Christmas events, plays, concerts are entertainment options for week ahead

This week in Monett: The Monett Historical Society will host a book signing for Frankie Carlin Meyer, Cheryl Hodde and Jeanie Cash Smith at the Monett Museum, 705 E.Broadway from 5 to 8 p.m.

This week in Springfield: A double-bill Christmas program is offered at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. The first half is Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and the second half is a sing-along with excerpts from Handel's "Messiah." Tickets are $14 to $27.

The Chamber Orchestra of the Ozarks presents "A Renaissance and Baroque Christmas" with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at University Heights Baptist Church, 1010 S. National. Music is by Corelli and 15th century carols arranged for string orchestra. Tickets are $15.

Springfield Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" at 7 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Landers Theatre, 311 E. Walnut downtown. Tickets are $16 to $22.

Springfield Contemporary Theater brings back the holiday play "Striking 12" by Brendan Milburn, Rachel Sheinkin and Valerie Vigoda. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Vandivort Center Theater, 305 E. Walnut, fourth floor. Tickets are $20. More shows are next weekend.

A sharing of the Christmas story in story and song will take place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24 at Remington's, 1655 W. Republic Road.

This week at the Outland Ballroom, 326 South Ave., will be the Bootheel and Sweetwater on Friday, Hidden Fever on Saturday.

Running through Saturday at the Stained Glass Theatre, 1996 W. Evangel in Ozark, is "The Christmas House" by Ron Boutwell. Shows this week are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Ticket information is at 417-581-9192.

This week in northwest Ark.: TheatreSquared presents "'Twas the Night," a new comedy play for the season, at the Studio Theater, 505 W. Spring St. in Fayetteville. Tickets are $22.

At the Walton Arts Center, 495 Dickson in Fayetteville, Leon Russell performs at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $30.50 to $50.50. Country singer Joe Nichols performs at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20.50 to $35.50.

This week at George's Majestic Lounge, 519 W. Dickson in Fayetteville, will be the Nace Brothers, R.J. Mishco, Earl Cate, Terry Cagle, Mike Murray, and tributes to Alice in Chains and Rage Against the Machine on Friday; Even Heroes, Pretty Boy Convoy, Black Leaf Clover and Wasting Days on Saturday; and the Smithstonians on Sunday.

Still on the Hill performs at 7 p.m. Saturday at GoodFolk Productions, 229 N. Block St. in Fayetteville. Tickets are $15.

The "Home of the Holidays" concert at the Auditorium, 36 S. Main in Eureka Springs features musicians Rachel and Larry Brick, Catherine Reed, Fabulous Hogscalders, John Walter Morrison and Jeff Lee. The show is 7 p.m. Friday.

This week in Joplin: The Suzuki Academy at Missouri Southern State University will give its winter recital at 2 p.m. Saturday in Corley Auditorium on the MSSU campus. Admission is free.

Stained Glass Theater, 1318 W. 26th St., presents "Miracle at 34th Street" through Dec. 20. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. with matinees at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are at 417-624-1982.

This week at the Downstream Casino, west of Joplin, will be Scott Ellison on Friday and Saturday, TBD on Saturday and Dec. 23.

This week in Miami, Okla.: Performing at the Buffalo Run Casino will be Joey and Rory on Friday.

At the Coleman Theater, 103 N. Main, the Midwest Regional Ballet presents "Cinderella" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

This week in Tulsa, Okla.: The Tulsa Ballet's original production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" will be given at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. 2nd St. downtown. Shows runs Friday through Sunday next weekend. Tickets are $15 to $55.

The American Theatre Company's production of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" runs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in the John H. Williams Theatre in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Additional shows are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22 to 23. Tickets are $30.

The radio play version of Frank Capra's film "It's A Wonderful Life" will be given as a stage version opening are at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday in the Charles Norman Theatre at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Shows. Tickets are $25.

The American Indian Theatre Company presents "A Song of Winter," a play about Ebenezer Screech Owl, at 8 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday in the Liddy Doenges Theatre in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $8. Songs include the original composition "Ode to Commodity Cheese."

