Winter stories program set
CHAPEL HILL -- The 17th annual Winter Stories Program for Children of All Ages will be held in Wilson Library, Pleasants Family Assembly Room (2nd floor) Dec. 10 from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The fun will begin with refreshments in the lobby at 5 p.m. and continue with seasonal tales and music at 5:45 p.m. in the Pleasants Family Assembly Room.
Storytellers will be Brian Sturm, associate professor at the UNC School of Information and Library Science, and students Katherine Lukmire, Jane McMahon and Vickie Shore. Instrumental music will be provided by guitarist and library assistant Kate Barnhart; flutist and Davis Library music cataloger Laurie Neuerburg; concert violinist and traditional fiddler Steven Wiggins; and guitarist and ILS student Carrie Stubblefield. There will also be sing-alongs. For further information, please call Liza Terll at 962-4207 or visit http://www.lib.unc.edu/blogs/news/.
THEATER
'Christmas Carol' coming to town
HILLSBOROUGH --Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale "A Christmas Carol" will once again be coming to Hillsborough, with performances by local authors Michael Malone and Alan Gurganus, and other artists.
The Burwell School Historic Site and St. Matthews Episcopal Church will be sponsoring this event which has become a holiday tradition for the community of Hillsborough. This year, there will be two performances at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 210 St. Mary's Rd., Hillsborough, on two evenings -- Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
A light reception will follow both performances. Ticket prices are $15 each and can be purchased in advance or at the door.
To reserve tickets, call 732-7451. Tickets can be purchased at the Burwell School Historic Site, The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (Dixon House), and the Hillsborough Wine Company.
Proceeds will benefit Burwell School Historic Site www.burwellschool.org.
'A Trailer Park Christmas'
DURHAM -- Local filmmaker Jeffrey Moore and Common Ground Theatre owner Rachel Klem team up to present "A Trailer Park Christmas," an interactive, holiday entertainment. Set in West Durham, "A Trailer Park Christmas" follows the Dodson/Hussy family as they grapple with crazy neighbors, ghosts, fruitcakes and a holiday tornado.
The play opens Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue Dec. 4, 5, 10,11,12, 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.
Performances are at Common Ground Theatre, 4815B Hillsborough Road, Durham. General admission tickets are $17. To purchase, call (919) 698-3870 or visit www.cgtheatre.com.
DANCE
Carolina Ballet's 'Nutcracker' set
CHAPEL HILL -- The Carolina Ballet will perform "Nutcracker," choreographer Robert Weiss' adaptation of the Tchaikovsky classic. Performances are Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Dec. 6 at 2 p.m., in Memorial Hall on the UNC campus.
Ticket prices are $10-$75. For further information, call the Memorial Hall Box Office at 843-3333 or visit http://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/.
Holiday dance 'Spectacular'
DURHAM -- Barriskill Dance Theatre will present "A Holiday Spectacular" at Duke's Reynolds Industries Theater Dec. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. The performance consists of two acts, the first being the second act of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker," and the second, a Broadway extravaganza echoing the story line of "The Nutcracker" in a modern setting.
General admission tickets are $15 and can be purchased at tickets@duke.edu or at the Duke University Box Office at 684-4444.
TOURS
Hillsborough by candlelight
Hillsborough -- The 23rd annual Historic Hillsborough Candlelight Tour will be held Dec. 6 from noon to 7 p.m. The tour features eight private homes, plus historic sites, churches and public buildings. All will be decorated for the holiday season, including the historic "Over the River" home. Venues will feature live music and some will have refreshments. A shuttle will be available during the tour. Up to 30 gingerbread houses will be on display at the Burwell School Historic Site, one of the tour stops.
Attendees can also enjoy festive horse-drawn carriage rides from noon to 5 p.m. for $5 per person.
Wine tastings are available for $3 per person at the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber Office from 1 to 4 p.m. Local Author Lee Smith will be at the Orange County Historical Museum from 2 to 3 p.m. to talk about the inspiration behind her magazine article "My Mother's Recipe Box."
Tickets are $20 day of event for adults, $15 in advance; children 5-12, $5 day of, $3 in advance, under age 5 free; groups of 15 or more, $15 day of event, $12 in advance.
For information, visit the Web site www.candlelighttour.com or call the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce at 732-8156.
EXHIBITS
Holiday art show on view
DURHAM -- The 33rd Annual Holiday Art Exhibition is now on view at Somerhill Gallery, in the Venable Center, 303 S. Roxboro St. in Durham, through Jan. 2.
The gallery will fill its ten thousand square feet of exhibition space with hundreds of works by its prodigious roster of artists. New artworks created just for the holiday season include paintings, photography, glass, sculpture, crafts and fabulous studio jewelry.
For information, call 688-8868.
ACTIVITIES
Holiday decor courtesy nature
CHAPEL HILL -- Learn to decorate for the holidays naturally with acorns, pinecones, milkweed pods, dried leaves and more at the N.C. Botanical Garden Education Center Dec. 6 from 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Use your imagination to craft your own unique with materials that nature supplies. Enjoy a mug of hot chocolate to celebrate your creative work. All materials provided. This class is for families, age 4 and up with parent. Cost is $25 per family, $20 for members. To register, call 962-0522. For further information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu/.
