By George Basler and Barb Van Atta

As much a part of the holiday season as Santa Claus, long shopping lines and family get-togethers are popular annual productions by local arts organizations.

From pop and classical music to holiday-themed plays and dance performances, the schedule is a full one designed to heighten your holiday spirit whatever your tastes.

Here is a list compiled by Broome Arts Mirror that highlights some of the productions. Go enjoy!

Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus

The Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus is sponsoring its annual concert to raise money for the Broome County Council of Churches’ CHOW (Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) program.

This year’s concert will take place at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at St. Cyril’s and Methodius Church, 148 Clinton St., Binghamton, and will feature performances of seasonal choral and instrumental music by the Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus, the Southern Tier Christian Chorus, the Endwell Community Chorus, Sunday Brass and the Davidge Choir.

All proceeds will go to CHOW for feeding the hungry in our community. To date, the annual concert has raised a cumulative $44,000 for CHOW. Organizers hope this number will go over $50,000 with proceeds from this year’s performance.

The Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus also will perform a free holiday concert from 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Oakdale Commons (formerly Oakdale Mall, just outside the Penney’s department store.

IF YOU GO: Tickets for the CHOW concert are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 607-372-1730 for advance tickets.

Ti-Ahwaga Community Players

In what has become an annual tradition, the Ti-Ahwaga Community Players will present A Christmas Story the weekends of Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15

The play is based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd and the 1983 holiday movie of the same name. It tells the story of youngster Ralphie Parker, who spends most of his time dodging a bully and scheming to obtain the ultimate Christmas present, an official Red Ryder BB gun.

Many of the recognizable elements from the movie are in the play including the Little Orphan Annie decoder ring, Ralphie’s father winning a lamp shaped like a woman’s leg, and the father’s misadventures with an exploding furnace.

This year marks the 22nd time the Owego-based theater company has put on the play. “It’s become a tradition for some people to see it every year,” said Josh Wahl, office manager for the company. This is the second year the company is using new sets.

IF YOU GO: Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14, and 2 p.m. Dec. 8 and 15 at the Ti-Ahwaga Performing Arts Center, 42 Delphine St., Owego. Tickets are $28 ($23 for senior citizens and students 11-17, $17 for children 10 and under) at https://tiahwaga.thundertix.com

Cider Mill Stage

God bless us, everyone! A Christmas Carol returns to the Cider Mill Stage for its 45th year with veteran actor Chris Nickerson as Scrooge.

The original production debuted in 1979, adapted by John Bielenberg, a Binghamton University professor. Susan J. Peters and Ken Martinak provided original music.

In this production, actors stage the Charles Dickens classic for a sick child. To quote Cider Mill Stage’s website, Bielenberg’s adaptation “infused the Dickens tale with warm and unique qualities that brought joy to generations of theatregoers and have kept the production timeless.”

This year’s production is being presented Dec. 13-22 by BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier).

IF YOU GO: BLAST will present A Christmas Carol at Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave., Endicott. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 and 22 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22  Tickets are $30 (including fees) and $22 for children 12 and under at https://cidermillstage.thundertix.com.

Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra

The Binghamton Philharmonic will present its annual holiday concert, “Winter Wonderland,” at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Broome County Forum Theatre, 236 Washington St., Binghamton.

Music Director Daniel Hege will conduct the orchestra in a series of Christmas and Hanukkah pieces from Sergei Prokofiev to Mannheim Steamroller.

Bellamy Stapleton, a treble soloist, will sing with the orchestra on “The Snowman.” Four resident artists from Tri-Cities Opera will perform “Christmas Canon” with the orchestra. Jonny Norton will conduct the orchestra in Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” after submitting the winning bid in a silent orchestra to do so.

There will be a 20-minute prelude at 3 p.m. by Nancy Wildoner of the Binghamton Theater Organ Society, playing The Forum’s 1922 Robert-Morton IV/24 Theatre Pipe Organ.

IF YOU GO: Tickets at $28 to $69 can be ordered at www.binghamtonphilharmonic.org.Thanks to Visions Federal Credit, children 17 and under are FREE.; to order children’s tickets, call the Philharmonic box office at (607) 723-3931, ext. 1.

Endicott Performing Arts Center

  1. EPAC will stage its annual Christmas show at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7. The event is a “traditional variety show” with dancing, chorus numbers, duets and solos, featuring Christmas music by a large cast of community performers, as well as members of the EPAC Repertory Company, and EPAC Children’s Workshop, Executive Director Joe Foti said.
  2. EPAC will present The Nutcracker ballet in partnership with FUSE Dance Center of Binghamton the weekend of Dec. 12-15. In addition to classical ballet, performances will feature tap and acro dance. Performers from the EPAC Repertory Company will be in the first act and dancers from FUSE will be in the second.
  3. For those who want their holidays more naughty than nice, EPAC Burlesque will perform a special show at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21. The variety show for mature audiences will feature burlesque-style humor, dancing and a drag queen appearance, Foti said.

