Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

David Melville, courtesy photo

David Melville, courtesy photo

The Granada Theatre presents the holiday classic, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, performed by actor David Melville as a one man show on Friday, December 12 at 8 p.m. in the McCune Founders Room.

Recapture the spirit of an old-fashioned 19th century Christmas with this timeless classic, with nearly all of your favorite characters performed by Melville as Charles Dickens.

In his lifetime, Dickens was famous for performing dramatic interpretations of his own work. In what has become a holiday tradition, the Independent Shakespeare Company (ISC) re-creates, with a great deal of artistic license, the experience. A young actress joins Melville, and what follows is an evening of wry humor, romance and redemption.

Click here to purchase tickets for what is sure to be a lively performance, or by calling The Granada Theatre’s Box Office at 805/899-2222. The Granada is located at 1214 State St.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 10, 2014.

An Evening with John Cleese

John Cleese, photo by Andy Gotts

John Cleese, photo by Andy Gotts

Comic legend John Cleese is beloved the world over for his hilarious antics and physical comedy in cult films and TV shows, including Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda. From the Minister of Silly Walks to Sir Lancelot, to bumbling hotel manager Basil Fawlty, his many madcap characters have kept audiences roaring with laughter.

Cleese returns to Santa Barbara for an evening of wonderfully entertaining anecdotes and amusements just after the release of his new autobiography, So, AnywayAn Evening with John Cleese takes place Wed., Nov. 19 at The Granada Theatre, 1214 State St., in Santa Barbara.

For tickets or more information, call 805/893-3535 or purchase online at ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 14, 2014.

The Return of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, courtesy photo

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, courtesy photo

Get ready to swing, jive with the hepcats and toe tap your way to a really fun evening when Big Bad Voodoo Daddy returns to The Granada Theatre on Saturday, October 4 at 8 p.m.

Believe it or not, 2014 marks the 21st anniversary of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s arrival onto the music scene from their native Ventura. In their early years, they reminded the world—during the grunge era—that it was still cool to swing, big band style. Several of their songs were featured in the film Swingers, which also made household names out of then unknowns Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performed during the halftime show of the Super Bowl, and to sold out crowds at the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Lincoln Center and Constitution Hall to name a few. The band often plays more than 150 shows a year and has appeared as special guests with many of the great American symphony orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets range  are available through The Granada Theatre’s Box Office. For more information, click here or call the Box Office at 805/899-2222. The theater is located at 1214 State St.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on September 29, 2014.

Best Seat for Solstice Parade may be at the Granada Theatre

Enjoy the Solstice Parade from the comfort of the Granada. Photo courtesy "Parades at the Granada."

Enjoy the Solstice Parade from the comfort of the Granada. Photo courtesy “Parades at the Granada.”

Here’s your chance to support a great cause and avoid fighting the parade crowds too! “Parades at The Granada Theatre” offers an opportunity to experience Santa Barbara’s State street parades from seats right in front of the theater.

As part of the Santa Barbara Center for Performing Arts’ Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement, contributors to the SBCPA Annual Fund, at any level, are invited to come watch the Summer Solstice Parade on Saturday, June 21 with fellow friends and supporters of The Granada Theatre. Guests will enjoy special seating on State Street in front of the theater and have the opportunity to visit inside the theater for festive sips and bites.

After debuting last year, “Parades at The Granada Theatre” are a popular way to build a broader base of support within the community and engage supporters with the not-for-profit Granada Theatre in a family-friendly way.

“The Summer Solstice Parade is one of Santa Barbara’s most festive and whimsical celebrations, and we are thrilled to open our doors so that our generous supporters can enjoy the parade from our grandstands,” says Nancy O’Connor, SBCPA board member. “Our ‘Parades at The Granada Theatre” are a wonderful opportunity to welcome all of the community, both young and old, to the theater and share in the rich history of performing arts.”

This year, The Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement is presenting “Parades at The Granada Theatre” for the Summer Solstice, Fiesta, and the Downtown Holiday Parades.

For more information,  please visit The Granada Theatre’s website, granadasb.org, or call 805/899-3000. For more information on supporting The Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement, please contact Kristi Newton, Director of Development, at 805/451-2932 or at knewton@granadasb.org.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on June 20, 2014.

Local Arts and Culture Nonprofits Join Giving Tuesday Movement to Encourage Nonprofit Support

image003First there was Black Friday. Then there was Cyber Monday and now we have Giving Tuesday on Tuesday, December 3.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Ensemble Theatre Company, Ganna Walska Lotusland, Lobero Theatre Foundation, Music Academy of the West, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Santa Barbara Dance Institute, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Zoo, State Street Ballet, The Granada Theatre, and Wildling Museum have joined Giving Tuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform the way people talk about, think about and participate in the giving season.

Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season, the aim of Giving Tuesday is to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the causes they support and ultimately help to create a better world.

Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday welcomed more than 2,500 partners from all 50 states in the U.S. The collective efforts of partners, donors, and advocates helped fuel a 50% increase in online giving. Last year more than 50 million people worldwide spread the word about Giving Tuesday―resulting in milestone trending on Twitter.

Sounds like a lovely idea to us!

For more information about the Giving Tuesday initiative and to search participating nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area, visit www.givingtuesday.org.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 1, 2103.