Lakeside Little Theatre’s third show of the season opens on Friday, December 6
Joe DiPietro’s “Over the River and through the Woods” spins a simple tale of a young man who lives and works near his loving, though sometimes overwhelming, Italian grandparents. Then one day a job opportunity on the other side of the country beckons, and our hero decides to move. This decision generates strong, sometimes conflicting emotions, hilarious situations, the occasional introspective moment, and ultimately, a satisfactory ending. Along the way, we invite you to savor the warmth of this family, to laugh as you see yourself reflected in its characters, and to let go a tear as love becomes defined through food, faith and family.
“Over the River and through the Woods” runs from December 6 to 15. Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Monday is dark.
Tickets are on sale from 10 a.m. until noon each day (except Sundays) and an hour before each performance.
Art opening
Jose Melendrez of Adicciones on the Ajijic Plaza is opening a show of encaustic and mixed media artwork on Saturday, December 7, 6 p.m. in the Ajijic Cultural Center.
Italian keyboard master
Award-winning Italian organist Sossio Capasso gives a piano concert Sunday, December 8, noon, at the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta.
Born in Naples in 1974, Capasso has earned top prizes in major international musical events, including the Albert Dunning International Organ Competition (Trevi 2007) and most recently, the 2013 Organ Playing Competition of Fano Adriano.
His appearance in Ajijic will be combined with an art exhibit as a fund-raiser for construction of a public library in Mezcala de la Asunción.
Tickets will be available at the door for 100 pesos, children admitted free of charge.
Concert at train station
Tenor Jorge Taddeo and classical guitarist Jim Byers will present a concert of songs at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo on Sunday, December 8, 4 p.m.
The program will include songs by John Dowland, Giulio Caccini, G. F. Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert and Anton Diabelli.
There will be a 50-peso admission fee at the door. Part of this money goes to support programs for the children’s programs at the center.
Guadalajara-born Taddeo is a specialist in German Lieder and French Chanson. In 2012 he directed a production of Kurt Weill’s “Three Penny Opera” when he also took the lead as Mack the Knife.
Los Cantantes
Christmas and Hanukkah is the name of Los Cantantes del Lago’s concert offering this holiday season.
As the name implies, both traditions will be amply represented in song. There will be a clarinetist playing several pieces in the Klezmer style, as well as songs in Hebrew and Ladino. Two of the soloists are local youths – one aged 11 and the other 16.
The concerts are on Tuesday, December 10, 7 p.m. and Wednesday, December 11, 4 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Riberas.
The bar opens one hour before each performance. Tickets are 250 pesos, available at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Mia’s Boutique, from Cantantes members or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Ajijic street art fest
The third edition of the Ajijic Festival Internacional de las Artes – put together by Efren Gonzalez – will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 14 and 15, on Calle Marcos Castellanos in the block between Constitucion and the San Andres Church. Artists hailing from lakeside, Canada, the U.S. and Peru will be among the exhibitors showing a wide assortment of paintings, photographs, sculptures, etchings, ceramics and hand-crafted goods. Live music, folk dancing, door prize raffles and art work auctions will give extra sparkle to the street fest, open to the public for a 10-peso-per-person entrance fee. Limited exhibit space remains available at a cost of 300 pesos. For details contact Gonzalez at his gallery, Marcos Castellanos 7, telephone (376) 766-5381 or cel. 331-703-3942.
Golden art works
Hand-painted figurines adorned with gold leaf details will be featured in the exhibition of works by students of local art teacher Susanna Chavez set to open Friday, December 13, 6 p.m., at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic. Guest of honor at the cocktail inauguration will be Jesus Martinez, a specialist in the restoration of sacred art who was in charge of refurbishing the interior of Ajijic’s San Andres parish.
Big Band Jazz encore
Big Band Jazz GDL returns to lakeside Sunday, December 15 for a performance at the Auditorio de la Ribera starting at noon.
Coming back after the group’s highly applauded appearance last August, the young Mexican musicians will offer a repertoire of hit tunes including Zoot Suit Riot, Jazz Police, Strings of Pearls, Autumn Leaves, Blue Moon, Tank, Guataca City, The Chicken, Fly me to the Moon and Big Spender.
The cost of admission is set at 150 pesos per person. Advance tickets are on sale at the Chapala’s Archivo Historico, Madero at Hidalgo; Centro Cultural de Ajijic at the Plaza, Yoli’s Unisex Salon at Plaza Bugambilias and the auditorium front desk.
CREM Christmas Concert
Students at Ajijic’s Centro Regional de Estudios Musicales (CREM) will lift your spirits with the sounds of the season at their annual Concierto Navideño on Thursday, December 19, 7 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Ribera. General admission is 100 pesos, with a half-off price for students and no charge for children.
Lip sync show in rehearsal
With a multinational cast of 40 performers lined up to strut their stuff, director Michael Mclaughlin has launched rehearsals for the Lip Sun Show scheduled to run January 7 through 10 at the Auditorio de la Ribera. The program comprises 20 lively song and dance acts that will surely tickle the fancy of lakeside audiences. The the show is being put on to raise funds for completing the auditorium renovation project.
J&B
The duo J&B (Jay Kellum and Bill Vincent) will perform at Viva Mexico Restaurant in San Juan Cosala on Saturday, December 14, 5:30 p.m.
J&B interprets rock, blues, ballads and other genres of music. Dancing is encouraged.
This is an experimental show put on by the restaurant’s owner to see if live entertainment will be supported in San Juan on weekends.
The Kinsey Sicks
The Kinsey Sicks, a dragapella beautyshop quartet, bring their outrageous yet critically acclaimed holiday musical comedy “Oy Vey in a Manger” to Piano Rojo in Ajijic from January 4 to 6.
For almost 20 years, The Kinsey Sicks have decked the halls with angelic singing, devilish wit, and down-to-earth drag. They have been praised for their “voices sweet as birdsong” (New York Times) and have been called “one act that should not be missed” (Variety). “Their mangling of hit songs hits genius level” (San Francisco Chronicle).
Spawned in San Francisco in 1993, the Kinsey Sicks combines rich four-part harmony, biting satire and over-the-top drag. They have performed in 41 U.S. states, Mexico, Canada, Europe and Australia. They starred in their own off-Broadway show at New York’s Studio 54, have released eight albums and are the subjects of two feature films.
“Oy Vey in a Manger” has been described as an ecumenical display of wicked joie de vivre that sends up everything that’s holy – a raunchily audacious declaration that nothing about the holidays is sacred. The show boasts unforgivable parodies, including “I’m Dreaming of a Betty White Christmas,” “Satan Baby” and “Santa Claus is Coming Too Soon.”
Piano Rojo is located at Morelos at 16 de Septiembre, Ajijic, Call 766-2876 for reservations and information.