Gingerbread architects
Architectural monuments of the Twin Cities have been replicated in gingerbread. Norway House's annual holiday display features familiar landmarks and buildings made by professional bakers. See how a little flour, molasses and other ingredients are turned into stores, schools and other edifices with a little crafty work. Although the structures are not available to munch on, the in-house Also Ingebretsen's shop offers sweet treats for snacking.
MELISSA WALKER
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Tue., Thu.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wed. Norway House, Mpls., $5, norwayhouse.org.
Nelly certainly had his moments in the '00s with the sing-songy "Country Grammar," the ubiquitous "Hot in Herre" and that silly Band-Aid on his cheek. But who thought he'd still matter in 2017? A hit ("Cruise") and stadium tour with Florida Georgia Line and Backstreet Boys and his BET reality show, "Nellyville," have put him back on the hip-hop map. He'll be joined by "Live Your Life" hitmaker T.I., the Atlanta rapper who has made more of a splash on the screens ("Get Hard," "Roots") than on record of late.
JON BREAM
8 p.m. Thu. Myth, Maplewood, $60-$100, etix.com
Even though the production is not the lush, pull-out-all-stops offering we have come to expect from the Ordway at the holidays, "Annie" is still a winner with plenty of charm, including a dog that barks in rhythm with the orchestra. Director Austene Van maximizes the little moments in her stylish, very funny production. Bringing determination and moxie to the role, self-possessed Carly Gendell as Annie can go toe-to-toe with the adults in the talented cast.
ROHAN PRESTON
7:30 p.m. Tue.-Fri.; 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Dec. 31, Ordway, St. Paul, $34-$126.50, ordway.org.
Katie McMahon came to the Twin Cities from Ireland via a production of "Riverdance." She fell in love with a Twin Cities man, married and stayed. One of the most glorious voices in town, McMahon sings too infrequently in public. She emerges for her annual Celtic Christmas concert, which this year includes 20 Corda Mor Irish Dancers and the Center for Irish Music's Advanced Youth Ensemble.
JON BREAM
7:30 p.m. Fri. The O'Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, $28, oshag.stkate.edu
The Oct. 2 death of Tom Petty still feels raw at year's end along with maybe a whole lot of other things in the 2017 news cycle, which makes it all the more beautiful that the collective of busy Twin Cities musicians known as All Tomorrow's Petty is doing one more tribute. JT Bates, Rob Skoro, Jeremy Ylvisaker and Jacob Hanson anchor the group behind a rotating cast of singers that has included Haley, James Diers, Linnea Mohn and Frankie Lee.
cHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
8 p.m. Thu., Turf Club, St. Paul, $12-$15, eTix.com
And now for a completely different "Nutcracker." It's "The MeshugaNutcracker," a Jewish-themed version complete with a klezmer-styled rendition of Tchaikovsky's famous score. The production is courtesy of Guggenheim Entertainment, which promises that funny man Bruce Vilanch will be part of this musical comedy broadcast to movie screens around the country.
JON BREAM
7 p.m. Tue. Arbor Lakes Megastar 16, Rosedale 14, Eden Prairie 18, Southdale Megastar 16, Eagan 16 and Apple Valley 15, $16, fathomevents.com
And the award for most imaginative classical holiday program goes to … the Schubert Club, for this free concert featuring carols exclusively by home-state composers. That means works by more than a dozen Minnesotans including Sara Thomsen, Peter Mayer, John McCutcheon and Abbie Betinis, plus the world premiere of Jessica Bandelin's intriguingly titled "Sittin' Knittin' Mittens." The soloists are excellent, too, including soprano Carrie Henneman Shaw.
tERRY BLAIN
Noon Thu. Landmark Center, St. Paul; 5 p.m. Thu. Crooners, Fridley, free, schubert.org
Penumbra's annual production of "Black Nativity" — poet Langston Hughes' oratorio about the birth of Jesus, a story with particular resonance for African-Americans — features a new narrator and a returned star. Jennifer Whitlock takes over for Penumbra founder Lou Bellamy as narrator, and Greta Oglesby is back as featured vocalist, offering deep emotion and beauty on "My Way's Cloudy" and "O, Come All Ye Faithful."
ROHAN PRESTON
Wed.-Sun., ends Dec. 24, Penumbra Theatre, St. Paul, $15-$40, penumbratheatre.org
There is a certain intimacy to the Chris Speed Trio, one of many quietly magnificent New York City ensembles moving jazz into more chamber-oriented and avant-garde directions. The band's leader is a melancholy-sweet saxophonist with superb taste in free-range drummers, including Jim Black and, for this long-standing trio, local polestar Dave King. Bassist Chris Tordini rounds out a group that can play standards, David Bowie covers and spontaneous originals alike.
bRITT ROBSON
7 p.m. Mon., Crooners, Fridley, $20, croonersloungemn.com
