The Fun’s Just Starting

There may be only a few shopping days left before Christmas, but there are still plenty of holiday activities to choose from in Ventura County.

After a two-year hiatus, the Santa Paula Theater Center is bringing back a family favorite by staging Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory.”

“I think both children and adults will really enjoy this show,” said Fred Helsel, an event spokesman. “It’s appropriate for all ages.”

The play will actually be a reading of Capote’s classic, Helsel said. The actors will be in costumes in front of a set, but they will have copies of the story to read from.

The reading will be presented by actors Dorothy Scott and Aurick Canete. Both have performed in numerous productions at playhouses throughout the county.

The show runs about two hours but is broken up into three parts.

The performance opens with carols to be sung by the Isbell School Chorus, a group of local elementary students. The play, about 35 minutes long, will follow. Closing the evening will be a set of holiday songs performed by Nita Arant & the Classeeks.

“We wanted to present a community-based holiday celebration,” said David Ralphe, the event’s artistic director.

For those unfamiliar with the story, “A Christmas Memory” is Capote’s tribute to his childhood and a relationship with a much older cousin.

“It’s a touching, warm and sometimes very funny piece about a very special friendship between a 7-year-old and his 60-plus-year-old cousin,” Ralphe said.

The show will be staged Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, $8 for ages 12 and under.

For reservations, call the center’s box office at 525-4645.

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The Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard is offering classes for adults and children ages 6 to 15 this weekend.

Traditional Chinese Calligraphy for the Holidays, a class to be taught by Tomi Ito-Levin, will be available for adults Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $18 for museum members and $20 for nonmembers.

Origami and kirigami, the traditional Japanese arts of paper folding and cutting, will be available for kids Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. The class will also be taught by Ito-Levin. The cost is $12 per person.

The museum is at 424 South C Street in Oxnard. Call 385-8254 for details.

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The holiday spirit continues at Ventura Harbor Village this weekend when Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus spend Saturday and Sunday afternoon strolling the promenade. They will be getting some musical accompaniment from the Holiday Tune Bandits, who will be performing on the lawn area at the harbor.

There will also be an arts and crafts show between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on both days with plenty of gift items for sale. A harmony quartet is scheduled to perform near the dive pool at the village Saturday between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.

For more information about holiday activities at the harbor, call 644-0169 or visit the harbor’s Web site at: www.venturaharborvillage.com.

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For those looking for a fun new way to buy a Christmas tree, the Fillmore & Western Railway will offer train rides from the station in downtown Fillmore to a nearby Christmas tree farm.

The trips will be Saturday and Sunday at 9:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The cost is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $6 for ages 12 and under. The ticket price does not include the cost of a tree.

For more information, call (800) 773-8724 or 524-2546 or check the company’s Web site at: www.fwry.com. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Ideas for Jaunts can be submitted to holly.wolcott@latimes.com.