Lakeside Living – December 2024

Don Beaudreau

Email: wbeaudreau@aol.com

From the Lakeside Living Editor: Please note that deadline for submission of notices about a local cultural, civic, or charitable event is the first day of the month, an entire month BEFORE the article can appear in El Ojo Del Lago. Appropriate notices should include the name of the event, its location, date(s), time, and cost (if applicable). Please include a high-resolution photo if possible. But no lengthy articles, please! Send such information to me directly at wbeaudreau@aol.com  Thank you. Don Beaudreau

OUR SECOND ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT

“GAUDETE” (REJOICE)

Ken Turner, Conductor, Robert Thieme, Piano Accompanist

December 12 (Thursday), December 13 (Friday), December 14 (Friday)

All concerts are at 3:00 pm, Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Riberas del Pilar, Cost: $350 per ticket, RESERVE NOW: LasVocesTickets@gmail.com

This year’s concert will feature beautiful choral selections, both sacred and secular, in Latin, English and Spanish.  Translations will be provided.

And now we have three choirs: the main choir of 75 members; the chamber choir “Nova Lux” of 13 auditioned members, and the newly formed women’s chorus.

The Full Choir will present a beautiful mix of sacred and secular selections in Latin, English, and Spanish, including ancient Latin carols like Personet Hodie, Gaudete, and Quem Pastores, as well as contemporary settings of beloved carols. Translations will be provided.

Nova Lux will perform intricate works such as Veni, Veni Emanuel by Michael John Trotta and All is Quiet by A. H. Rosewig.

The Women’s Chorus will showcase selections from Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, blending medieval and modern elements to create a fresh, accessible sound.

And do not miss the chance to participate in a festive “Carol Sing” with the audience!

The Ladykillers, written for the stage by Graham Lineham, Directed by Rosann Balbontin Friday Dec. 27, Saturday Dec. 28, and Sunday, Dec 29. All shows start at 4:00 pm. Tickets: $300 pesos. RESERVE NOW: barestagetheatre2018@gmail.com

The Ladykillers is a dry, yet dark comedy set in London’s King’s Cross revolving around small-time gangsters who plot a bank robbery. The mobsters go undercover as a string quartet renting rooms in kindly, elderly lady Mrs. Wilberforce’s home on a dead-end street.But they do not know what they’ve bargained for when the busybody old lady interferes in their affairs. With only her parrot, General Gordon, to help her, Mrs. Wilberforce is alone with five desperate men.

Our new location: Saint Andrew’s, 19 San Lucas, one block down from the Catholic Church on the lake side of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar. Look for directional signs. Handicapped parking is available out front and there’s a parking lot across the street. Our theatre is a scent-free location. Door and Bar open at 3:00 pm. All bar proceeds go to Operation Feed. Seats are held till 3:50 pm. We have ‘hearing-assist’ headsets available.

Mark Donaldson, Fred Koesling, Lynn Phelan, Roxanne Rosenblatt, Phil Rylett, Rob Stuple, Patrick Trotter and John Ward star.  Photo: Jack Voller.

LAKESIDE LITTLE THEATRE

Celebrating Our 60th Season

Individual show tickets can be purchased now. See the Lakeside Little Theatre website for further details and ticket information: lakesidelittletheatre.com.

Lakeside Little Theatre Main Stage:

December 6-15: Dinner by Moira Buffini, directed by Monnie and Peter King

Sat, Sun, Tues matinees at 4 pm; Wed through Friday at 7 pm) 400 pesos

A succession of unusual courses, interrupted by the arrival of an unexpected guest, lead to some surprising revelations and, eventually, to death. A satirical thriller for the broad-minded.  

Lakeside Little Theatre Opera:

December 21, 22, 23: Tosca– 4 pm, 350 pesos Filmed version of a live Metropolitan Opera performance, NYC, projected in LLT’s auditorium with state-of-the-art screen, projection and sound. One of Puccini’s best and most beloved operas, famous for its lyrical arias and its dramatic, intense themes of love, intrigue, violence, passion and death.

Lakeside Little Theatre Main Stage:

February 21-March 4: Man of La Mancha written by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion, directed by Dave McIntosh and Ann Swiston, music director Gary Wayne Young

March 28-April 6: It’s Only a Play by Terrence McNally, directed by Paul Kloegman

May 2-11: Grand Horizons by Beth Wohl, directed by Suki O’Brien

BRAVO! THEATRE

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol at the BRAVO! Theatre, directed by Randy Warren, Director; Written by Tom Mula

December 17-22. All shows are at 4pm except for the Friday show which is at 7:30pm. Tickets are $350 pesos.

Maloy Murdock stars as Marley’s ghost, who is himself being haunted and harassed by a Tinkerbell with an attitude, played by Suki O’Brien.  Rounding out the cast are Roger Larson, Donna Burroughs, and Brian Fuqua as Scrooge.

RESERVE NOW by email at tickets@thebravo.org. Tickets are also available at It’s Kinda Bazar, Mia’s Boutique, and Seminario Laguna/Lakeside News.

