Fri, Dec 26

The Nutcracker Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley presents its annual production of the popular holiday ballet. Children and their families can enjoy a theater specially decorated for the event and receive free souvenir photos
with cast members. Fri, Dec 26, 7:30pm,
Sat, Dec 27, 1:30pm and 7:30pm. Closes Sun, Dec 28, 1:30pm. $19-$68. San Jose Center
for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden
Blvd, San Jose, 408.288.2800 or
www.balletsanjose.org.

Sun, Dec 28

Kids ArtSunday The San Jose Museum of Art presents a day of hands-on art activities, gallery tours, performance and storytelling for kids. Activities include "Make Your Meal," in which participants create food objects out of found materials. The San Jose String Quartet will perform and storyteller Diane Ferlate will be sharing stories.
Sun, Dec 28, 11;30am-4pm. Free.
San Jose Museum of Art,
110 S. Market St, San Jose,
408.294.2787 or www.sjmusart.org.

Tue, Dec 30

Ballet Folklorico de Mexico Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley presents Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez in a new Christmas program "Navidades: A Christmas Celebration," featuring Mexican holiday dances with Arabic, Afro-Caribbean and European influences, in addition to dances that reflect Mexican Christmas tradition. The company will also perform ballets from its formal repertoire. Tue, Dec 30, 7:30pm.
Also, Dec 31, 2:30pm. $25-$45. San Jose
Center for the Performing Arts, 255
Almaden Blvd, San Jose. For more
information, call 408.286.2600 ext 23
or www.balletsanjose.org.

Wed, Dec 31

Comedy New Year's Eve Show New Year's Eve party with headliners Phil Palisoul, Tony Camin and Andrew Norelli, party favors, noisemakers, champagne and a midnight balloon drop. Dec 31, 8pm and 10:30pm. $35-$45. Rooster T. Feathers, 157 W. El Camino, Sunnyvale, 408.736.0921.

New Age Visionary Marathon Cupertino public radio stattion KKUP 91.5 FM presents its annual new year's new age music marathon, which this year will offer an emphasis on ambient electronic and acoustic music and will feature a special concert of crystal bowls. Wed, Dec 31, 9pm-Mon, Jan 5, 6am. For more information, call www.kkup.org.

Ongoing

The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) City Lights Theater Company presents a comic condensed version of stories from the Bible. Fri, Dec 26, 8pm.
Closes Sat, Dec 27, 8pm. $15-$28.
City Lights Theater Company,
529 S. Second St, San Jose,
408.295.4200 or www.cltc.org.

A Christmas Carol Northside Theatre Company presents its annual production of Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale. Fri, Dec 26, 8pm, Sat, Dec 27, 8pm. Closes Sun, Dec 28, 3pm and 7pm. $12-$15. Olinder Theatre, 848 E. William St, San Jose, 408.288.7820 or www.northsidetheatre.com.

The Fourth Wall TheatreWorks presents the West Coast premiere of a new play about a woman who rebels against complacency among her friends, family and society.
By A.R. Gurney and featuring songs by
Cole Porter. Fri, Dec 26, 8pm, Sat, Dec
27, 8pm. Closes Sun, Dec 28, 2pm and
7pm. Thru Dec 28. $20-$48. Lucie
Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield
Rd, Palo Alto, 650.903.6000 or
www.theatreworks.org.

Japanese American Museum "1942: Luggage From Home to Camp." Thru June 2004.
Tue-Fri, 11am-3pm, Sun, 11am-2pm.
535 N. Fifth St, San Jose,
408.294.3138 or www.jamsj.org.

Montalvo Gallery "Inez Storer: Encore Narratives," recent works by Inez Storer. Part of a collaborative exhibit of Storer's works, also at the de Saisset Museum and the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. Thru March 7. "Sculpture on the Grounds," a new installation piece created by sculptor Herb Parker during his residency at Montalvo. Thru May 3, 2004. Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art "An Artist's Artist: The Legacy of Inez Storer," works by 14 of Storer's students. Part of a collaborative exhibit of Storer's works, also at the de Saisset Museum and Montalvo Gallery. Thru Jan 3. "Mixed Reviews,"
and "Dream," nighttime installations
by Christian Marclay and Andrew Chung. Thru Jan 3. 451 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.8155 or www.sjica.org.

San Jose Museum of Art "Hidden Lives: Eleanor Prager and Don Martin," works from the museum's permanent collection thru Jan. "The Not-So-Still Life: A Century of California Painting and Sculpture." Thru Feb 15. "Keeping Company: A Painter and Three Poets," art inspired by poets . Thru March 14. "Hortus Contemplatonis Nature Morte," an installation by Shirley Alexandra Watts.
Thru March 28. "Beyond Tradition:
Permanent Collection Photographs,"
a survey of new and less-recent acquisitions from the museum's permanent collection. Thru Aug 22. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm,
Fri, 11am-10pm, closed Mon.
110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.271.6840
or www.sjmusart.org.

San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles "Moe Uhani Nani: Contemporary Hawaiian Quilts." Thru Jan 18. San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, 110 Paseo de San
Antonio, San Jose, 408.971.0323 or www.sjquiltmuseum.org.

Stanford's Cantor Arts Center "Hudson River School Masterworks," an exhibition of 55 paintings that include works by Thomas Cole, Frederic Church and others. "Print Matters: Explorations With Paper in Contemporary Prints." Ongoing thru Oct. "Portraits by a Victorian Photographer," photos by Julia Margaret Cameron, which include portraits of Tennyson and Darwin. Thru Feb. The center also features free docent-led tours of the Stanford campus' outdoor art collection. Two different tours are offered, one on the first Sun of the month, the other on the third Sun of the month. Both tours begin at 2pm. Tours are held rain or shine on an ongoing basis. Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Museum Way (off Palm Dr), Stanford, 650.723.4177 or www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva.

Triton Museum of Art "Winter Work," the second exhibition in an ongoing series that highlights the works of artists who teach. Thru Feb 15. "New Works by California Artists," oils on linen and pastels on paper by Bay Area artist Bob Gerbracht. Thru Jan. Works by Theodore Wores. Thru Feb 2004. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.

Wine Galleria "Recent Paintings," large-scale acrylic paintings by Mary Medrano. Thru Jan 3. 377 S. First St, San Jose, 408.298.8877.

Wintertime San Jose Repertory Theatre presents an insightful comedy by Charles Mee
in which three couples find their romantic
getaways unexpectedly complicated.
Fri, Dec 26, 8pm, Sat, Dec 27, 3pm and
8pm, Sun, Dec 28, 2pm and 7pm, Mon,
Dec 29-Tue, Dec 30, 8pm. Thru Jan 4.
$18-$52. San Jose Repertory Theatre,
101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Theatre on San Pedro Square presents a musical based on Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip. Fri, Dec 26-Sat, Dec 27, 8pm, Sun, Dec 28, 3pm. Dinner or brunch available 2 1/2 hours before show starts. Extended thru Jan. $15-$30. Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose, 408.283.0200 or www.tosps.com.