You don&#8217;t have to be a Christian or given to holiday season kitsch to appreciate the annual <a href="http://www.christmascreche.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christmas Crèche Exhibit</a> at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palo Alto.
For a couple thousand years now, the nativity scene has inspired artists all over the world to depict the magic of the Christmas story: Baby Jesus in a Bethlehem manger, surrounded by his parents, Mary and Joseph, the three wise men, shepherds, a host of farm animals and sometimes local villagers, too. It&#8217;s an ancient tradition, as open to individual interpretation as there are humans on earth. 
&#8220;It started with just a few people, with a few nativities, from a few places, in one room, and it’s grown to now, where we have it for five days and 10,000 people come every year as a tradition,&#8221; says Marguerite Gong Hancock, co-director and co-founder, here all 32 years the church has been putting on this show.
<figure id="attachment_13871058" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 1920px"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-13871058" src="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut.jpg" alt="This nativity scene from Ethiopia is painted on goat skin." width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut-768x432.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40347_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-24-13-AM-qut-1200x675.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">This nativity scene from Ethiopia is painted on goat skin. <cite>(Rachael Myrow/KQED)</cite></figcaption></figure>
These days, people come by the busload from senior centers and elementary schools all over the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Families and book clubs add lunch nearby and make a day of it in Palo Alto.
The exhibit now takes over the whole building, from the sanctuary to the basketball court. There are 50 countries represented, with more than 250 nativities in every media imaginable: paint, porcelain, crystal, driftwood, goat skin, tagua nut, recycled bicycle wheels, auto parts, et cetera.
&#8220;We have a whole range, things that are from artists who may be internationally known to things that are made by school children,&#8221; Gong Hancock says.
<figure id="attachment_13871059" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 1920px"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-13871059 size-full" src="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut.jpg" alt="This nativity scene from Ecuador is carved out of tagua nut." width="1920" height="1440" srcset="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut-768x576.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40348_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-25-49-AM-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">This nativity scene from Ecuador is carved out of tagua nut. <cite>(Rachael Myrow/KQED)</cite></figcaption></figure>
Straining to remember whether this pastiche reflects the stories  told in biblical texts? Better to relax and accept this genre gives wide berth to artistic imagination and cultural diversity.
Thousands of people apply to feature their nativity scenes every year, but only ten percent or so are chosen. Gong Hancock and her co-curator try to contain the deluge with an annual theme.
This year, the theme is &#8220;Star of Wonder, Star of Night,&#8221; referencing the popular Christmas carol, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGHk9LXQSk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We Three KIngs</a>. Of course, that&#8217;s a broad theme. To further subcategorize, the church&#8217;s seven rooms each focus on a color, media or geographic region, like Asia, or South America.
<figure id="attachment_13871060" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 1920px"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-13871060" src="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut.jpg" alt="This nativity scene, constructed from bicycle parts, is called &quot;&quot;The hopes and fears of all the gears.&quot; " width="1920" height="1755" srcset="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut-160x146.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut-800x731.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut-768x702.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut-1020x932.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/RS40346_PHOTO-DEC-06-10-23-06-AM-qut-1200x1097.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">This nativity scene, constructed from bicycle parts, is called &#8220;&#8221;The hopes and fears of all the gears.&#8221; <cite>(Rachael Myrow/KQED)</cite></figcaption></figure>
Where did this holiday staple begin? Gong Hancock explains, &#8220;The story goes that <a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/12/history-of-the-christmas-creche-st-francis-invented-the-nativity-scene.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">St. Francis of Assisi</a>, in 1223, created the first nativity in Italy, inspired by seeing shepherds in the distance. Over time, people started to make beautiful figurines and statues, and the churches would put them on display. People would tour from church to church to church. So it&#8217;s in that spirit that we have gathered nativity scenes and opened wide our doors, so that people can come and enjoy them.&#8221;
There’s also live art, music, and marionette shows daily, as well as craft workshops for children. Is it over the top? Absolutely, but not in the materialistic way Americans have come to love and/or hate. The exhibit is free, the labor is volunteered, and the art is surprising and delightful, regardless of whether Christianity is your jam.
The 32 annual Christmas Crèche Exhibit runs December 7-11, 2019 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palo Alto. <a href="http://www.christmascreche.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Details here</a>.

<description>The 32 annual Christmas Crèche Exhibit runs December 7-11, 2019 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palo Alto.</description>

The 32 annual Christmas Crèche Exhibit runs December 7-11, 2019 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palo Alto.

