Rumors
“Rumors,” Neil Simon’s elegant and fast-paced farce directed by Paul Kloegman, opens at the Lakeside Little Theatre on Friday, December 4 and runs through Sunday, December 13.
The ticket office will be open from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays during the run.
ASA Holiday Mixer
Members of the Ajijic Society of the Arts are putting aside their regular business meeting and educational program during the Monday, December 7, 10 a.m. gathering at La Bodega.
Co-chairs Marcia Lavender and Barbara Passarello have planned a holiday mixer for the group to allow members to become better acquainted and experience together the laughter and cheer of the season.
Holiday Concert
Los Cantantes del Lago presents their holiday concert at the Auditorio de la Ribera on Tuesday, December 8, 7 p.m. and Wednesday, December 9, 4 p.m.
The music director of the group is Timothy G. Ruff Welch. Tickets at 250 pesos are available at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Mia’s Boutiques.
Double the Joy
Classically trained blues, jazz and ragtime singer Del Rey is to join forces with the 38 lakeside youngsters who attend the Academie de Ukulele de la Ribera.
Rey, who is also an accomplished songwriter, guitarist and ukulele player, presents a “Winter Concert: Double the Joy” on Sunday, December 13, 4 p.m. at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo (old train station) in Chapala.
Rey’s visit to Mexico allows her to indulge in several of her passions. She planned the trip to combine a visit to the 29th International Book Fair in Guadalajara, teaching Memphis Jug band and ragtime-style music workshops at Ajijic’s Club Ukulele de Laguna, while getting to know the younger ukulele players during a series of lessons.
At the end of the week, the children from the Academie (founded in February 2015) and Rey will hit the concert stage. Each will perform for an hour, before playing together.
Tickets are 200 pesos and on sale at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Charter Club Tours. Proceeds from the event will go toward the purchase of instruments and the ongoing expenses of the ukulele group.
Comic and Crooner
Popular stand-up comic Jeff Capri is back in Ajijic on Monday, December 14 to open the annual show of crooner Mac Morison.
Capri’s observational comedy elicited a warm and enthusiastic response from lakeside audiences on his first visit a few years ago.
The “energetically laid back” Capri is one of few second-generation comics working today. He has honed his skills through years of hard work in comedy clubs, cruise lines, military tours and corporate events. His routines touch on everything from pop-culture to biographical and political twists as well as occasional silly puns. His strong improvisational ability enables him to adapt to any crowd.
Capri’s television appearances on “Comics Unleashed,” “Last Comic Standing,” “Ed McMahon’s Next Big Star” and the new reality show, “Who Wants to Date a Comedian?” have enabled him to work alongside many respected entertainers, including Ellen DeGeneres, Rodney Dangerfield, Joy Behar and Roseanne Barr. His most recent work includes engagements at the Tropicana in Las Vegas and a 15-day tour entertaining troops overseas. Check out his website at jeffcapri.com.
Capri appears on the Club Exotica stage at the Ajijic Plaza as he opens for Mac Morison’s show, “One More for the Road.” The one-night performance begins at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). Tickets are 400 pesos (same as last year’s US$25) and are available at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique and Su Casa in Bugambilias Mall. For more information, call (376) 766-2489.
Viva Concert
The Hermosillo Family Singers return to the Auditorio de la Ribera del Lago on Thursday, December 17, 7 p.m. to perform a vibrant concert of Christmas music for Viva la Musica.
The three Hermosillo children and their parents received rave reviews after their 2014 holiday concert.
Joining the concert will be family friend Fernando Rodriguez, who lives in the United States, performing with various opera groups, including the Stamford Connecticut Grand Opera.
The program opens with the Hermosillo daughters, Mariana and Lucia, playing the second movement of the Bach concerto for two violins. Following will be a variety of Mexican and international Christmas songs and carols performed by the children and their parents: baritone Antonio Hermosillo and pianist and soprano Gaby Zepeda de Hermosillo.
