Trolley Jolly Christmas

There’s hope for Yule fans who are too cool for A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker, and the other holiday-centric fare that fills every theatrical nook and cranny each December. It comes in the form of American Pastorela: The Road to the White House, a satirical take on the Nativity story that‘s become an annual tradition in the Valley. Written by James E. Garcia and presented by New Carpa Theater, Pastorela peeks into the Christmastime lives of the Hernandez family, who set out for Phoenix from their home in Sonora after word reaches them about the birth of the baby Jesus. Their plan? To catch the light rail from here to Bethlehem. Their tour guide is a fellow who talks to God on his iPod and leads the Hernandez clan into adventures involving The Minutemen, El Diablo, and a couple of would-be U.S. presidents. (Full disclosure: New Times staff member Julie Peterson is a cast member.)

Fri., Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 14, 2 p.m.; Thu., Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 21, 2 p.m., 2008