Arts Alerts: Things to do around central Illinois this December

ART

Justin Henry Miller’s “Regards from the Black Hole” continues at the Contemporary Art Center on the riverfront through Dec. 16.

CINEMA

“The Color Purple” isn’t a new release of an old favorite. Instead of the 1985 version starring Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover, the new film, in movehouses Christmas day, is an adaptation of the Broadway show. The cast includes Fantasia Barrino, H.E.R., Taraji Henson and Danielle Brooks.
Jason Momoa returns as the King of Atlantis in the DCU’s “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” set about a year after the “Justice League” movie. Here, Aquaman must defend Atlantis from devastation after Black Manta acquires the ancient, powerful Black Trident. Also back are Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman and director James Wan. It opens Dec. 20.

COMEDY

The Jukebox Comedy Club welcomes comic Reena Calm to the Farmington Road venue Dec. 15-16.

DANCE

Peoria Ballet’s “Nutcracker” returns to the Peoria Civic Center Theater Dec. 9-10, when dozens of local students will be joined by professional guest artists from New York, all dancing to Tchaikovsky’s classic score.

STREAMING

“Carol & the End of the World,” a 10-episode adult animated series starring Martha Kelly, is scheduled to debut on Netflix Dec. 15. As an unknown object seems destined to collide with Earth, annihilating life, many people give in to fantasies and worse. But not Carol. Beth Grant and Lawrence Pressman co-star.
The original series “Percy Jackson & the Olympians,” is about the 12-year-old dealing with his divine powers and an annoyed Greek god Zeus. Based on the best-selling series of fantasy novels, it stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri, with a host of guest appearances from the likes of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Glynn Turman.

THEATER

Eastlight Theater is bringing back “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for its 31st year Dec. 1-3 and Dec. 6-10 at East Peoria High School.
Bradley University Theatre’s new production of “A Christmas Carol Radio — Onstage!” will be at the Hartmann Center for the Performing Arts from Dec. 1-4
“How the Barn Stole Christmas” at Barn III dinner theater in Goodfield continues through Dec. 31.

The Za Funk! band will play at W.E. Sullivan’s Dec. 9.

MUSIC

Bradley University’s Dingeldine Music Center is featuring two shows on Dec. 2: a Chamber Music concert at 3 p.m., followed by a Jazz Ensemble concert at 7:30 p.m.
Illinois Central College’s Concert Band will play the East Peoria campus’s Performing Arts Center on Dec. 4.
The Za Funk! band will play at W.E. Sullivan’s Dec. 9.
Arc Light Productions is scheduled to present a Madrigal dinner featuring youth and adult singers Dec. 15-17 at Illini Bluffs High School in Glasford.
The recording artists the Turnpike Troubadours, with Ian Munsick and the Wild Feathers, will be in concert Dec. 16 in the Civic Center Arena.
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra’s “Home for the Holidays” program will be Dec. 17 in the Civic Center Theater.

The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences is presenting the live concert “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop,” featuring Common, LL Cool J, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, Questlove, and others, including a reunion of DJ Jazzy Jeff and “Fresh Prince” Will Smith, on CBS on Dec. 10.