The sisters and brother Jorge frequently steal the family’s shows with their remarkable talent and charm. The girls participated in Jalisco’s first state violin competition, winning first and third place although they were the youngest in their categories. They were later invited to be soloists with the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tickets for the Viva la Musica Christmas Concert are 200 pesos and available at the Lake Chapala Society box office on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon, as well as at the auditorium and at Diane Pearl Colecciones. All seating is open.
Blues at El BarCo
Cadavieco, rated as one of Jalisco’s top blues bands, is scheduled to appear on consecutive Thursdays, December 10 and 17, 7:30 p.m., at El Barco.
Led by Hugo Cadavieco, the progressive jazz group’s repertoire is influenced by southern blues greats such as B.B. King, the Allman Brothers and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
There will be a 100-peso cover charge to attend either of the shows. The popular Ajijic bistro is located on the north side of the highway at Aldama.
Sinatra 100th birthday
Ol’ Blue Eyes is back, at least in spirit, at the celebration of Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday lined up for Saturday, December 12 at Ajijic’s El BarCo.
The happening wrapped around the life and music of the famed American crooner starts at 6 p.m., featuring a back drop of the singer’s recordings, a Sinatra theme dinner special, a short talk on the ups and downs of his seven-decade career, followed by live music for dancing by Déjà Vu. At 9 p.m. there will be a charity raffle of Sinatra memorabilia items, with proceeds going to Niños Incapacitados and the School for Special Children.
The 100-peso per person cover fee includes admission and one raffle ticket, with additional tickets available at 50 pesos each. Guests are encouraged to don black and white attire, fedoras or otherwise dress up for the glamorous occasion. Due to limited seating, reservations are recommended. Call Bill, 766-5829, or Carlos, 766-0452.
LLT Playhouse
As mentioned in last week’s newspaper, the Lakeside Little Theatre (LLT) is expanding its horizons.
A playhouse program initiated last year to screen productions by way of London’s National Theatre Live program proved so encouraging that LLT has broadened the series over the coming months to include four operas and two ballets produced by the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet.
LLT’s Playhouse Series will run through August 2016. The presentations are recorded in stunning high definition before live audiences and shown on LLT’s new 14 x 8-foot screen.
A reprise of last year’s successful presentation of “War Horse” kicked off the new series on the weekend of November 21.
Upcoming performances are set for Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. The remainder of the schedule is as follows:
December 19-20: “The Audience” by Peter Morgan with Helen Mirren (National Theatre Live, NTL)
January 30-31: “Skylight” by David Hare with Bill Nighy (NTL)
February 13-14: “Le Nozze di Figaro” by Mozart (Royal Opera House, ROH)
March 5-6: “Romeo and Juliet” created by Kenneth MacMillan (ROH: The Royal Ballet)
April 16-17: “A View From the Bridge” by Arthur Miller with Mark Strong (NTL)
April 30-May 1: “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi (ROH)
May 14-15: “Everyman” by Carol Ann Duffy with Chiwetel Ejiofor (NTL)
May 28-29: “Giselle” by Marius Petipa (ROH: The Royal Ballet)
June 18-19: “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare with Rosalie Craig (NTL)
July 16-17: “Lucia di Lammermoor” by Gaetano Donizetti (ROH)
August 13-14: “Cavalliera Rusticana/Pagliacci” Pietro Mascagni/Ruggero Leoncavallo (ROH)
Each Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, the LLT box office sells tickets at 200 pesos for the upcoming two shows.
CREM
The Centro Regional de Estudios Musicales music academy (CREM) concert (see story page 32) is on Sunday, December 20, 7 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Ribera.
Tickets cost 150 pesos and are available at the Auditorio, Diane Pearl and the Ajijic Cultural Center. For more information on CREM or if you wish to sponsor a student, please call Margrita van der Hoek, at cell 333-496-8976.