The Christmas concert “Circle of Friends” featuring ringing and singing choirs will be presented at 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Jefferson St.

For more information, call 724-287-6741 or visit www.stmarksbutler.org.

Donations will be accepted to benefit Katie's Kitchen.

Butler Little Theatre is staging “The Language Archive” by Julia Cho through Saturday at the theater at One Howard St.Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.Tickets are $13. Visit www.bltgroup.org. Available tickets will be sold at the door.

“In the Swing of Christmas,” a concert by the TMG Big Band with vocalist Andrew Karns, is planned for 7 p.m. Dec. 16 at First English Lutheran Church, 241 N. Main St.Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

The Sounds of Pittsburgh Chorus will present A Classy Sassy Christmas concert at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College. Doors open at 1 p.m.Special guests performing at the concert will be the ensemble Tenacious.Tickets will be available at the door. Visit www.soundsofpgh.org/chorus-show.Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation will receive a portion of the proceeds.

ADAMS TWP — Opus I Music Society will meet Monday at LifePointe Alliance Church, Route 228.Participants will enjoy “Caroling and Crafting” as they make gifts for the residents at Concordia Lutheran Ministries.Guests are invited to the Music Room at 9:30 a.m. for refreshments before the program.Students star in 'Nutcracker'Patricia Hohman of Seven Fields will play Clara in “The Nutcracker” this weekend.The 15-year-old ballerina, a Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School sophomore, will perform on Friday in the role of Clara and on Saturday in the roles of a Snowflake, a Flower, and as part of the Russian Dance.Both productions are 7 p.m. at Seneca Valley Intermediate High School in Jackson Township.In another production of “The Nutcracker,” this one at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, other Butler County students are performing in the ballet, including Alexa DeJeet and Tricia Dietrick, both of Cranberry Township, as dolls; Zach Aaron of Cranberry as Fritz's friend and a Mouse; Katy Coulson of Cranberry as a Mouse and a Flower; Kierstin Hennessy of Mars as a Snowflake and a Flower; Bethany Kershaw of Cranberry as part of the Tea Dance and a Flower; and Madison Mann of Mars at Clara's friend and the Pastry Chef.

Cranberry Artists Network hosts demonstration of portrait drawing Thursday.A members meeting will begin at 6:30 and then at 7:15 p.m. Bill Karaffa will demonstrate his approach to portrait drawing.Karaffa is exhibition chairman of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists and has recently returned from study in Italy.Refreshments will be served, and the “Season of Joy” exhibit is on display in the Back Hall Gallery.The show ends on Dec. 20.For more information, visit www.cranberryartistsnetwork.com.

Authors and illustrators from Titusville, Oil City, Erie and Pittsburgh will participate in a book signing and sale Saturday in downtown Oil City, as part of “Christmas Past in Oil City.”From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., authors will greet guests in the office of the Oil Region Alliance at 217 Elm St., where all books will be offered at half price.Attendees are welcome to free sets of oil-derrick bookmarkers and light refreshments.Books will include two newly available for children, “Oil Tales of the Early Days” and “Uncanny Annie of the Early Oil Patch” and a softcover poetry book, “Oily Odes.”For more information, email mblack@oilregion.org.

PITTSBURGH — “Amahl & the Night Visitors” from Resonance Works will feature a Butler County college professor on the stage at the New Hazlett Theater on the North Side.Christopher Scott, an assistant professor of music at Slippery Rock University, will play King Melchior.The show goes on at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and at 3 p.m. Dec. 22.“Amahl and the Night Visitors” tells the story of three kings who stay the night with a poor peasant mother and her disabled son as they make a pilgrimage to pay adoration to a wondrous child born nearby. In this new production, Amahl and Mother have been updated from poor shepherds to a homeless single mother and child living in the park.The family-friendly program runs 90 minutes.For tickets, visit www.resworks.org/tickets or call 412-501-3330.

PITTSBURGH — Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens hosts all-new Family Fun Evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, all while the spectacular displays of Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden go on.Family Fun Evenings are free with regular admission.Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show runs through Jan. 12 between 9:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily and 5 to 11 p.m. for Winter Light Garden.Phipps will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and remain closed all day on Dec. 25.For tickets, which are all timed, visit phipps.conservatory.org/Tickets to reserve a spot. Reservations must be made in advance.