Joe Augustine, jazz pianist and one of Youngstown’s favorite sons, will join trumpeter Jack

Joe Augustine, jazz pianist and one of Youngstown’s favorite sons, will join trumpeter Jack Schantz, the University of Akron Jazz Ensemble and other musicians for “Cool Yule,” a jazzy celebration of the holiday season at 7:30 p.m. tonight at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. The program will include selections from Duke Ellington’s “Jazz Nutcracker” and other seasonal favorites.

Advance tickets are available at the box office and by phone at (330) 972-7570. Tickets will be sold at the door if still available for $10 ($8 for seniors, $5 for students).k

“Miracle on 34th Street” opens this weekend at Youngstown Playhouse. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Call (330) 788-8739.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a play-within-a-play being staged by Kent-Trumbull Theater. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The campus is on Mahoning Avenue, just north of the route 82 exit. Call (330) 675-8887.

Also playing in local theaters:

“A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Salem Community Theatre, 490 E. State St., Salem; (330) 332-9688.

“How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oakland Center for the Arts, 220 W. Boardman St., Youngstown; (330) 746-0404.

“Nativity,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, by Top Hat Productions, at Fairview Arts and Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road, Youngstown; (800) 838-3006.

The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will present Holiday Spectacular, a pops concert with guest vocalist Stephanie J. Block from the Broadway production of “Wicked,” at 8 p.m. Saturday at Powers Auditorium. Call (330) 744-0264.

“Jingle My Bell,” an original musical written by Canfield’s Kandy Cleland, will be staged for the first time at 8 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Playhouse, 234 W. Lincoln Way, Lisbon, a production of Stage Left Players. There will be another show at 2 p.m. Sunday. Call (330) 424-5093. Story, D7

Former “American Idol” finalist David Archuleta comes to the Palace Theater, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Call (216) 241-6000. Story, D15k

Newton Falls’ Home 44444 the Holidays festival will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. What’s up with all the 4’s? That’s the city’s ZIP code. The craft and gift festival is at the Ohio Army National Guard facility on Route 534, just north of Route 5, and will be immediately followed by a parade and the Christmas-tree lighting. For more info, go to home44444theholidays.com.

Fellows Riverside Gardens’ annual Gardens by Candlelight will be Sunday from 5:30-8 p.m. Twinkling lights and luminarias will light up the grounds, with cookies and cocoa awaiting inside the Davis Center. Attendees are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the housing programs of the YWCA of Youngstown. Fellows Riverside Gardens is at 123 McKinley Ave., on the West Side. Call (330) 740-7116.

Kenny Rogers returns to Covelli Centre on Tuesday for a holiday concert that also will include the country singer’s hits. Call (866) 448-7849 for tickets. Story, D8