L.A. Ballet’s The Nutcracker is back this holiday season; PHOTO BY JAMIE PHAM
12/4-2/2
WICKED
Experience the unlikely friendship of Elphaba and Galinda unfold on stage during the iconic musical performance of Wicked this winter season. Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, broadwayinhollywood.com
See the stunning movements of BODYTRAFFIC this December at The Wallis. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND THE WALLIS
12/6-7
BODYTRAFFIC
Continuing the four-year partnership, BODYTRAFFIC is back at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts. The L.A.-based contemporary dance company, led by Tina Finkelman Berkett, enthralls the audience with pristine technique and joyful movement—a wholly unique and spellbinding production. The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, thewallis.org
12/6-28
THE NUTCRACKER
It wouldn’t be the holidays without the timeless tale of brave, young Clara and her nutcracker, performed breathtakingly by the Los Angeles Ballet. Multiple locations, losangelesballet.org
12/7
SOOLIP CREATIVE ARTS WORKSHOP
Join Soolip founder Wanda Wen for a workshop that taps into your creative side during the making of an enchanted fairy house. Afterward, enjoy complimentary access to The Cove Pool for some R&R. 3 p.m., The Greenhouse at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, soolip.com
12/7
FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
From “White Christmas” to “Silent Night,” the LA Master Chorale helps us get into the spirit of the season during a concert of holiday-inspired classics. 2 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, DTLA, lamasterchorale.org
12/10-1/5
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Featuring Broadway legend Sutton Foster as Princess Winnifred, this riotous revamp of The Princess and the Pea will have the crowd rolling with laughter by the end. Ahmanson Theatre, DTLA, centertheatregroup.org
Opening 12/13
MARIANA: VELÁZQUEZ’S PORTRAIT OF A QUEEN FROM THE MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO
Never before seen on the West Coast, the nearly life-sized portrait of 18-year-old Queen Mariana of Austria showcases a piece from 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velázquez’s final chapter of his career right here in L.A. Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, nortonsimon.org
12/14
KRISTIN CHENOWETH HOLIDAY CONCERT
Deck the halls with an incredible one-night performance from Broadway darling Kristin Chenoweth, accompanied by the LA Opera Orchestra and conductor Mary-Mitchell Campbell. 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, DTLA, laopera.org
Opening 12/15
IMAGING BLACK DIASPORAS: 21ST CENTURY ART AND POETICS
60 artists, nearly 70 works and over a quarter century of production define this incredible exhibition, combining various artistic forms with contemporary poetry. LACMA, Miracle Mile, lacma.org
Through 12/15
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
From the book by Harvey Fierstein, this bawdy musical comedy tells of the hottest drag club in town for an evening of unforgettable entertainment. Pasadena Playhouse, pasadenaplayhouse.org
Opening 12/17
LIGHTSCAPE: A MULTIMEDIA ARTWORK BY DOUG AITKEN
Immerse yourself in an incredible production of art across mediums, from a large-scale installation by multidisciplinary artist Doug Aitken to weekly live performances from the LA Philharmonic, LA Master Chorale and more. Marciano Art Foundation, Central L.A., marcianoartfoundation.org
12/18
JENNIFER HUDSON: THE GIFT OF LOVE
As we head into the holiday season, join the youngest female EGOT winner, Jennifer Hudson, for a night of music from her new album, The Gift of Love. 8 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, DTLA, laphil.com
Through 1/4
L.A. STORY
As the group exhibition comes to a close, be sure to catch the works of renowned artists, such as David Hockney, Hilary Pecis and Ed Ruscha, depicting L.A.’s incredible atmosphere unlike ever before. Hauser & Wirth, West Hollywood, hauserwirth.com
See art reminiscent of our iconic city at the L.A. Story exhibition at Hauser & Wirth through Jan. 4; PHOTO BY PAUL SALVESON
Through 1/5
CHRISTINA RAMBERG: A RETROSPECTIVE
Catch a 100-piece exhibition of Christina Ramberg’s 20-year boundary-pushing career, focused on abstract paintings, quilts and archival ephemera depicting fragments of the female body. Hammer Museum, Westwood, hammer.ucla.edu
Through 1/6
GROWING AND KNOWING IN THE GARDENS OF CHINA
This transformative exhibition features 24 artworks exploring the role of gardens in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In a participatory exercise, visitors are encouraged to reimagine their own gardens as sources of inspiration. The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, huntington.org
Through 1/12
WHEN THE VEIL THINS
Curated by Tofer Chin and mindfulness educator Mari Orkenyi, this group exhibition explores the intersection of artistry and psyche through mediums from sculpture to film. Compound, Long Beach, compoundlb.org
Through 1/15
MARCO WALKER X THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL
For fans of the iconic palm frond aesthetic, head to Marco Walker’s commissioned portrait series documenting the timeless beauty of The Beverly Hills Hotel. The Beverly Hills Hotel, dorchestercollection.com
Marco Walker’s “Beverly at Sunset” (Print, 2024) will be on view at The Beverly Hills Hotel; PHOTO BY MARCO WALKER
Through 1/20
SIMONE LEIGH
This overarching collection of Simone Leigh’s work, co-presented by CAAM and LACMA, spans nearly two decades of her multi-faceted practice, exploring essential themes from Black feminist theory to African art and architecture. California African American Museum, Exposition Park, caamuseum.org
A film still of Joshua Tree from California Road Trip, on view at The Autry Museum of the American West this January; PHOTO BY SUZANNE MEJEAN
Reopening 1/21
CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
From the depths of Death Valley to the towering peaks of Mount Whitney, step into a cinematic journey through California’s most breathtaking landscapes in this immersive dual-projection experience. The Autry Museum of the American West, Griffith Park, theautry.org
Through 8/31
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: WOMAN BEFORE FASHION
As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, von Furstenberg passionately presents a collection in four parts, detailing the designs of her iconic career alongside stories of her mother’s resilience during times of resistance. Skirball Cultural Center, Sepulveda Pass, skirball.org
Photography by: Jamie Pham
