On stage: 'An Irish Christmas,' 'It's a Wonderful Life,' standup comedy
Theater
VENTURA COUNTY
“The Wizard of Oz”: Hillside Middle School presents its student production of the classic musical with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, based on the novel by L. Frank Baum. 7 p.m. Dec. 15-16, 2222 Fitzgerald Road, Simi Valley. $10 general admission, $5 students. To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/wizofozhillside.
“Animal Crackers”: Ojai Art Center Theater presents a stage production of the 1929 Marx Brothers movie. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 17, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. 640-8797; ojaiact.org.
“Chess”: The Conejo Players Theatre will wrap up its 2017 season with the rock musical featuring music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA and Sir Tim Rice. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 17, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. $20 general admission, $18 seniors, students and military. 495-3715; conejoplayers.org.
“Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol”: Rubicon Theatre Company kicks off its 20th anniversary season with the critically-acclaimed holiday hit starring Broadway, television and film veterans Peter Van Norden and Joe Spano. Through Dec. 23, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. $40-$65. 667-2900; rubicontheatre.org.
“It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play”: Santa Paula Theater Center presents Tony Palermo’s recreation of a live 1940s radio broadcast of the holiday classic. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 23, 125 South 7th St., Santa Paula. $24 general admission, $22 seniors and students, $18 children ages 12 and under. 525-4645; santapaulatheatercenter.org.
“A Christmas Story, the Musical”: Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi presents this stage adaptation of the holiday film favorite about the misadventures of Ralphie, a boy waiting for Santa to bring him a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:15 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 23, 3050 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley. 583-7900; actorsrepofsimi.org.
“Odysseo”: Cavalia Inc. presents a big top show featuring 65 horses and 50 riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians performing against digital projections of the natural world. Through Jan. 21 at 5230 Camino Ruiz, Camarillo. 866-999-8111; cavalia.com.
UP NORTH
“Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley”: Ensemble Theatre Company presents a sequel to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” that reunites the story’s characters and places the bookish middle sister in the limelight. Through Dec. 17, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. $20-$50. For tickets and information, visit ensembletheatre.com.
Comedy
VENTURA COUNTY
Live Standup Comedy on the Hill: Hillcrest Center for the Arts and producer, comedian and host Jason Love will continue a monthly standup comedy series featuring a different comic every month. December’s lineup includes weatherman and stand-up comic Fritz Coleman, actor and stand-up comic Danny Jolles and writer, producer and stand-up comic Jackie Fabulous. 8 p.m. Dec. 9, 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. $12 in advance, $15 at the door. 381-1246; hillcrestarts.com.
Walk it Off Wednesday: Comedians Abby Roberge and Ari Mannis co-headline this stand-up show. 8 p.m. Dec. 13, Ventura Harbor Comedy Club, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 205A, Ventura. $10. For tickets and information, visit eventbrite.com.
UP NORTH
Nick Swardson: The actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter and producer will perform his stand-up act. 8 p.m. Dec. 8, Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 CA-246, Santa Ynez. $35-$55. For tickets and information, visit chumashcasino.com.
Dance
VENTURA COUNTY
“An Irish Christmas”: An award-winning cast of traditional Irish dancers, singers and musicians will perform a family-friendly holiday show. 7 p.m. Dec. 13, Scherr Forum Theatre, Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. $44-$47. Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. Information: 449-2787.
Classes
VENTURA COUNTY
African drumming class: Malik Sow, an African master drummer from Senegal, and Solo Soro from Ivory Coast lead a weekly class in West African drumming from 7:30-9 p.m. Mondays at Lightning Ridge Screen Printing, 4435 McGrath St., Ventura. Cost is $20 per class and a drum can be rented for $5. For information or to arrange a drum rental, call 650-7455.