Our selections of the best stuff to do this week.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
Golden Gals Live: Cheesecake and Cheer
Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia deck the halls with cheesecake and cheer. 8 p.m., The Abbey, 100 S. Eola Drive, abbeyorlando.com, $25-$35.
Thursday, Dec. 16
Rauw Alejandro
Puerto Rican rapper and reggaeton star brings it. 8:30 p.m., Amway Center, 400 W. Church St., amwaycenter.com, $46-$295.
Tinnitus Rex
Local noise-rock trio test the limits of eardrums. 6:30 p.m., Ten10 Brewing Company, 1010 Virginia Drive, facebook.com/ten10brewingcompany, free.
Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 16-18
Tushin' Through the Snow
Tymisha "Tush" Harris kicks off a brand-new outdoor cabaret series with a holiday performance. Tickets sold as tables for two. Darden Courtyard, Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St., orlandoshakes.org, $60.
Friday, Dec. 17
Daughtry
Former American Idol hand rocks out hard at the Hard Rock. 7 p.m., Hard Rock Live, 6050 Universal Blvd., hardrock.com/live, $37.50-$57.50.
The Ludes, The Tremolords
Orlando music fans have either been nice or naughty (or both), from the evidence of this late-breaking gift of two local music powerhouses. 9 p.m., Will's Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $8.
Pouya, Jasiah, Kxllswxtch, Lu Baby
Fast-rising South "FLAwda" rapper reps a new germination of internet-fostered hip-hop talent. 8 p.m., The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave., plazaliveorlando.org, $29.50-$34.50.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 17-18
CuBop
Jazz collective brings you the Latin side of the classic Blue Note oeuvre. 7 & 9 p.m., Timucua Arts Foundation, 2000 S. Summerlin Ave., timucua.com, $20.
Friday-Sunday, Dec. 17-19
Holiday Matsuri 2021
Holiday Matsuri is a festively themed anime, gaming and
cosplay convention with holiday cheer to spare. Marriott Orlando World Center, 8701 World Center Drive, holidaymatsuri.com, free-$700.
The Secret River
Follow the journey of young Calpurnia through the backwoods of Central Florida in this brand-new opera based on the book by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., drphillipscenter.org, $49-$89.
Saturday, Dec. 18
Funkin' Grateful: A Funky Interpretation of the Grateful Dead
Members of Unlimited Devotion, the Heavy Pets, Fusik and Toad People do the Dead. 9 p.m., Tuffy's Music Box, 200 Myrtle Ave., Sanford, tuffyscider.com, $15-$100.
Fuzzmas
The walls will shake from the riffs riffed by this heavy lineup including the Dark Arctic, Caustic Casanova, Bear in the Woods, Thunderclap and the Valley Ritual. 7 p.m., The Geek Easy, 114 S. Semoran Blvd., Winter Park, facebook.com/thegeekeasy, $12.
The Nutcracker
The Russian Ballet Orlando and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra present Tchaikovsky's masterpiece outdoors. 7:30 p.m., Walt Disney Amphitheater, Lake Eola Park, Rosalind Avenue and Washington Street, free-$25.
Orlando Zine Fest
Local extravaganza for print creativity from all around Florida returns, this time at the Nook. Mandatory spot for holiday shopping. 6 p.m., The Nook on Robinson, 2432 E. Robinson St., facebook.com/orlandozinefest, free.
Pro Wrestling Vision
Local indy wrestling talent leave it all in the ring. 6 p.m., Team Vision Dojo, 6637 E. Colonial Drive, eventbrite.com, $8.
The 6th Annual X-Mas Rager
Chuck Magid helms his annual tuneful holiday bash with Oxford Noland and Kristopher James. 8 p.m., Will's Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $10.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Unlikely Christmas hitmakers Trans-Siberian Orchestra promise to play their iconic 1996 Christmas Eve and Other Stories album in full. 3 & 8 p.m., Amway Center, 400 W. Church St., amwaycenter.com, $46.50-$86.50.
Sunday, Dec. 19
Andrea Bocelli
Italian tenor closes out his U.S. tour with this Orlando show. Dare we hope for a bombastic "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"? 8 p.m., Amway Center, 400 W. Church St., amwaycenter.com, $80-$360.
Cristian Castro
Latin multi-platinum singer dubbed the "new Sinatra" comes to town, pally. 8 p.m., Hard Rock Live, 6050 Universal Blvd., hardrock.com/live, $75-$248.
Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir
A night of delightfully cleansing heaviness with Cursed Birth, Witchbender, Flagman and WEAK. 8 p.m., Wills Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $10.
Milk Mart Holiday Market
OK, last-minute shoppers, this may very well be one of the final local holiday markets of the season. Noon, The Milk District, East Robinson Street and North Bumby Avenue, free.
Orlando Jazz Orchestra
OJO presents a holiday-heavy musical program including Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite." 3 p.m., Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, 1905 Kentucky Ave., Winter Park, bluebambooartcenter.com, $25-$35.
Tuesday, Dec. 21
Clara's Christmas Adventure
The Skyra Foundation presents a full-length production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker including a dazzling winter wonderland with a snowfall on stage. 2 & 7 p.m., Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., drphillipscenter.org, $29-$39.
Orlando Big Band's White Christmas Concert
The Band jams on Bing, Rosemary, Cab, Glenn, Artie and Benny for some of the greatest holiday hits of all time. 4 & 7 p.m., Athens Theatre, 124 N. Florida Ave., DeLand, athensdeland.com, $25-$30.
ONGOING:
Through Dec. 24
A Christmas Carol
C'mon ghosts, it's time to torment some rich people. Margeson Theater, Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St.,
$32-$56.
Through Dec. 18
Christmas My Way: A Sinatra Holiday Bash
From classic Sinatra tunes to seasonal favorites Rat Pack style. Winter Park Playhouse, 711 Orange Ave., Winter Park, winterparkplayhouse.org,
$36-$45.
Through Jan. 9, 2022
Dazzling Nights
Immersive holiday light spectacular. Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N. Forest Ave., dazzlingorlando.com, $25.
Through Jan. 6, 2022
Eola Wonderland Christmas Tree Show
Nightly synchronized light and music show while the Lake Eola fountain displays red, green and gold lights. Lake Eola Park, Rosalind Avenue and Washington Street, free.
Through Dec. 19
Holiday on Church Street
Get ready to soak up that much-needed holiday spirit with food,
fun and live entertainment. Pick from six dates to start celebrating the most wonderful time of the year. 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays.
Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church
St., madcowtheatre.com, $30.
Through Dec. 19
The Nutcracker
The Orlando Ballet stages a fantastical version of this
holiday favorite. Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave, drphillipscenter.org, $24-$490.
Through Dec. 19
The Office Holiday Party Musical Extravaganza Show
Immersive, musical and damn funny play navigating the thorny waters of the workplace Christmas bash. Did you remember the Secret Santa gift? Renaissance Theatre Company, 415 E. Princeton St., rentheatre.com, $25.
Through Dec. 19
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
A contemporary take on the classic tale features Rodgers & Hammerstein songs alongside a libretto by Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane. Orlando Repertory Theater, 1001 E. Princeton St., orlandorep.com, $15-$35. n
