December Theatre Highlights

THROUGH 12/23—HALF MOON THEATRE PRESENTS THE SANTALAND DIARIES, BY DAVID SEDARIS, COACH HOUSE PLAYERS (KINGSTON), POUGHKEEPSIE DAY SCHOOL (POUGHKEEPSIE)—With his wry and witty recounting of his experiences as a yuletide elf at Macy’s on NPR, David Sedaris began what has become a successful career with The Santaland Diaries, now adapted as a stage play. Subsequent best-sellers Barrel Fever, Holidays On Ice, Naked, and Me Talk Pretty One Day, as well as several plays co-written with his sister Amy Sedaris (produced at the Lincoln Center and the Drama Department in NYC), contributed to his being named by Time magazine as “Humorist Of The Year” in 2001. Directed by Margo Whitcomb, this production features local favorite Tom Ford. www.halfmoontheatre.org, 845.235.9885. Coach House Players, 12 Augusta Street, Kingston: Th-Su 12/13-16, 8 PM (Sa/Su also 3 PM); James Earl Jones Theater, Poughkeepsie Day School, 260 Boardman Rd., Poughkeepsie: Th-Sa 12/20-23, 8 PM; Su 12/24, 7 PM (Sa/Su also 3 PM)

SA/Su 12/15,16; tu 1/1, Su 1/6—METROPOLITAN OPERA: ROMEO ET JULIETTE, HANSEL AND GRETEL AT TIME AND SPACE LIMITED, HUDSON—Well, not EXACTLY the Met at TSL, but the next best thing. TSL gives you the full surround-sound experience of an HD transmission, live (with encores) from New York. On 12/15,16 Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, conducted by Plácido Domingo and featuring soprano Anna Netrebko, brings a sensuality to the Shakespeare classic. On 1/1,6 it’s Hansel and Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck, in a new English language production, featuring tenor Philip Langridge as the Witch. Opera lovers should rejoice at the high-fidelity and excellent view—those who have never experienced the potent pleasures of this grand European tradition might find this a suitable introduction. Coming up next month: Verdi’s Macbeth and Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St, Hudson, www.timeandspace.org, 518.822.8448. Roméo et Juliette: 12/15,16, 1 PM. Hansel and Gretel: Tu 1/1, Su 1/6, 1 PM

Fr-Su 12/14-16—STAR MOUNTAINVILLE GROUP PRESENTS FIFTH PLANET AND SPACE: THE FINAL AFFRONT AT MOHONK ARTS, STONE RIDGE—Fans of science fiction, astronomy, and humor will enjoy this duo from Star Mountainville, a new theatre company based in Stone Ridge. Fifth Planet, written by David Auburn (Proof), features two avid astronomers (played by Joyce Romano and Tom Webb), one an amateur, one a professional are joined together by their fascination with the universe as the play follows their individual struggles and the progression of their relationship over a full year. Space: The Final Affront is a wacky and zany improvised comedy on space movies featuring such SMG stalwarts as Gregor Trieste, Norma Jean Howland, Joe Bongiorno, Dave Hanzl, and newcomers Jacqui, Jenny Mathias, and Jeff Boyer (AKA Mr. Science). Mohonk Arts, 186 Mohonk Rd., Stone Ridge, 845.679.4561. Fr/Sa 12/14,15- 8 PM, Su 12/16- 3 PM