Itinerary: Christmas Traditions

Just as department stores started pulling out their specialty ornaments and Santa serving plates in late October, no one wants to wait until Christmas to dig into their own bag of holiday traditions.

In the world of performing arts, that means getting ready for the holy trinity: “The Nutcracker,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Messiah.” This weekend, you can catch all three and start some traditions of your own.

Today

Pick your Dickens.

In Orange County, one version of “A Christmas Carol” from South Coast Repertory (655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $17-$41. (714) 708-5555) has been a tradition for the company for more than 20 years. And for 21 years, Hal Landon Jr. has played Scrooge, a wicked businessman who finds his heart after being visited by three spirits of Christmases past, present and future. It runs through Dec. 24.

A Noise Within, the classical theater company that recently returned to Glendale, adds “A Christmas Carol” to its repertory with the first preview tonight at 8 p.m. (Opening night is Saturday at 8 p.m.). Julia Rodriguez Elliott and Geoff Elliott direct a version that strips away the special effects to concentrate on the story of Scrooge’s dark night of the soul followed by redemption. It’s in repertory at A Noise Within (234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. [323] 953-7795) through Dec. 23.

Friday

The New West Symphony serves up the “Messiah” with all the fixings Friday at 8 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza (2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. $8-$25. [800] NEW-WEST). In addition to the full symphony, the concert will feature the Los Robles Chamber Singers, Mastersingers of the Ventura Master Chorale, and soloists soprano Camille King, alto Adelaide Sinclair, tenor Robert MacNeil and bass Dean Elzinga. Boris Brott will conduct.

Georg Friedrich Handel’s 1742 masterpiece oratorio is a mixture of operatic music and religious drama. Some accounts vary in the number of days he took to compose it, but it was less than a month. Though it has no story and the biblical texts in Charles Jennens’ libretto don’t focus on the birth of Christ, it has nonetheless become a Christmas tradition.

Saturday

“The Nutcracker” seems a more natural holiday tradition. At least the story it’s based on does take place on Christmas Eve. In it, young Clara is given a fantastic nutcracker by her godfather. When she sneaks downstairs at night to look at it under the tree, she is transported into a magical world full of sugarplum fairies and princes and waltzing flowers.

Tchaikovsky’s suite was first fully staged in the United states in 1944, and a 1954 version in New York by George Balanchine sealed its fate as an annual must-do ballet.

Pasadena Dance Theater has taken part in the tradition for 21 years. This year’s “Nutcracker” is choreographed by artistic director Cynthia Young and associate director Laurence Blake. Guest artists Martha Chamberlain and Jonas Lundqvist will perform in the show at the Civic Auditorium (320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel. $12-$35. [626] 578-1940) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, also Sunday and Dec. 17, 2 p.m.; Dec. 16, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Make a piece of your own holiday tradition at the Sunday Open Sunday craft workshop. Tai-Ling Wong teaches how to make African gourd ornaments inspired by those hand carved in Tanzania. The free workshop is from 2-4 p.m. at the Arroyo Seco Library (6145 N. Figueroa, L.A. [213] 847-1181).