ROCKLAND — Five movies have been added to the December lineup at Strand Theatre, in Rockland. History, adventure, and music for adult and family-oriented audiences. December films and performances take viewers around the globe and home again.

UPDATES added this week:  

FILM:

Dec. 5: FANTASTIC FUNGI

Dec. 9: THE AERONAUTS

Dec. 15: DOWNTON ABBEY

Dec. 17: THE LIGHTHOUSE

Dec. 20: PAIN AND GLORY

Dec. 27: HARRIET

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE STRAND THEATRE

LIVE SHOWS:     

Sunday, Dec. 8 at 5pm: STRAND ON THE AIR - Holiday Special

Strand on the Air, an authentic, original live radio variety show, returns with 90 minutes of music, comedy, drama, and special guests, all performed in front of a live studio audience and broadcast by WRFR. Led by Strand House Manager Liz McLeod, this season’s holiday-themed broadcast will feature announcer Dan Bookham, music by Brittany Parker and the Blake Rosso Band, skits performed by the Strand Family Players, and special musical guests Playin’ Possum. Free Admission. Doors at 4:30pm, audience warm-up begins at 4:45pm. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30pm: LULA WILES

Boston-based roots trio Isa Burke, Eleanor Buckland, and Mali Obomsawin bring a sharp, provocative songcraft, anchored by their musicianship and mastery of folk music. LULA WILES infuses their songs with distinctly modern sounds: pop hooks, distorted electric guitars, and dissonant multi-layered vocals, all employed in the service of songs that reclaim folk music in their own voice. Tickets: $15/Advance, $18/Day of Show. Lobby and Balcony Bars are open for all concerts for 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, Jan. 4 at 11am: THE LEGEND OF THE BANANA KID

Strand Family Series

The Frogtown Mountain puppeteers bring a Wild West adventure! With a fistful of bananas, Little Chucky rides into town on his trusty goat for a showdown with Big Bad Bart and his gang of bandits. Running time: 45 min. Pay-What-You-Can Admission: $20/$10/$5/$0. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, January 18 at 7:30pm: SHAMARR ALLEN AND THE UNDERDAWGS

Hailing from the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, lead vocalist and trumpeter Shamarr Allen has influences in jazz, hip-hop, rock, funk rhythms, blues and country. Allen has collaborated with renowned artists Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle, Galactic, Harrick Connick Jr, Lenny Kravitz, and more. With a scintillating and unique sound and exemplary talents, Shamarr Allen transcends musical boundaries. Tickets: $18/Advance, $20/Day of Show. Lobby and Balcony Bars are open for all concerts for 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:30pm: BROADWAY’S NEXT HIT MUSICAL

NYC's original, award-winning improvised musical comedy! The cast spontaneously creates scenes and songs filled
 with great dancing, catchy melodies, and tons of
 laughter. The audience votes for their favorite
 song, then watches as it’s turned into
 a full blown improvised musical -- complete with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and plot twists galore! Tickets: $25/Advance, $30/Day of Show. Lobby and Balcony Bars are open for all concerts for 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Friday, Feb. 28 at 6:30pm: JAZZY ASH and the LEAPING LIZARDS

Strand Family Series

A five-piece New Orleans jazz band for kids and families! Jazzy Ash, a celebrated songwriter and music educator, is inspired by the New Orleans roots and early jazz of her mother’s hometown, and influenced by her father's Trinidadian culture. Pay-What-You-Can Admission: $20/$10/$5/$0. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Friday, March 20 at 7:30pm: KAT EDMONSON

Jazz vocalist who brings the songs and sensibility of the Great American Songbook into the 21st century. With a sweetly mellifluous soprano and a gift for evocative songwriting, Kat Edmonson  is a rare artist who embodies the spirit of the past while remaining resolutely au courant. Tickets: $18/Advance, $21/Day of Show. Lobby and Balcony Bars are open for all concerts for 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, March 28 at 7:30pm: ALEX CUBA

Latin Grammy/Juno Winner Alex Cuba is a Cuban singer-songwriter whose Latin sounds are not tied to tradition; his sugarcane-sweet melodies, pop-soul hooks and powerful guitar riffs reflect his vast musical vision. Alex Cuba has released seven albums, and has toured and recorded nationally and internationally. Tickets: $18/Advance, $21/Day of Show. Lobby and Balcony Bars are open for all concerts for 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

HIGH DEFINITION BROADCASTS

Friday, Nov. 29 at 2pm and 7pm: National Theatre Live: PRESENT LAUGHTER

Captured-live broadcast from London

Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter. As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.

Run time: 3 hours. Tickets: $12.50/General Admission, $10.50/Strand Members. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 1pm: Met Opera ENCORE: Philip Glass’s AKHNATEN

High definition re-broadcast from New York’s Metropolitan Opera. 

