Gallimaufry gets into the holiday spirit

With Thanksgiving behind us, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially for Laguna Beach’s Gallimaufry Performing Arts company, where rehearsals are under way for a three-pronged package of holiday entertainment.

The local performers have four productions scheduled at three different venues during late November and early December, all with a family-oriented holiday theme. The yuletide season begins on the final day of November with “Gloriously Gershwin — the Songs of George and Ira.”

Gallimaufry’s soloists will offer the Gershwin brothers’ most memorable numbers, including “Embraceable You,” “’S Wonderful,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Summertime” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” This event will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave.

Next up will be the Lagunatunes Holiday Suite, the annual holiday concert under the direction of Christin Cornell and Roxanna Ward. More than 50 chorus members will present an unusual mix of classical and contemporary repertoire.

The concert will be staged at one of Gallimaufry’s favorite auditoriums, the Forum Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds. Two performances are scheduled for Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.

That same weekend, at the same location, Gallimaufry’s self-producing teen theater company, the Generation GAP, will be staging the Peanuts musical “Snoopy.” Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and the gang will entertain Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 5 p.m.

Finally, “Gloriously Gershwin” will make an encore appearance in Laguna Woods at the Clubhouse Three Auditorium, 23822 Avenida Sevilla.

Two performances are scheduled for Dec. 12 and 13 at 7 p.m. Gallimaufry Performing Arts is at P.O. Box 4984, Laguna Beach 92652, and additional information may be obtained by calling (949) 499-5060.

You’ll have to call San Francisco to secure reservations, since Gallimaufry Performing Arts uses Vendini as its box-office system. Vendini is at 773 Minna Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, and the toll-free number is (800) 901-7173.