BEST BETS Friday 12/8

COSTA MESA

12:30pm

Theater

South Coast Repertory presents “La Posada Magica.” The death of her baby brother has extinguished the hope and faith of a teenage girl in this annual holiday musical by Octavio Solis and Marcos Loya. La Posada, a traditional Mexican-American door-to-door Christmas procession, helps Graciela find tidings of comfort and joy again.

* South Coast Repertory, Second Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 12:30 p.m. Preview, $13 to $21. Through Dec. 24. (714) 708-5555.

IRVINE

8pm

Music

The San Francisco-based male a cappella vocal group Chanticleer will celebrate the holidays with this program of Christmas music ranging from Gregorian Chant to traditional carols. Founded in 1978, the 12-member group takes its name from the “clear-singing” (but easily deluded) rooster in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” from Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.”

* Chanticleer, Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. 8 p.m. $30 to $35. (949) 854-4646.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

8pm

Pop Music

Life’s been good to rocker Joe Walsh, for sure, but it’s been better to him when he’s surrounded by Eagles than flying solo. So when he plays O.C. this weekend, it won’t be in the expansive surroundings of the Pond with Don Henley, Glenn Frey, et al., in tow, but for a solo date at the comparatively intimate Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The good news for Walsh die-hards is that his performances will be light on Eagles material, heavy on Walsh numbers and probably some of his old James Gang tunes as well.

* Joe Walsh, Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. With Joe Wood & the Lonely Ones. 8 p.m. Also Saturday, 8 p.m. $47.50 to $49.50. (949) 496-8930.

SANTA ANA

All day

Art

Thousands of ethnic crafts from Central and South America, Africa, Indonesia and India will be sold at Bowers Museum of Cultural Art during the first Folk and Tribal Arts Marketplace. The sale will showcase 18 importers of ethnographic art. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the museum and its programs. A special preview benefit will feature wine and hors d’oeuvres.

* Folk and Tribal Arts Marketplace, Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (714) 567-3600.

* Special Tribal Arts Preview Benefit, 5-10 p.m. $45. (949) 262-0988.