Met Premiere of the new production! Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo headlines American composer Philip Glass’s transcendent contemporary creation, with Karen Kamensek conducting. Phelim McDermott’s stunning production employs a virtuosic company of acrobats and jugglers to conjure a mystical reimagining of ancient Egypt. Estimated Run Time: 3h 41min, with 2 intermissions. $23/Adults, $20/Strand Members, $5/Students 18 and under, and college students with ID; available at the box office 30 minutes prior to show. The Strand lobby bar will be open for age 21+. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com 

Sunday, Dec. 15 at 1pm: The Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema: THE NUTCRACKER

Captured-live broadcast from Moscow

The Bolshoi’s magical Nutcracker production captivates audiences of all ages and brings them on a whirlwind journey of enchantment with rising star Soloist Margarita Shrainer perfectly embodying Marie’s innocence and joy along with the supremely elegant Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin as her Nutcracker Prince. A timeless holiday classic accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score. Run time: 2 hours, 20min. Tickets: $15/Adults, $10/Students 18 and under, and college students with ID. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com 

Thursday, Dec. 26 at 2pm and 7pm: National Theatre Live: ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

Captured-live broadcast from London

The hilarious West End and Broadway hit features a Tony Award-winning performance from host of the The Late Late Show, James Corden. The ravenous and recently fired Francis Henshall has become minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small-time East End hood. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who's been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Francis takes a second job with Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be reunited with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Run time: 3 hours. Tickets: $12.50/General Admission, $10.50/Strand Members. 

 FILMS THIS WEEK

Continues through Tuesday, Dec. 3: JOJO RABBIT

Writer director Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows, Thor: Ragnorak, Hunt for the Wilderpeople), brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism. Directed Taika Waititi. Starring Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson. PG-13 (Czech Republic | 2019)  FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, Nov. 30 at 3pm: THE POLAR EXPRESS

Annual Free Family Movie

Late on Christmas Eve, after the town has gone to sleep, a boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him --The Polar Express. When the boy arrives at the North Pole, Santa Claus offers him any gift he desires. The boy asks only for a bell from the harness of Santa's reindeer. But on the way home, the bell is lost. Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the Christmas tree, and when he shakes it, the bell makes the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. His mother admires the bell, but she laments that it is broken ... for, you see, only a true believer can hear the sound of the bell. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter. G (USA | 2004) Free Admission. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

 FILMS COMING SOON

Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7pm: LOVE ACTUALLY

Member Appreciation Screening

Free screening for Strand Members; no general admission tickets will be sold for this show, though non-members can join in the lobby immediately prior to the show. Billed as "the ultimate romantic comedy," LOVE ACTUALLY involves more than a dozen main characters, each weaving his or her way into another's heart over the course of one particularly eventful Christmas. Directed by Richard Curtis. Starring Hugh Grant, Emma Thomspon, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightly, Alan Rickman. R (USA | 2003) FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Thursday, Dec. 5 and Friday, Dec. 6: FANTASTIC FUNGI

FANTASTIC FUNGI is a consciousness-shifting film that takes us on an immersive journey through time and scale into the magical earth beneath our feet, an underground network that can heal and save our planet. Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists like Paul Stamets, best-selling authors Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, Andrew Weil and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom offers us in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg. Starring Eugenia Bone, Lori Carris, Mary P. Cosimano. NR (USA | 2019) 

FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30pm: Warren Miller’s TIMELESS

Come kickoff winter with Warren Miller’s 70th film, TIMELESS, presented by Volkswagen, and adventure from the slopes of the Rockies to the rooftops of the Alps alongside top athletes, including Vermont native Jim Ryan. All moviegoers will receive discounts on lift tickets, gear, swag, and more. It’s more than a ski and snowboard film, it’s an experience, 70 years in the making. Tickets: $19/Advance, $20 Day of Show. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Monday, Dec. 9 - Friday, Dec. 13: THE AERONAUTS

In 1862, daredevil balloon pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) teams up with pioneering meteorologist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) to advance human knowledge of the weather and fly higher than anyone in history. While breaking records and furthering scientific discovery, their voyage to the very edge of existence helps the unlikely pair find their place in the world they have left far below them. But they face physical and emotional challenges in the thin air, as the ascent becomes a fight for survival. Directed by Tom Harper. Starring Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel. PG-13 (UK | 2019) FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Sunday, Dec. 15 - Tuesday, Dec. 17: DOWNTON ABBEY

The worldwide phenomenon DOWNTON ABBEY becomes a grand motion picture event! It's 1927, and the Crawleys and their intrepid staff must prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes and starring the original cast.  Directed by Michael Engler. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter. PG (UK | | 2019)  FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Tuesday, Dec. 17 - Sunday, Dec. 22: THE LIGHTHOUSE

From Robert Eggers, the visionary filmmaker behind modern horror masterpiece The Witch, comes this hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s. Directed by Robert Eggers. Starring Robert Pattison, Willem Dafoe. R (USA | 2019) FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Friday, Dec. 20 - Tuesday, Dec. 24: PAIN AND GLORY

Dolor y gloria (original title)

As his health begins to wane, an aging film director (Antonio Banderas) reflects on the relationships and experiences that built his life, and rekindles old connections from his past. As he struggles to separate his urge to create from the reality of his own life, his encounters with his past ultimately lead him towards a better path. Penélope Cruz co-stars. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Starring Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Penelope Cruz. R 

(Spain | 2019) In Spanish with English subtitles. FMI Strand Theatre, 345 Main St., Rockland (207) 594-0070  www.RocklandStrand.com

Friday, Dec. 27 - Thursday, Jan. 2: HARRIET

Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Directed by Kasi Lemmons. Starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monae, Joe Alwyn, Vondie Curtis Hall. PG-13 (USA | 2019)