BRIEFLY IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Teen stars in benefit at Festival of Arts

Pop stars Aly and AJ will present “Doin’ Our Part for the Kids,” a benefit concert for the AmberWatch Foundation, at 2 p.m., Dec. 10, at the Irvine Bowl. Ticket prices start at $15; a limited number of VIP tickets that include after-party admission are available.

The charity is dedicated to the prevention of child abduction and molestation; Aly and AJ are co-chairs of the foundation’s Child Advisory Board and have dedicated 100% of all ticket sales to the foundation.

They have been in the Billboard Top 200 Sales Charts for more than a year and were nominated for an American Music Award in the Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist category in 2006.

Get tickets at www.amberwatch foundation.org.

High school dance concert Dec. 7 to 9

The Laguna Beach Dance Company’s winter dance concert, “Journeys” will be performed at the Artists Theatre, 625 Park Ave., at 7:30 p.m. from Dec. 7 to 9.

A cast of 38 students will perform in the show, which is presented in three acts, each featuring a different type of dance — ballet, tap and jazz.

For tickets or more information, visit www.lagunadance.com or call (949) 497-7771. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students or $15 for a reserved center seat in the first eight rows.

‘Best of Laguna’ CD release party Dec. 13

Several of the bands featured on the new “Best of Laguna, Vol. 1” CD will perform at a public release party on Dec. 13 at the Sandpiper, 1183 S. Coast Highway.

The CD will feature songs by the Missiles of October, Common Sense, World Anthem, the Rebel Rockers, Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats, Jason Feddy, Mike Hamilton, Massive McGregor, Just Jinjer and Dave Hollandmack.

The CD is available at Sound Spectrum, Crystal Image, Girl in the Curl, Goko Café, Latitude 33 Books, Little Bohemian, Meeschka, Mobil, Taco Loco, Thalia and Toes on the Nose. It will also be available at the release party.

For more information, call Billy Fried at (949) 275-7544.

Nutcracker returns to Laguna

Laguna Ballet’s 21st-annual performance of the Nutcracker will be held at the Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Ave., on Dec. 16 and 17, with two shows daily at 2 and 6 p.m.

Laguna Ballet is the nonprofit junior ballet company of Laguna Dance Theater.

Tickets are $15 for children and seniors, and $17 for adults. For tickets and information, call (949) 855-0331 or visit www.lagunanutcracker.com.

Gallimaufry to hold auditions

Gallimaufry Performing Arts will hold open auditions for its upcoming “Hot ‘n’ Cole” musical revue by appointment only from 2 to 5 p.m., Dec. 10, at the Boys & Girls’ Clubs, 1085 Laguna Canyon Rd. To schedule an appointment, call (949) 499-5060.

The show will feature the tunes of Cole Porter; it will be directed and staged by Steve Josephson and musically directed by Arie Gonzales.

“Hot ‘n’ Cole” will be performed Feb. 8 to 10 at the Forum Theatre at the Festival of Arts and Feb. 16 to 18 in Laguna Woods.

For more information, call (949) 499-5060 or visit www.gallimaufry.info.