Different styles of dance will come together once again as the Parker Youth Ballet presents its 2009 holiday performance.

“Elves” Jim Richardson and Cody Morris wait with reindeer Cupid and Vixen for their turn in the second annual Santa’s Arrival Parade Nov. 21 at Park Meadows Mall.

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“Food, Glorious Food” sets the scene as hungry little orphans line up for a meager meal. Among their number is plucky, pint-sized Oliver Twist, who manages to prevail over the system. Charles Dickens” timeless characters will fill the Town Hall stage as “Oliver!” the musical by Lionel Bart, plays through Dec. 27, directed by the multi-talented Christopher Willard, with musical direction by Donna Debreceni. Town Hall Arts Center offers this family show in its historic theater at 2450 W. Main St., downtown Littleton. 303-794-2787 ext. 5; www.townhallartscenter.com.

Act I opens with scruffy, depressed, kleptomaniac Maggie (Sara Mae Johnson) clutching a shopping bag filled with her latest acquisitions. With her is preachy 12 Step advocate Paul (David Harms), formerly an expert in safe-cracking, who declares that he has been “theft-free” for 686 days. He wants to enlist her in one of his many 12 Step programs: this one is for recovering thieves.

Welcome visions of sugarplums — and lovely Sugarplum Fairies — dance in my head this time of year. A visit to a performance of “The Nutcracker” with excited little girls dressed in party finery is a happy memory, followed up by granddaughter outings. Local families have a number of choices, dates, locations to enjoy this holiday classic. These arrived on our desk:

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