THE ORIGINAL TOY STORY: The Pennsylvania Ballet gets into the holiday spirit with its most-beloved production, “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” Dec. 6-31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-790-5847. Photo: Alexander Iziliaev
Theater & Arts
Christmas Spectacular
The Philly Pops perform holiday songs Dec. 6-20 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Curtis Chamber Orchestra
The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents an evening of classical music 8 p.m. Dec. 5 at Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
An Evening with Rachelle Lee Smith and B. Proud
The two photographers host a book signing and reading 6 p.m. Dec. 9 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
The Pennsylvania Ballet performs its holiday show Dec. 6-31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Hobo with a Shotgun and Trollhunter
The two action grindhouse B-movies are screened 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.
James Carroll
The historian and author of “Christ Actually: The Son of God for a Secular Age” hosts a discussion 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.
Mary Poppins
Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical based on the classic Disney film through Jan. 4, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.
The Matter of Frank Schaefer
Curio Theatre Company presents its new play about the Rev. Frank Schaefer, who was defrocked for officiating his son’s gay wedding, through Dec. 6, 4740 Baltimore Ave.; 215-525-1350.
Mummenschanz
The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the Swiss performance troupe Dec. 11-14 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
Outside Mullingar
Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Tony Award-nominated romance set in rural Ireland through Dec. 28 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-0420.
Parsons Dance
The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the dance company through Dec. 6 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents a major retrospective of the work of the critical figure in the history of modern art, photography and filmmaking through Jan. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
P.E.T.A.: Naked Ambition, 25 Years of Sexy Celebrity Ads
Twenty Two Gallery presents an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the anti-fur campaign featuring celebrities posing nude and proclaiming “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” through Dec. 6, 236 S. 22nd St.; www.twenty-twogallery.com.
Philadanco: Risky Business
The dance company’s fall program boasts the premiere of a new work by Christopher Huggins, as well as ballets that feature high-risk choreography, Dec. 12-14 at Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
The Second Annual Nutcracker Market
The Kimmel Center offers free indoor shopping with more than 70 regional and national artists, complete with live entertainment, food and beverage courtesy of Garces Trading Co., Dec. 11-14, including a special LGBT night from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 12 with a free holiday-themed performance from Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-551-7000.
Vitra-Design, Architecture, Communication: A European Project with American Roots
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents some of the most innovative designs from the family-owned Swiss company through April 26, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
Yannick Conducts Brahms
The Philadelphia Orchestra performs through Dec. 6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
You Gotta Eat Dirt Before You Die
The play, set in the 1980s about an African-American business professional whose lover is dying from AIDS while his mother simultaneously is diagnosed with an untreatable and aggressive cancer, runs through Dec. 7 at the Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St.; www.eventbrite.com.
Music
PGMC Down Home Holiday Concert
The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus goes country for its annual holiday concerts, through Dec. 6 at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St.; www.pgmc.org.
StandUP! SingOUT
Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, the first and longest-running feminist chorus in the country, performs 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St.; www.annacrusis.org.
Common
The rapper performs 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011.
Q102 Jingle Ball
Ariana Grande, Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea, OneRepublic, Meghan Trainor, Jessie J, Rixton, Kiesza, Rita Ora, Shawn Mendes and host Nick Jonas perform 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543.
WORLD CLASS (ABSTR)ACT: Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts host the visually unique Swiss dance/performance group Mummenschanz Dec. 11-14 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-898-3900.
Nightlife
Gryphons Gay Ol’ Time
The rugby team spreads holiday cheer 6-11 p.m. Dec. 6-7 at Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac St.; 215- 545-0900.
A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret
Cabaret performers celebrate the holidays with a performance 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.
Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret
The cabaret group performs 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at L’Etage, 624 S. Bainbridge St.; 215-592-0626.
Night of 100 Qweens!
Brittany Lynn hosts an evening of drag performances 9 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.
The Kinsey Sicks “Oy Vey In A Manger”
The drag-comedy group performs through Dec. 6 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-596-1027.
Lewis Black
The comedian performs through Dec. 6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.
Scrooged
The holiday comedy film is screened at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-0223.
Sully Erna
The rock singer perfoms 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-572-7650.
Patty Larkin
The out singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Sellersville Theatre, 24 W. Temple Ave.; 215-257-5808.
Les Misérables
Media Theatre presents the classic musical through Jan. 11, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100.