By PAM HARBAUGH

Area arts organizations are lighting the way for Happy Holidays. From quirky comedy and heartwarming family tales, to music from classical to jazz, performing arts organizations have lit the fuse. And if you’ve never made it to a Melbourne Chamber Music Society concert, tonight’s the night!

Here are some of the highlight activities this weekend. Please click onto the ads of those organizations supporting Brevard Culture to show your appreciation of those groups.

Theater:

A CHRISTMAS STORY: The Musical opens tonight and runs through Dec. 18 at the Henegar Center. This, of course, is the delightful tale of little Ralphie who longs for a Red Ryder BB gun; and his mother who worries he could put an eye out and the father who’s beset with one challenge after another. The show performs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $16 to $26. The Henegar is at 625 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-8698, visit Henegar.org or click onto their ad.

A TUNA CHRISTMAS opens tonight and runs through Dec. 24 at Melbourne Civic Theatre. This warm-hearted but decidedly off beat comedy features two actors taking on 22 roles. This is one of those shows that just has to be experienced. It performs at various times throughout the holiday season, including Christmas Eve. Tickets are $30. MCT is at 817 Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-6935, visit MyMCT.org or click onto their ad.

CHRISTMAS IS COMIN’ UPTOWN features Brevard’s own A.C. Jenkins as Scrooge in this Orlando production. You’ll remember A.C. from his terrific work on the stage at Titusville Playhouse. The show performs 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Pugh Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando. (Sunday evening sold out.) Tickets are $20 to $25. For more information or to buy tickets online, click here.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: The Musical continues its run through Dec. 18 at Titusville Playhouse. It performs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Titusville Playhouse is at 301 Julia St., Titusville. Tickets are $20 to $28. Call 321-268-1125, visit TitusvillePlayhouse.com or click onto their ad.

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS runs through Dec. 10 at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse The musical performs 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $16 to $24. Cocoa Village Playhouse is at 300 Brevard Ave., Cocoa. Call 321-636-5050, visit CocoaVillagePlayhouse.com or click onto their ad.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is being presented by the King Center’s Theater for Youth program. It is geared for grades 1 to 5. It performs 10:30 a.m. Monday. $8. The King Center is at 3865 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne. Call 321-242-2219 or visit KingCenter.com.

NOT QUITE RIGHT PLAYERS IMPROV SHOW begins 8 p.m. Saturday at Derek Gores Gallery, 587 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne, FL. Tickets are $12 to $15. Click here.

Concerts:

THE ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTET performs 7:30 p.m. tonight as part of the Melbourne

Chamber Music Society season. The program is scheduled to include the Haydn String Quartet in C Major. Op. 20 #2, the Saint-Saens String Quartet #1 in E Minor Op. 112 and the Beethoven-String Quartet in A Minor Op.132. Tickets are $35 general and $10 students. Performances are held in the sanctuary at St. Marks United Methodist Church, 2030 N. Hwy A1A, Indialantic, Florida. Call 321-213-5100, visit MelbourneChamberMusicSociety.org or click onto their ad.

CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO HOLIDAY SHOW begins 7:30 p.m. Monday at the King Center. Tickets are $30 to $35. The King Center is at 3865 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne, Call 321-242-2219 or visit KingCenter.com.

SALLY HART AND TERRY MYERS perform tonight and Saturday night at Heidi’s Jazz Club. Head there and hear some beautiful singing by Sally Hart, who you can still see on reruns of Lawrence Welk. Plus, you can buy a top notch gourmet German meal and just enjoy the intimate ambiance. Heidi’s Jazz Club is at 7 N Orlando Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL. Call 321-783-4559 or visit HeidisJazzClub.com.

Ballet:

THE NUTCRACKER with the Space Coast Ballet jettes onto the stage 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday at the King Center. This lavish production is always a thrill. Tickets are $14 to $40.50. The King Center is at 3865 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne. Call 321-242-2219, visit KingCenter.com or SpaceCoast-Ballet.com.

Exhibits:

RADIANT MESSENGER: Drawings by China Marks runs through Jan. 7, 2017 at Florida Tech’s Foosaner Art Museum. Read about the exhibit by clicking here. The museum also has LIGHT UP THE ARTS is an exhibit commemorating the 40th anniversary celebration of Preston Studios running through Dec. 31 Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Free admission. The Foosaner Art Museum is at 1463 Highland Ave., Melbourne. Visit FoosanerArtMuseum.org, call 321-674-8916 or click onto their ad.

THE FIFTH AVENUE ART GALLERY has its annual Holiday Craft Show through Jan. 7, 2017 and is a great spot to pick up unusual gifts for the holidays. The Fifth Avenue Art Gallery is at 1470 Highland Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. Visit it tonight at the First Friday event happening throughout the Eau Gallie Arts District from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. tonight. Gallery hours during this exhibit will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Call 321-259-8261, visit FifthAvenueArtGallery.com or click onto their ad.

TRANSFORMERS: RE-CONTEXTUALIZING OUR MATERIAL CULTURE runs through Dec. 17 at the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts is on the campus of Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne. To read more about it, click here. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free. Call 321-674-8313, click here or click onto their ad.

AQUA EDITIONS is a new Derek Gores Gallery project combining artists and interior designers/decorators. Read more about that by clicking here. Derek Gores gallery is at 587 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne. Call 321-258-2119 or visit DerekGores.com/gallery.