Culture Shock

You can feign indifference all you want, Ebenezer. Nobody's going to believe you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know—18 different productions of The Nutcracker Ballet roll through town every Christmas season. You moan and you groan about how all those sugar plums give you a stomach ache, but we're not fooled. You love The Nutcracker as if it were a sack of gold coins. You hum Tchaikovsky's tunes in your sleep every night from Thanksgiving through the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve.

Don't worry. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Despite all appearances to the contrary, you're only human.

One of our state's biggest Nutcracker productions always comes courtesy of the New Mexico Ballet Company with music provided by the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. This year is no different. The NMBC/NMSO production of this timeless holiday classic comes to UNM's Popejoy Hall starting this weekend, with 2 p.m. matinee showings on Friday, Nov. 26, through Sunday, Nov. 28, and 7 p.m. evening performances Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, Nov. 30. $22 to $29 general, $10 to $22 kids.

Come on, you old humbug. Order tickets by calling 925-5858 or logging on to www.unmtickets.com.

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One of Joan Weissman’s fine handwoven rugs

It takes a special kind of person to get excited about rugs. Then again, not all rugs are created equal. Joan Weissman's rugs are fabulous works of art even though they're designed for every day use. This weekend, Weissman presents her highly anticipated 2004 Rug Sample Sale at the Outpost Performance Space. At the sale, you can pick up her rugs and rug samples at 50 to 75 percent off their ordinary sticker price.

Who knows? Maybe you can find some unique gifts for some of your rug-loving kin? And did I mention it's for a good cause? A portion of sales will benefit the Outpost's Inpost Artspace as well as the organization's prestigious Indian Music programs. The sale kicks off on Friday, Nov. 26, with a reception and preview from 5 to 8 p.m. Live music will be provided by Los Amigos. The following day, on Saturday, Nov. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the sale proper will commence. For details, call 268-0044.

CORRECTION: Last week I ran the wrong phone number for SolArts, a new theater that's currently showing a production of Blue Surge, a play by Rebecca Gilman directed by Brandon Scott Jensen. The correct number is 244-0049.