This week

Cirque du Soleil: Dralion continues its promenade through Oklahoma’s fine arts stages as it winds down its showing in Tulsa and prepares to open in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Dec. 19. Chinese acrobatic arts and Eastern philosophy are the inspiration for this spectacular production of physical feats and artistry in the traditions of East with West. Dralion concludes its run at the BOK Center, 200 S. Denver Ave., on Sunday. Then, it opens for performances Dec. 19-23 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City. Tickets for the Tulsa shows are $37-$147, available at www.bokcenter.com. OKC show tickets are $35-$145, available at www.chesapeakearena.com.
 

Saturday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m.

The harmonies of renowned a capella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock soar in Tulsa again with a special evening of holiday music and favorites, too. Choregus Productions brings Sweet Honey in the Rock: Celebrating the Holydays to the Helmerich Theatre at Cascia Hall, filling the space with sacred songs of the black church and holiday favorites. Vocally brilliant, the group is also known for programs richly evocative of civil rights struggles addressing a call for justice that still exists throughout the world. With a powerful message carried on the chords of chant, hip hop, jazz, gospel and ancient lullabies, Sweet Honey in the Rock carries a history and majesty highly sought and welcome to any stage. Tickets are $15-$45, available by phone, 918.688.6113. For show information, go to www.choregus.org. The Helmerich Theatre is located at 2600 S. Utica Ave., Tulsa.
 

Sunday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m.

After months of watching a brick shell transform into space for creative play, the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa’s Hardesty Arts Center (called AHHA)is about to open and become the Brady Arts District’s newest jewel. The grand opening weekend event is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Dec. 16. Building tours will be offered along with live entertainment and activities everyone in the family can enjoy. Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma – the first exhibition on display at the center – also opens and is presented by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. The new biennial feature exhibition presents a survey of contemporary art in Oklahoma and by Oklahomans. Approximately 40 artists are represented in multiple media informing a fresh perspective of local, state and regional art to resonate with the new surroundings and purpose of the center: To make the arts and all its expression and benefits more accessible for youth and adults. For more, go online to www.ahhatulsa.org.
Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma remains on display through Feb. 16. To learn more about the exhibit, go www.ovac-ok.org.
 

Friday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m.

Get ready to have a good old-fashioned Christmas party ‘round the campfire at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd St., Oklahoma City. All right, so there won’t be a real fire ablaze, but country singer Michael Martin Murphey brings Western spirit to the halls for the 18th annual Cowboy Christmas Ball, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14. Inspired by the original holiday ball in Anson City, Texas, in 1885, this festive winter’s night will feature dinner, entertainment, a visit from Santa and plenty of dancing. Tickets are $25-$75 each. Go to www.nationalcowboymuseum.org for more.
 

Thursday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m.

It’s called the Ugly Christmas Sweater Concert. The least you can do is outfit yourself in a knitted offering-to-the-burn-pile for this year’s line-up. Silversun Pickups, Metric, Passion Pit and Shiny Toy Guns appear on one stage on one night for an all out alt rock bash at the Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St. Tickets are $37.50, available online at www.bradytheater.com. It’s going to be hot, so we hope that doesn’t deter too many concertgoers from their glittery, tasseled, bedazzled best!
 

Continues through Sunday, Dec. 16

In her Christmas Eve slumber, little Clara dreams of meeting her prince and taking a fantastic adventure though her child’s imagination. Oklahoma City Ballet brings the magical tale to the stage of the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall’s Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre in classic elegance with visions of snowcaps, candy canes and glittering sets and costumes. Performances of The Nutcracker continue this weekend at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday (Dec. 14-15) and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 15-16). OKC Civic Center Music Hall is located at 201 N. Walker Ave., OKC. Tickets are $33-$60 each at www.myticketoffice.com. For more about the ballet, go online to www.okcballet.com.
 

Saturday, Dec. 15, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Youth basketball players get to show their moves on the court at the Athlete’s First Basketball Classic, Saturday, Dec. 15, in the Jim Norick Arena at Oklahoma State Fair Park, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., Oklahoma City. The Nike-affiliated summer youth basketball team program is the only boy’s Nike team in Oklahoma, meaning the players are the best in state. The Athletes First Foundation seeks to prepare these youth and other players around the state for college-level competition and the art of good sportsmanship in and outside of the arena. Tickets to the day are $6-$8 each, available at okstatefair.com.
 

Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

As the best-selling solo piano artist today, Jim Brickman knows that much is expected of him. Behind hits like Valentine, The Gift and Simple Things as well as numerous collaborations with Martina McBride and Lady Antebellum among many others, fans look to the composer for a sound inspiring romance and lifting up the soul. During his On a Winter’s Night tour, which stops at Midwest City’s Rose State Performing Arts Theatre in Midwest City, we’ll get it all. The platinum-selling artists is still golden with tickets to his show running $32-$65. Go online at www.okcciviccenter.com for details or to purchase seats.
 

Opens Thursday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.

Tinsel and cocoa aren’t for everyone. Take one Jeff Goode, a playwright who wrote The Eight: Reindeer Monologues about scandal … a sex scandal … in the North Pole. The darkly comic play gets stage time from Tulsa’s Theatre Pops, which presents evidence and the testimony from Santa’s flying reindeer, each with a tale to tell that could spell disaster for Saint Nick. With a take on media sensationalism and faux celebrity-dom, The Eight roasts Christmas with near the aplomb of a Dean Martin or a Bob Hope – wit and insult lavishly wreathed tongue-in-cheek upon a revered institution. Or maybe that’s just how we remember it. Tickets are $15 each. The show runs Dec. 13-16 and 20-23 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Liddy Doenges Theatre, 110 E. Second St. For tickets, go to www.myticketoffice.com.
 

Thursday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.

Christmas rocks! Haven’t you heard? The Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino will prove it with a visit from the Brian Setzer Orchestra Thursday, Dec. 13, playing the hotel and casino, 777 W. Cherokee St., in Catoosa. From out of the land of Nashville, Setzer – remember the Stray Cats from the early ‘80s? – throws together a little rockabilly, a little big band and a lot of rock ‘n’ roll guitar for a show so fun and bouncing that venues should seriously consider taking out a few seats to make room for dance for this show. Listen to how Setzer and his orchestra treat Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker Suite here. Tickets are $45-$65. Go to www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com to get ‘em, cause we can’t imagine a seat being left in the house by show time.