IF YOU GO: All of these performances are at the Endicott Performing Arts Center, 102 Washington Ave., Endicott. Variety show performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7. Tickets are $20. Nutcracker performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 12-14 and 3 p.m. Dec. 15. Tickets are $20. The burlesque show is 8 p.m. Dec. 21. Tickets are $25. For all tickets, call 607-785-8903, or visit www.edicottarts.com.

Binghamton University

The Kingdom Choir, a British gospel choir, will perform a Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Anderson Center at Binghamton University.

The choir was founded by conductor and workshop leader Karen Gibson. After performing for more than 20 years, the singers grabbed the world’s attention when they performed their show-stopping rendition of “Stand by Me” in front of a worldwide television audience at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The Christmas concert features soulful renditions of traditional gospel classics and popular contemporary music mixed with the choir’s own inspirational versions of holiday works.

IF YOU GO: Ticket are $60 ($55 for seniors and veterans; $10 for children and students). Deeply discounted $25 seats are available regardless of ticketing level (except students/children, $10) in rows R-W on a first-come, first-serve basis. Discount tickets also are available for groups of 10 and more. Call the box office at 607-777-ARTS.

Madrigal Choir of Binghamton

The Madrigal Choir of Binghamton’s “Lessons and Carols for Christmas” has been an annual seasonal tradition since 1995. The program is modeled on the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College in England, with the choir performing readings, Christmas carols and hymns from the Medieval age to the 21st century.

This year’s concert will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Trinity Memorial Church, 44 Main St., Binghamton.

Guest conductor John Vaida will lead the performance. Early music ensemble Simple Gifts, a recorder/guitar duo, and organist John Isenberg will be featured.

IF YOU GO: Tickets are $20 at www.madrigalchoir.com and at the door. Students with an ID get free tickets that are only available at the door.

Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre

The classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker presented by the Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre, will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec.  7, at the Clemens Center in Elmira and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Broome County Center for the Performing Arts (The Forum), 236 Washington St., Binghamton. The Tchaikovsky ballet is set on Christmas Eve in a child’s imagination.

The majority of the performers are currently students of the Rafael Grigorian School of Ballet. The company will also bring in professional dancers from other companies for principal roles.

IF YOU GO: Tickets are $20-$45. (seniors/students, $15; 5 and under, free with in-person purchase of adult ticket). Tickets:  https://rafaelgrigorianballet.com/

Binghamton Downtown Singers

The Binghamton Downtown Singers and Orchestra’s traditional holiday season presentation of a (nearly complete) Handel’s Messiah will be Saturday, Dec. 14, at Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church, 308 Main St., Johnson City. The full oratorio covers not only Jesus’ birth but His passion and resurrection.

This is the 42nd such performance by the Downtown Singers, who pride themselves on offering high-quality performances at a reasonable price. The chorus is unique in the community in that no audition is required.

Artistic Director Robert J. Manners will conduct the concert featuring soprano Martha Guth, mezzo-soprano Dawn Pierce, tenor Vale Rideout and baritone Timothy LeFebvre. The performance will begin at the new, earlier time of 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.downtownsingers.org.

IF YOU GO: General admission tickets are $20 at www.downtownsingers.org/tickets, 607-205-8741, tickets@downtownsingers.org or at the door. One free student ticket is provided upon request with each paid adult ticket.

Schorr Family Firehouse Stage

  1. Bill Carter and the Presbybop Christmas Eve Band will present “Jingle Jazz” at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, at the Firehouse Stage, 48 Willow St., Johnson City. Carter, a jazz pianist and Presbyterian minister, created Presbybop Music to integrate his strong Presbyterian faith with the rhythms of bebop. This special edition Presbybop Christmas Eve Band presents annual holiday concerts featuring holiday jazz hits.
  2. Also at the Firehouse: Tenor Steven Nanni’s holiday concert, “Holiday Songs,” will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15.

IF YOU GO: Tickets for Jingle Jazz are $17 at www.firehousestage.org. Tickets for Holiday Songs are $27 (seniors/student, $25).

Tri-Cities Opera

  1. TCO’s new Youth Choir and Creative Studio will present a holiday concert at 1 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Opera Center, 315 Clinton St., Binghamton. IF YOU GO: Tickets are $10; group rates are available. Visit tricitiesopera.com.
  2. You also can bring a holiday performance to you. Tri-Cities Opera’s resident artists are available to provide a 25- to 30-minute programs of holiday carols. If you are interested in having TCO come to your event or organization, email TCO’s Cate Berger at marketing@tricitiesopera.org.

Endwell Community Chorus

The Endwell Community Chorus will present its annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, in front of JC Penney at the Oakdale Commons (formerly Oakdale Mall) in Johnson City.

Vestal Community Band

The Vestal Community Band will present its holiday concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, in front of JC Penney at the Oakdale Commons (formerly Oakdale Mall) in Johnson City.