Updated: Win a four-pack of tickets to ‘The Nutcracker’ at Saroyan Theatre

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Fresno Philharmonic’s ‘Home for the Holidays (Dec. 4, Saroyan Theatre)

Saturday’s concert will be significant not only for spreading holiday cheer but also because it marks the orchestra’s move back into the Saroyan Theatre after a pandemic absence. (The fall Masterworks concerts this season have been held in the smaller Shaghoian Hall.)

The guest artists are opera singers Jill Gardner (soprano) and Timothy LeFebvre (baritone).

The program includes music from “The Nutcracker,” “Frozen” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as other traditional holiday favorites (“Sleigh Ride,” “White Christmas” and more). Even though the audience will need to be masked, the concert will conclude with the traditional holiday audience sing-along.

The program will be about 75-80 minutes long and will be performed without intermission.

I’ll be giving away two pairs of tickets. Deadline to enter: 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3.

Fresno State’s ‘Wilderness’ (Dec. 3-11, John Wright Theatre)

Director Kathleen McKinley tackles “Wilderness,” an innovative contemporary play by Seth Bockley and Anne Hamburger about a group of troubled young people who attend a summer Outward Bound-type of experience. Based on extensive interviews with real youths and their parents, this docudrama-style play features live performance, video performance, music and choreography. Focused on the pressures and complexities that accompany coming of age in 21st-century America, one question emerges: How do we persevere when we feel most alone in the world? I’m giving away two pairs of tickets to any performance. Deadline to enter: 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3.

Central California Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ (Dec. 11 and 12, Saroyan Theatre)

The holiday tradition returns after a pandemic-era absence. This sumptuous production of “The Nutcracker,” presented by Central California Ballet, features a cast of 150 performers. Guest dancers Jackie McConnell and Michael Wells, principal dancers with Diablo Ballet, will dance the Grand Pas. Paunika Jones, formerly a principal dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Lawrence Chen, principal dancer from the Oakland Ballet, are featured as the Snow Queen and King. I’m giving away a family four-pack of tickets to each performance. Deadline to enter: 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9.

Fresno Master Chorale’s ‘And Suddenly With the Angels’ (Dec. 12, Willow Avenue Mennonite Church)

Choral singing is one of the last art forms to emerge in these still tenuous post-pandemic days, and because of the risks, the Fresno Master Chorale is being extra careful with small, socially distanced performances. “And Suddenly With the Angels” is the first open-to-the-public concert by the Chorale since the pandemic began, and the small number of tickets available means it will sell out soon. I have a pair to give away to a lucky TMR member, however. It’s for the 2:30 p.m. performance on Dec. 12. Deadline to enter: 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9.

How to enter

Here are the rules:

Ticket giveaways are open only to members, donors and individual sponsors of The Munro Review. A free basic membership is available, and paid memberships start at $5 a month. (You can always opt for a one-time donation of as little as $3.) I love signing up new free members, but even better is adding members who are willing to financially support local arts journalism. It’s the only way this site can thrive. Memberships and donations are tax-deductible; The Munro Review is a non-profit site under the fiscal sponsorship of the Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC). To become a member, click here.

To enter, tell me which production(s) you’re hoping for by leaving a comment. You’ll find the comment field near the bottom of the page (just past my bio). Note the deadlines; they differ for each event. You’re welcome to enter for multiple events.