On Sunday at the Mabee Center, 7777 S, Lewis Ave. is the Jingle Ball with YouTube phenom Justin Bieber, Jaicko, Kristinia Debarge, Priscilla Renea, Push Play and Bowling for Soup. Tickets are $25 and $35.

This week at Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main, will be Head Over Hills, Refuse Thy Name, Navigator, Motive for Movement and Eric and the Adams, playing Friday at 7:30 p.m.

This week in Kansas City: On Friday, a tribute concert to Benny Goodman will be presented by clarinetist Ken Peplowski at 8 p.m. at the Folly Theater, 12th and Central. Tickets are $15 to $30. Mouth and Seedlove, with Reach, Peter D. Rabbit and Dan Gable perform at the Beaumont Club, 4050 Pennsylvania Ave. Ninety Minutes and Stolen Winnebagos perform at the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah's Casino.

On Saturday, the early music ensemble Parthenia performs at 8 p.m. in the Folly Theater, Tickets are $20 to $60. Vedera, Audiovox and Another Holiday play at the Beaumont Club. The Beatles tribute band Liverpool plays at the Ameristar Casino. Cedric the Entertainer performs at the Midland Theater, 13th and Main at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49.50 and $69.50.

On Sunday, a half dozen bands battle at the Beaumont Club. Rappers Twista, Dorrough, Mullage and Ron Ron perform at the Uptown Theater at 7 p.m. Tickets are $29.50.

The Jeff Scheetz Band and Janet Jameson play at the Uptown Theater at 7 p[.m. Dec. 21.

The Transiberian Orchestra plays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Dec. 23 at the Sprint Center, 1100 Walnut. Tickets are $47.50 and $57.50.

At the Music Hall, 301 W. 13th St., the Kansas City Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22 to 24 with midweek matinees.

The Miss Kansas USA and Teen USA pageants will be held at the Lied Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence on Saturday and Sunday.

The Kansas City Repertory Theater's production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical" runs through Dec. 27 at the Spencer Theater, 4949 Cherry on the University of Missouri campus.

"Little House on the Prairie" with period music is running through Dec. 29 at the Coterie Theatre in Crown Center at Grand and Pershing Road. Shows are at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. on Dec. 22, and 2 and 4 p.m. on Dec. 23. Tickets can be ordered by calling 816-474-6552.

A live radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life" is running through Dec. 27 at the American Heartland Theatre, 2450 Grand Blvd. in Crown Center. Tickets can be ordered by calling 816-842-9999.

This week in Columbia: On Saturday, organist Craig Datz performs holiday organ music unusual for a church setting at the Missouri United Methodist Church. Tickets are $10.

This week in St. Louis: On Friday, the Gateway City Big Band plays for a ballroom dance at the Casa Loma Ballroom, 3354 Iowa Ave.

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will offer a holiday concert at 2 and 7:30 on Friday, 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at Powell Hall, Delmar and Grand.

Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" will be presented by the Missouri Ballet at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday ant 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Edison Theater at Washington University. Tickets are $38. The St. Louis Ballet production will be given at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri. Tickets are $25 to $47. The Alexandra Ballet's production will be given at 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday at the Purder Center at Logan College.

On Dec. 21 the Bach Society will give its Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. at Powell Hall, featuring excerpts from J.S. Bach's "Mass in B Minor" and Handel's "Messiah" including a candlelight procession by the choir. Tickets are $20 to $65. The St. Louis Irish Arts Holiday Celebration will be offered at 7 p.m. at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. near the Fox Theater.

"Bah! Humbug!," a modern take on the Dickens story, will be presented at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and again on Dec. 22 and 23 at the Loretto-Hilton Center in Webster Groves. Tickets are $6.

Performances of "Black Nativity" by Langston Hughes will be given by the Black Repertory Theater at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square near Powell Hall.

Final performances of the HotCity Theatre production of "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues" and Friday Saturday at the Kranzberg Arts Center at Grand and Olive.

A stage version of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" runs through Dec. 24 at the Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand, Tickets are $30 to $70.