.

DANCE

• Allemander’s Square Dance Club has scheduled dances from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first and third Friday each month at the Northside Senior Center, 1225 N. Adams Ave. Call 367-9226 or email bg02sf@yahoo.com.
• MIDLAND High Sky Squares has scheduled square dancing from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the second Saturday of each month at M Square Arena, 2800 W. County Road, Midland. Call 362-6042 or 653-0346 or email jdale22222@aol.com.
• Love To Dance Studio, 2817 JBS Parkway, Suite E-1, has scheduled the following dance classes: Salsa Fitness: 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays. The class includes footwork, body movement along with hand and arm styling for the ladies. Ballroom & Latin classes: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Classes include instructions in swing, jitterbug, waltz, fox trot, cha cha, merengue, rumba, salsa and tango. Partners are not required. Beginners may start on any Tuesday. Belly Dance (Cabaret style): 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Belly Dance (American Tribal style): 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Private lessons are also available. Call 349-1472 or visit www.lovetodancestudio.com.
• Allemander’s Square Dance Club has dances from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first and third Friday each month at the Northside Senior Center, 1225 N. Adams Ave. Call 367-9226 or e-mail bg02sf@yahoo.com.
• The Thursday Night Dance Club has scheduled dance nights with entertainment by a country-western band from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays at the Northside Senior Center, 1225 N. Adams Ave. Cost is $5 for members and $6 for guests. Visitors are welcome. Call 687-3413 or 697-0281 or email bob_evans1955@hotmail.com or maxking@grandecom.net.
• West Texas Circle of Friends offers dance lessons from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday at the Moose Lodge, 2711 N. Dixie Blvd. Dances taught are the two-step, the waltz, swing and line dances. The association also schedules a country-western dance for ages 40 and older from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at Graham Central Station, 4240 Preston Smith Road. On Graham dance nights, two-step and line dance lessons are from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call 208-9511 or 638-2593.

EXHIBITIONS

• ALPINE A BFA exhibition, “god is dirt,” by Sul Ross State University Student Antonio Manuel Castillo Gonzalez, will be on display starting Monday in the Sul Ross State University, Main Gallery, Francois Fine Arts Building, 400 N. Harrison St., Alpine. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dec. 16: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., An opening reception will be held. Call 210-289-5855 or email RabbitJuiceStudio@gmail.com.
• The White-Pool House Museum, 112 E. Murphy St., has scheduled “A Farmhouse Christmas” through Dec. 22. The museum will be decorated with Christmas trees, antique ornaments and toys. There is no admission fee but donations are accepted. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 333-4072.  
• ALPINE The Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine has scheduled its newest exhibit, “The Lost Colony Texas Regionalist Paintings.” The exhibit will run through Jan. 29, 2012. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public. Call 837-8730 or 837-8143 or visit www.sulross.edu/museum.
• The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, 4901 E. University Blvd., has scheduled the Freshman and Sophomore Art Exhibition 2011 to be on display through Jan. 15, 2012 in the Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery in the Visual Arts Studio. The displayed arts will be artworks by students that were enrolled in freshman and sophomore level art courses at UTPB during the last year. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Today: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Open reception will be held in the Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery in the Visual Arts Studio. This event is free and open to the public.
• The Ellen Noël Art Museum, 4909 E. University Blvd., has scheduled its newest exhibit, “A Secret Passion: Vintage Costume Jewelry form the Linda Smetak Collection.” The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 15, 2012. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public. Saturday: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Random Acts of Art Jewelry Recovery Workshop, no jewelry experience is necessary and all tools will be provided. Participants are asked to bring their own jewelry pieces. The registration fee is $30. Call 550-9696 or visit www.noelartmuseum.org.
• MARFA Ballroom Marfa, 108 E. San Antonio St., Marfa, has scheduled a visual arts exhibit, “Autobody,” which will run through Jan 29, 2012. The gallery is open noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Call 729-3600 or visit www.ballroommarfa.org for more information.
• The Ellen Noël Art Museum, 4909 E. University Blvd., has scheduled its newest exhibit, “From the Pueblo to West Texas: Paintings by René Alvarado.” The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 29, 2011. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit www.noelartmuseum.org.

OALIFE@OAOA.COM