On Stage Now....

I hope you’re enjoying the rainy Bako weather. It certainly seems like a good time to curl up by a cat, enjoy a seasonal beverage and hope for a burn day to satisfy your craving for smoke-scented clothing. BUT….if instead, you feel like stretching your legs around town, perhaps in order to take in an art event or more, there are plenty of choices in all genres.

One holiday option is Christ Church of the Valley’s (CCV) 3rd Annual Christmas Wonder holiday celebration which benefits the Bakersfield Rescue Mission. Christmas Wonder’s theme this year is “An Island Christmas” so if you are longing for balmy summer days, you may wish to join CCV at 13701 Stockdale Highway each weekend night between 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Admission is only $5.00 and the event includes local performing groups, island singers, a dazzling light display, Christmas theater (including the Christmas Story featuring the music and lyrics of The Beatles (this I gotta see!), food, an art show, sand castle sculpture, cookies to decorate and more.

This entry I want to give you a listing of December’s theater options in Bakersfield. I am so proud to be able to share with you the diverse programs that each of these hard-working theaters have prepared. Yes, folks, this is Bakersfield…

BAKO THEATER:

Empty Space, 706 Oak St.
661 327-7529

“Hurry Up Santa” (Family friendly holiday show)

Fri/Sat 8pm
Sun 2pm
Admission: Donation (Suggested: $15/adults, $10/students, seniors
Doors open 30 minutes before showtime
R.A.T.
“Annual Raunchy Sketch Comedy” (Adult comedy show)
Sat 11pm
Admission: $6.00
Doors open at 10:45 p.m.
Major League Improv (Family friendly comedy improve show)
Sat 6pm
FREE—Donations gladly accepted

The Gaslight Melodrama, 12748 Jomani Dr
661 587-3377
Gaslight’s Holiday Extravaganza & Holiday Vaudeville Revue
Tues-Sun through 12/23/09

Admission: $22/adults, children $20/Seniors (60+)

**Weekend performances appear to be sold-out (according to website) but some weeknights still available**

Bakersfield Community Theater, 2400 S Chester Ave

661 831-8114

“As Is” Directed by Billie Joe Fox (All but abandoned by friends and family, a man infected with AIDS is taken care of by his lover)

December 11, 12, 18, 19 at 8pm

December 6, 13 at 2pm

Admission: $15/General $12/Seniors, active military, students w/ID

Spotlight Theatre, 1622 19th St

661 634-0692

“Secret Garden” (Classic children’s tale brought to life)

December 11, 12, 18, 19, 26, January 1, 2 8pm

December 6, 13, 20, 27 2pm

NO SHOW DECEMBER 25

Call for prices/reservations

Stars Theatre Restaurant, 1931 Chester Ave

661 325-6100

“The Honky Tonk Angel Holiday Spectacular”

December 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19

Thurs-Sat doors at 6:30pm

Sunday matinee doors at 12:30pm

Admission: Call for prices/reservations

Bako Sucks. O RLY.

My new Twitter friend, bakosucks, compiles amusing tweets from various individuals in the twitterverse related to how much, well…. how much Bako sucks. Apparently it requires quite the wit to take a knock at our fair city. Bako smells like cows? Yes, sometimes it does. Bako is hot. Duh. There’s nothing to do in Bako. Here, my friend, is where we part ways. My fingers would beg to differ, having spent last night typing up the new Go. See. Do. calendar of events for the next two weeks in Bakersfield. This Week’s highlights:

This Friday, Flics (Film Lovers International Cinema Society), opens their season at the Fox Theater, 2001 H St., with a film from Kazakhstan, Tulpan. The show is at 7:30 p.m. If you love to go to the movies, enjoy independent and/or foreign films and want to view films amongst an appreciative audience, Flics is for you. Best of all, each film in the season is only $5.00. For a schedule of upcoming flicks, click on the link in the Go. See. Do. section on the sidebar. Many films are family-friendly and all films are handpicked for their social impact and/or entertainment value. All films are shown on Fridays.

On Friday and Saturday 9/11 and 9/12, the 37th Annual Greek Festival will once again showcase the warmth and culture of Bakersfield’s Greek population. There will be plenty of Greek food, homemade desserts, vendors, music, dancing and for the brave and over 21 crowd, Ouzo. (If you’re not sure what that is, re-watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding.) The Greek Festival is held at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 401 Truxtun Avenue (near the Beale Memorial Library). Friday festivities run from 3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Saturday, the day begins at 1:00 p.m. and ends at 11:00 p.m. Tickets are only $3.00. Don’t miss this once-a-year celebration! Opa!

If live music, unlimited food samples and plenty of beer and wine are what you’re looking for this weekend, you can have all of that and support a worthy cause too at Village Fest (formerly Brews in the Village), held this Saturday, September 12th, at the Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Ave. Event times are 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. and will include live music on five stages with some of Bako’s favorite bands: Mento Buru, The Beagles, Soulajar, Fatt Katt and the Von Zippers plus many others. Admission includes 15 beer or wine samples of your choice from over 100 brew and 60 wine choices. Proceeds benefit the museum and Childrens’ Advocate Resource Endowment (CARE). Tickets are $63.00 in advance, $68.00 at the event.

As if all that isn’t enough, can you say, Lights, Curtains, Action—six times? No less than that many shows will be playing at Bakersfield playhouses by this weekend. Shows at The Empty Space, Stars Theater, The Gaslight Melodrama, Bakersfield Community Theatre and two offerings from Spotlight Theatre round out the highlights for this week. Not long ago, it was hard to find any players strutting or fretting upon a stage in Bako. Not so any longer! Get out there and support the many talented members of our community as they take to the various stages around town.

Next week: Even more stage offerings as the Kern Shakespeare Festival begins, a very worthy fundraiser for Bakersfield’s AIDS project takes place, exhibits open at Bakersfield Museum of Art and many other wonderful events are scheduled. Check back for updates and features—and don’t forget to check out the current slideshow for pictures of just a few of last week’s highlights.