We all know “A Christmas Carol” begins with Scrooge’s mysterious visit from his dead business partner Jacob Marley. But why did Marley’s ghost bother to show up? He was already dead and damned, so what was in it for him? 

We get Marley’s side of the story in “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” a reworking of Dickens’ story that is fun and sometimes zany, yet still delivers its holiday cheer.  Irreverent yet also moving. The Chicago Herald called it “thoroughly charming – a holiday treat.”

The BRAVO! Theatre is located at 441 Hidalgo in Riberas Del Pilar, just west of S&S Auto. Doors open one hour before showtime, so come early to mingle and enjoy a drink in our lounge.

Please like and follow our Facebook Page & check out our website www.thebravo.org

SOL Y LUNA GALLERY EXHIBITION

Opening December 6

The Photography and Drawings of Karen Spencer

Opening reception: Friday, December 6 from 4 to 6 PM with wine, botanas and music. 50% of all sales will benefit CENTRO EDUCATIVO JALTEPEC, the only technical university in hotel and hospitality management in Mexico.

TRANSFORMING WOMEN FOR LIFE!

Sol y Luna is located at Rio Bravo #10, Ajijic. Between Calle Ocampo and Zaragoza.

Reserve for dinner at their restaurant after the opening at 376-109-1595

The Lake Chapala Society hosts Open Circle every Sunday at 10:30 am. This community gathering in Ajijic presents a wide range of topics. Entrance is by the side gate on Ramón Corona, opening at 9:30am. Check the website for upcoming topics, and make your reservation. If you missed a past presentation, you can catch it online at: https://opencircleajijic.org/

Dec 1: Why Our Stories Matter: Seen, Remembered, Valued

by Alicia Knox

There is power in documenting life through visual images and the written word.

Interweaving photographs and stories, Alicia Knox will offer a multi-media presentation of Guatemala, the Project Somos Children’s Learning Village, and other subjects. She will talk about the importance of documenting our lives and why it is key to get our stories written and our photographs printed, particularly in this digital age. Her presentation will remind and reignite the importance of gathering and safeguarding precious stories of our precious lives.

Alicia Knox is the Co-Founder of the Project Somos Learning Village Guatemala. She had over thirty years of working in the non-profit sector. Her work included involvement in international arts and educational organizations. She worked with special needs children, rescue dogs, farm-to-table educational programming, and volunteer recruitment/management.

Dec. 8: A Ticket to the Grand Show: Journeys Across Cultural Boundaries

by Neil McKinnon

A glimpse at the submerged cultural icebergs we may discover when we travel and a look at the richness of culture woven into the multi-hued fabric of our lives. The variety found across the globe is exciting and each culture has its own truths that have the capacity to expand and inform our own.

Neil McKinnon was raised in Saskatchewan. He served in the RCN and has been a businessman, archaeologist, university lecturer, and freelance writer. He has worked in China, Japan, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. and holds a BSc in math and a BA and an MA in archaeology. He and Judy live in Mexico & Vancouver and have been married for 59 years.

Dec. 15: No information was available at deadline.

Dec. 22: Pedro Rey Children’s Mariachi School LIVE PERFORMANCE

by Daniel Medeles and the school children.

This has been a year of growth for the children of the school, including their participation in the most important Mariachi competitions in Jalisco (winning awards for the first time), and a performance at the prestigious Tecalitlán Mariachi Festival. The kids wanted to close the year performing at Open Circle as part of a grand Christmas celebration.

Daniel Medeles is a renowned professional musician who comes from a musical family. He is a supervisor of Jalisco State’s Mariachi Program, the director of the Escuela de Mariachi Pedro Rey, and musical director and performer for the Mariachi Real Axixic.

Dec. 29: No information was available at deadline.

ARTISTS OF LAKE CHAPALA ART MARKET

Garden of Dreams, Constitucion 105, Ajijic

Date: December 14, 2024

Time: 10 am-3 pm

Local artists will be displaying and selling their original artwork in a variety of media. Food and drink available. Free admission. Scores of artists participating. For more information about Artists of Lake Chapala, please visit artistsoflakechapala.org

THE LAKE CHAPALA FINE ARTS GUILD

The Lake Chapala Fine Artists Guild is proud to announce that we will be having an exhibition and sale of fine art for the holidays. This will be a one-day event on Wednesday, December 18 from 9 am to 4 pm. It is being held at the Plaza Bugambilias shopping mall in Ajijic, in conjunction with the nearby Holiday Tianguis (street market).

This holiday season why not treat a loved one (or yourself!) to a piece of quality fine art to enhance your home – the perfect gift!

The Guild is a collective that features only fine art by established, professional artists. It has roots in the Lake Chapala Painting Guild established in 2011. This group of artists is purposely kept small, membership is by invitation only, and new artists who want to join are vetted for the quality of their work. Admission is free. You can also visit their website at FineArtChapala.com or their Facebook page @FineArtChapala.