We’re heading into the beauty time in Southern California, the holiday season when the air grows nippier, the sun seems more yellow and warming than ever, and white caps of snow decorate the San Gabriel Mountains as you venture east toward the desert. And what better stopover than the charming Sierra Madre Playhouse, where this season’s slate of mixed-genre performances — theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions — has a holiday winner in the sparkling Nutcracker rendered by the delicious Bob Baker marionettes — an artsmeme favorite. Baker’s ‘Nutcracker’ dates to 1969 (he died in 2017) and features over one hundred puppets. It gives a new spin to the cliche, “for kids of all ages.” I wouldn’t miss it; neither would I miss the free ice cream that comes with every show.

But, before the ice cream has you transfixed, let’s return to the Playhouse for a moment.

As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a varied repertoire curated with social impact in mind, the intimate, 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close-and-personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics’ Choice honors. Nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the street-facing retains its movie theater façade and marquee. As happens over generations, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now embodies the region’s cultural legacy. In this regard, we wish it well. We’re making our first visit soon.

Now can we have that ice cream??

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker | Bob Baker Marionette Theater | Sierra Madre Playhouse | now thru Jan 5

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