Josh Garrick: Culture Worthy of Your Calendar

Now through Dec. 23 – ‘Junior Claus’ at Orlando Rep

“Junior Claus” is a joyful new musical for young audiences presented by the Orlando Repertory Theater. In the musical, Junior is Santa’s only son, and he must save the day when a depleted Christmas ‘belief-o-meter’ puts the jolly old man into a deep sleep. In grand musical form— with the help of an elf, a penguin, and a youngster who fully believes in the Christmas spirit— Junior manages to save Christmas. Call 407-896-7365 or visit orlandorep.com

Nov. 23 to Dec. 28 – Free Friday Nights at the Morse Museum

For six Friday evenings – beginning Nov. 23 – visitors to the Morse Museum can enjoy free admission and live music from 4 to 8 p.m. In addition, the Morse will offer tours of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Laurelton Hall, the major exhibition in the Museum’s new wing. The Dec. 14 program includes a family tour of selected galleries with a free take-home art activity for children. Admission to the Museum is also free on Dec. 22 and 23. For a complete schedule of Morse Museum holiday events, visit morsemuseum.org

Nov. 23 to Jan. 13 – A & H Museums – Maitland Holidays at the Waterhouse

The Waterhouse Residence was built in 1884 by pioneer settler William Waterhouse as a home for his family, and Holidays at the Waterhouse takes us back to see how William and his wife Sarah prepared for their Christmas celebration. Each room features Victorian-era holiday decorations and historical facts about the season. Call 407-539- 2181or visit ArtandHistory.org

Nov. 23 to Jan. 6 – Christmas at Bok Tower Gardens

The traditional home tour at Pinewood Estate exhibits 20 decorated rooms in this Mediterranean-style mansion on the Bok Tower Gardens property. Open daily, the tours include Bok Tower Gardens’ acclaimed carillonneur Geert D’Hollander performing Christmas carols from around the world at 1 and 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. The 30-minute live concerts are included with admission. Bok Tower Gardens is in Lake Wales, Fla. Call 863-676-1408 or visit boktowergardens.org

Nov. 24 – Orlando Philharmonic’s Home for the Holidays

The Orlando Philharmonic – with Conductor Albert-George Schram – will present their concert of holiday favorites in two performances on Nov. 24 at 2 and 8 p.m. Vocal selections will include “Baby, Its Cold Outside,” “O Holy Night,” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas” featuring the Holiday Singers, and “Christmas Memories” featuring the children’s choir. Offered with seasonal surprises, the two performances will be at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center in Orlando. Call 407-770-0071 or visit OrlandoPhil.org

Nov. 28 to Dec. 30 – A Dickens of a Spoof of … ‘A Christmas Carol’

This outrageous version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” uses the play-within-a-play scenario to show us what can happen when the ladies of the Farndale Dramatic Society get their hands on this classic Christmas play. Unfortunately, they create one awful production with bad acting, missing actors, and actors who remember their lines (but not in the order in which they were written). It’s a Dickens of a night your family will never forget at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater at Loch Haven Park. Call 407-447-1700 or visit orlandoshakes.org

Nov. 29 – Producing 101 with Beth Marshall

Beth Marshall is an award-winning producing director, theatre artist, and ‘recovering’ arts administrator. Ms. Marshall will present a workshop called “Producing 101” on Nov. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. The workshop, catered to the needs of those in the class, will include: bankrolling, the role of the producer, budgets, fundraising, marketing and publicity, and producing a fringe show. The workshop will be held at Starving Artist Studios in Altamonte Springs. To register, visit starvingartiststudios.com/events or call 407-370-4909.

Nov. 30 – Winter Park’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce will host the official kick off to the holiday season at the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Central Park in downtown Winter Park on Nov. 30 at 5:15 p.m. The entire family is invited into the park for this free event as Park Avenue is transformed into a Winter Wonderland for this festive evening. Enter Central Park at 251 S. Park Ave.