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Arts & Entertainment

The Weekender: Xanadu, Mi Casa Tu Casa, Moo Moo's Magical Holiday

… and don't forget the Holiday Light Spectacular at the Turtle Back Zoo

Check out some of the festive events around the city and nearby.  Click the EVENTS tab on the home page to see all the possibilities for the weekend.  Feel free to add your own in the comments section. 

WHAT: 
WHERE:  Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange
WHEN:   Friday, Saturday, Sunday   10am – 4pm
WHAT:   Glenmont will be decorated much as it was while the Edison family lived there. Favorite musical pieces will be playing and greenery and red poinsettias will deck the mantles above the fireplaces. Staircases will be ringed with boughs and red ribbon bows and wreaths will hang in every window. In the Den, the majestic 10 foot tree will be lit and the presents underneath.
COST:   Admission is $7.00, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free.

WHAT:   
WHERE
:  Bloomfield Middle School 
WHEN:    Thursday, Saturday, Sunday    3pm & 8pm
WHY GO:  One of Broadway's master storytellers, Douglas Carter Beane, weaves a moving, electrifying tale of endless fun that will keep you in stitches, while the original, legendary chart-topping tunes lift you out of your seat. You'll want to keep the music in your head, and Xanadu in your heart forever.
COST:   $18 General Public -- $15 Member/Student/Senior

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WHAT: 
WHERE:  Luna Stage Theater  
WHEN:    Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm,  Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm
WHY GO: Rediscover the true meaning of the holidays: tradition, family, and joy!    Join The Casa Band and Storytellers in a bilingual celebration for all ages.  Folksongs and Fables, Seasonal Poems, and Classic Holiday Tunes
COST:  $20 for adults; $10 for children 

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WHAT:   
WHERE
:  Luna StageTheater
WHEN
:    Saturday     11am
WHY GO
:   Join puppeteer and magician “Mister Kipley” and his loveable fuzzy sidekick, Moo-Moo, for this multi-cultural celebration of winter holidays from around the world!    Live music, interactive puppetry, and dazzling magic tricks combine in this show that brings to life the traditions of winter holidays celebrated by many different cultures.   From Christmas & Chanukah, Kwanzaa to Chinese New Year, Eid Al Adha to Las Posadas, join Moo-Moo in a world of fun! Great for ages 3 and up!
COST:   $10.00

WHAT:  
WHERE:   The Pleasantdale Presbyterian Church
WHEN:   Saturday   9am to Noon
WHY GO:  Ever wonder what to do with all of those great photos you have scattered around the house in shoeboxes or stored in six different files on your computer?  This Saturday The Pleasantdale Church's free Scrapbooking Fellowship, led by expert scrapbooker Kerry Rapp will meet in the Parish House (adjacent to the main church building) .  Newcomers are always welcomed and Kerry is happy to teach and coach anyone who would like to learn this enjoyable and relaxing craft in a fun and informative atmosphere.  Send an email to kerryrappcm@gmail.com for more details and to reserve a space.

WHAT:  Cathedral Basilica Concert Series: Christmas at the Cathedral "Navidad Latina 2011"
WHERE:  The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge St, Newark
WHEN:     Friday   8pm  
WHY GO:  The Cathedral Spanish Choir under the direction of Olfary Guitérrez joins forces with singers and instrumentalists from other Latin-American communities of the Archdiocese of Newark to present a program of ethnic Christmas music. The program, conducted in Spanish, includes Ariel Ramíerez's "Navidad Nuestra" along with Villancicos Tradicionales. Come celebrate Christmas from the many aspects of Latin-American traditions.
COST:  Free will offering


WHAT:   
WHERE
:   Essex Youth Theater, 14 Alvin Pl, Montclair
WHEN:     December 10 and 11.  Show times are at 1:30 and 3:30 each day.
WHY GO:   Chicken Little just got duped by the infamous Foxy Loxy. Is the sky really falling? Will the chicken be outfoxed by the fox? Join Chicken Little and the rest of his friends on the farm as this classic story is mixed with a lot of laughter and fun.
COST:   $8

WHAT:   
WHERE:  
Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange
WHEN:     Friday, Saturday, Sunday
WHY GO: 
Experience Turtle Back Zoo in the winter as 100,000 bulbs and 40 lit displays illuminate the zoo this holiday season!
COST:   Free.   Turtle Back Zoo will be collecting non-perishable food, winter coats and unwrapped new toys for the needy each evening of holiday lights.

WHAT:  
WHERE:   Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
WHEN:     Friday, Saturday, Sunday    12:00pm–5:00pm
WHY GO:   This historically accurate installation offers the opportunity to step back in time to learn about nineteenth-century life and traditions. From the Christmas tree (a German tradition) to the wooden shoes by the hearth (a Dutch tradition) to the stockings on the chimney and plum pudding in the dining room (English traditions), visitors can get a sense of how Christmas evolved into a home-based secular holiday in the nineteenth century, linked to but distinct from the religious commemoration that was celebrated in church.
COST:  Museum Admission: Adult $10; Children, Seniors & Students with Valid I.D.: $6; Members free

WHAT: 
WHERE:   
Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark
WHEN:     Friday, Saturday, Sunday    12:00pm–5:00pm
WHY GO:   Season of Light (Limited run)   Saturdays & Sundays, 2 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 6 and up    40 minutes
Trace the development of many of the world's endearing holiday customs, all of which involve lighting up the winter season—from Yule logs and sparkling Christmas tree lights to the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. This show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice—not only Christian and Jewish, but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi.
Seven Wonders    Fridays, 2 pm  Saturdays & Sundays, 2 & 4 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 9 and up    40 minutes
Turn back the pages of time and witness the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as they have not been seen for thousands of years. 
The Little Star that Could    Saturdays & Sundays, 1 & 3 pm - Recommended for adults and children ages 5 to 8   35 minutes
A little star is born all by himself.  Lonely for some friends, he embarks on a journey through the galaxy.  Along the way he meets different stars, learns about their lives, colors and temperatures.  At the end of his voyage he is introduced to a star cluster, the Milky Way and the planets in our Solar System.
COST:   Adults $15; children under 12, seniors, and college students $9 - includes Museum & Planetarium admission .

WHAT:   
WHERE:   Kip's Castle Park, 22 Crestmont Rd, Verona
WHEN:    Friday & Saturday    12:00pm–4:00pm
WHY GO:  Visit Kip’s Castle during the month of December for a self-guided tour of the first floor and experience the holidays circa 1928.

WHAT:  White Christmas
WHERE:  Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
WHEN:    Nov 16 – Dec 24    (showtimes: http://www.papermill.org/whats-playing/season-at-a-glance/cat/cat_id/1.html)  
WHY GO:  Based on the beloved Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye film, this merry musical tells the tale of two famous song-and-dance men who stage a show in a scenic, snow-topped Vermont inn — and end up finding love with two singing sisters under the mistletoe.
COST:   $25 to $80

WHAT: 
WHERE: 
Bloomfield (John A. Bukowski) Animal Shelter
WHEN:   Tuesday   4pm – 7:30pm
WHY GO:
The Bloomfield Animal Shelter will be holding an Open House on Tuesday, December 13th.   Stop by and visit the shelter and see the wonderful cats and dogs longing to be a part of your family.   There will be a variety of homemade baked goods, appetizers, finger sandwiches, and beverages - including hot chocolate & coffee - will be available.
Approved Cat & Dog adoptions between December 13th through December 25th will be only $25.

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