Off the couch

Today

-- The Cricket on the Hearth, presented by Carson Performing Arts and the Brewery Arts Center, 7:30 p.m. each day at the BAC, 449 W. King St. Tickets $5 child/student SBC, $6 student/senior, $7 general. Call 883-1976.

-- Comedians Maryellen Hooper and Michael Loftus with emcee Howie Nave perform at The Improv at Harveys Lake Tahoe Cabaret. Show times 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 21-older. Call (800) 427-7247.

-- Ebeneezer Scrooge on stage at Harrah's South Shore Room. Tickets $22, $13 for children 12-younger. Call (800 427-7247.

-- "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You" and "The Actor's Nightmare," 8 p.m. each day at BrYka Theatre, 99 N. Virginia St., Reno. Tickets $15 at the door. Call 323-3221.

-- "A Celtic Christmas" performed by the Reno Irish Dance Company, 7 p.m. at Reno Hilton. Tickets $15. Call 789-2285.

-- Raw Image will perform from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Joe Bob's Roadhouse, 1500 Hot Springs Road, no cover. Call 883-7799.

-- The Peking Acrobats perform at the Eldorado Showroom, 7 and 9:30 p.m. nightly, Reno. Tickets $24.95 adults, $17.95 children 5-12 and seniors. Call 786-5700.

Saturday

-- B-Side Players perform at 10 p.m. at Sierra Vista at The Lake, Tahoe City. Tickets available at the door; 21- older only. Call 337-8344.

-- Cameron Crain as Ebeneezer Scrooge, and Ray Busey who plays Tiny Tim in Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol" will delight audiences at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. Performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 with a $1 facility fee and are available at Ticketmaster (775) 787-TIXS (8497), at ticketmaster.com, at the Pioneer Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets.

Sunday

-- Free admission day at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, 813 N. Carson St. Call 884-2226.

-- Victorian Christmas at the Drake House, Genoa. All rooms in Victorian decor, plus gift items. Call 782-4951.

Monday

-- Christmas Eve

Tuesday

-- Christmas Day

-- Carson Nugget offers Christmas dinners to needy local residents from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at no charge. Just say, "I'm a guest of the Nugget today."

-- Zigra, A Holiday Celebration on Ice at Caesars Tahoe. Times 9:30 p.m. Dec. 25; 8 p.m. Dec. 26; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 27-28. Tickets $49, $39 and $19 for 12-younger. Call (800) 648-3353.

-- Comedians Max Alexander and Gene Pompa with emcee Howie Nave perform at The Improv at Harveys Lake Tahoe Cabaret. Show times 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 21-older. Call (800) 427-7247.