Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 12/06/06

12/06/06 by

Hi everyone,

Here’s the scoop on what’s coming up this week in New England.

-Johnny
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The weird event of the week is the “All Skate” Benefit Night. It’s rollerskating for all ages, at Chez Vous, 11 Hoades St, Dorchester, MA. If you haven’t tried it since you were a kid, you need to get out there. 617-825-6877.

I managed to find some Holiday Caroling, otherwise known as Christmas Caroling. Try the Holiday Sing with the Handel & Hayden Chorus. Dec 9. At Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-266-3605. Sing holiday carols and classical pieces. 3pm. Others are coming up in the next two weeks. Please email me with additions!

Finally, possibly the hippest and trendiest museum, the ICA, Institute for Contemporary Art, is moving and holding a 12-hour free opening celebration on Dec 10th. Generally speaking, I have heard that most museum exhibitions are free on opening day. Thanks to cthulia for that tip. Dec 10, 9am-9pm, and Snappy Dance Theatre performs at 3pm. 100 Northern Avenue on Boston’s waterfront, adjacent to Anthony’s Pier 4 restaurant.

Also weird, Silent Night of the Lambs, a holiday-themed horror theatre show, at MACHINE, 1256 Boylston Street (behind Fenway Park). Now thru Dec 23. It appears to be a mock horror, so it is really a comedy, and basically a good alternative to seeing Dicken’s A Christmas Carol for the 20th time. Although you know what, a friend dragged me to see A Christmas Carol a couple of years ago (it was a surprise so I was not unable to scream and object beforehand) and it was pretty good. So don’t get jaded.

Or, check out the Pilobolus Dance Troupe, Dec 8-10, Shubert Theatre, 270 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. 800-447-7400. $42-60. They are acrobats who believe in big pig piles of people. Or pyramids, whatever.

You may have heard of the Upright Citizens Bridgade Touring Company. Several people from SNL and MadTV have come out of the real thing in NYC and they’ve been bragging about it ever since. Now their touring wing comes to Boston, on Dec 8th. Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston, MA. http://www.greatscottboston.com.

The Urban Nutcracker is a new age re-interpretation of the ballet classic. Dec 8-17, http://www.backbayeventscenter.com. John Hancock Hall, 180 Berkeley St, Boston.

It’s too cold for events based on real culture, but the holiday gift-giving has merchants in a frenzy, so we’re able to enjoy a little entertainment at their expense. And maybe buy something too.

Also the season brings a number of art sales.

Let’s start with the students. Dec 6-7, is the MassArt Annual Holiday Sale, Tower Building Lobby, 621 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA. 617-879-7710. 10am-7pm. The MIT Student Art Association Holiday Sale is Dec 6, MIT Lobby 10, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 617-253-7019. The Museum of Fine Arts December Sale is Dec 6-7, 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA, http://www.smfa.edu.

Going upscale to professional, I recommend the Fort Point Open Studios, Dec 8-9, Boston. http://www.fortpointarts.org. Throughout the year there are maybe 30 local area arts festivals and open studios that are basically marketplaces. The Fort Point one is arguably the best, because they have so many true professionals. The SoWa Holiday Market is sure to be good, too, Dec 9-10, Catholic High School Gymnasium, Union Park St, Boston, MA. 617-481-2257. Dec 9, 10-8, Dec 10, 10-6. Admission: $5.

Now on to the more commercial. Festival Noir (Afrocentric Art Show) is at the Hynes Convention Center, Dec 9-10, http://www.festivalnoir.net. And Faneuil Hall will have bellringers every Saturday.

Since I mentioned rollerskating, here are the rollerskating places around Boston to entertain you. Just as with bowling, always call ahead because often they will be closed for a private party.

— Chez Vous Disco Rink, http://www.cvboston.com, 11 Rhoades Street, Dorchester, MA. 617 825-6877.

— Roller Palace, http://www.rollerpalace.net, 130 Sohier Road, Beverly, MA. 978-927-4242.

— Roller World, http://www.roller-world.com, 425R Broadway, Saugus. 781-231-1111. This place is the least convenient. Tuesdays & Saturdays ballroom and line dancing 7:30-11pm. Fridays 7-11pm teen dancing, no skating.

— Skateland, http://www.skateland.com, 19 Railroad Avenue, Bradford, MA. 978 372-3050.

Ongoing events, see previous posts at http://make-you-laugh.livejournal.com for more info: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Dec 31, Avner the Eccentric: Exceptions to Gravity to Dec 23, The Nutcracker Dec 24-30, The Enchanted Village (Christmas Display) to Dec 31. And the Scientology thing is definitely a parody, so I’ve read. STOMP to Dec 17th. Radio City Christmas Spectacular to Dec 29. The Reduced Shakespeare Company in Completely Hollywood (abridged) to Dec 17.