Make Like a Wise Man and Head to this Nativity Exhibit in Palo Alto

This week we’re talking about a ballet beyond words, a play about the 1950s “red scare,” an unstoppable jazz pianist and more. Joining me in the studio is Suzie Racho, producer-director for The California Report Magazine, and founding producer of The Do List.
Listen to the show above, and click through the links below for more details on this week&#8217;s picks!
May 31–June 2: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833843/a-dance-for-the-deaf-at-oakland-ballets-scene-heard" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Oakland Ballet&#8217;s Scene &amp; Heard at the Odell Johnson Performing Arts Center at Laney College</a>.
June 4: <a href="http://www.slimspresents.com/event/remembering-david-wiegand/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">A tribute to David Wiegand at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco</a>.
June 6: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833850/you-cant-stop-jazz-legend-ahmad-jamal" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Jazz Pianist Ahmad Jamal at Davies Symphony Hall</a>.
June 6-July 1: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833853/mccarthy-eras-damage-brought-onstage-in-silicon-valley" rel="noopener" target="_blank">FINKS at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts</a>.
June 7-July 7: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833817/prince-before-the-fame-shown-in-new-photo-exhibition" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Prince Pre Fame photography show at the Family Affair gallery in Lower Haight</a>.
June 8-9: <a href="https://sonoma.huichica.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Huichica Music Festival at Gundlach Bundschu winery in Sonoma</a>.

<description>This week we’re talking about a ballet beyond words, a play about the 1950s “red scare,” an unstoppable jazz pianist and more.</description>

This week we’re talking about a ballet beyond words, a play about the 1950s “red scare,” an unstoppable jazz pianist and more.

On the Air: Gabe & Suzie’s Do List Picks for June 1, 2018

This week, I&#8217;m joined on The Do List by Jamedra Brown-Fleischman, co-host of KQED&#8217;s pop culture podcast The Cooler. We&#8217;re talking about Nazis influencing famous painters, the challenge in satirizing American politics, and a wild plot to catch a serial killer.
Through Oct. 28: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833315/sfmoma-shows-the-vache-side-of-magritte" target="_blank" rel="noopener">René Magritte: The Fifth Season includes the artist&#8217;s intentionally &#8220;bad&#8221; paintings at SFMOMA</a>.
May 24-27: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833330/a-bizarre-plot-to-catch-the-real-life-zodiac-killer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Please help me I&#8217;m drownding: San Francisco&#8217;s dark decade comes to life in a film series at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts</a>.
May 30: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833337/who-needs-vjs-with-the-outoffocus-video-music-fest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The fourth annual OutOfFocus Music Video Film Fest at the New Parkway in Oakland</a>.
May 31-June 1: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833343/sheer-mag-the-best-arena-rock-band-on-the-diy-circuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheer Mag rocks the Ritz in San Jose and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco</a>.
June 1-3: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833278/a-hotly-anticipated-return-for-jon-stewart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clusterfest in San Francisco&#8217;s Civic Center brings top stars in comedy, music, podcasting, drag and more</a>.
June 1-10: <a href="http://www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Healdsburg Jazz Festival hosts big names at small venues</a>.
June 9: <a href="http://thefoxoakland.com/events/the-read" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Read Live! with Kid Fury and Crissle at Oakland&#8217;s Fox Theater</a>.
June 16: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13833271/flying-lotus-and-little-dragon-will-trip-out-in-berkeley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flying Lotus returns to the Greek Theater in Berkeley</a>.

<description>On this week's Do List, we're talking about René Magritte, Jon Stewart, Sheer Mag, the Zodiac Killer and more.</description>

On this week's Do List, we're talking about René Magritte, Jon Stewart, Sheer Mag, the Zodiac Killer and more.

On the Air: Gabe & Jamedra’s Do List Picks for May 25, 2018

This week on the Do List, I&#8217;m joined by KQED Youth Media Manager Ariana Proehl for talk about a queer circus, a Saharan film festival, a tribute to a beloved DJ and more. And also, on my first week sitting in his old chair here at the Do List, I want to say thanks to Cy Musiker — for showing us the way.
On with this week&#8217;s show; click through for details.
May 18: <a href="https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2017-18/An-Evening-with-Audra-McDonald-and-the-SFS.aspx" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald sings with the San Francisco Symphony</a>.
Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832470/life-gets-topsy-turvy-at-this-queer-circus-afrofuturist-trilogy" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Paradise: Belly of the Beast from circus troupe Topsy Turvy pushes the boundaries of imagination and mythology while centering people of color and queer people of color</a>. 
Saturday, May 19: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832460/an-overflow-of-oakland-culture-at-the-malcolm-x-jazz-arts-festival" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival always has a great vibe and crowd, and features a jazz stage, dance stage, poetry stage, a tribute to Pam the Funkstress and more at San Antonio Park in Oakland</a>. 
May 20–June 17: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832508/its-abbas-year-even-on-the-top-of-mt-tam" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Mamma Mia! is at the Mountain Play at Mt. Tam in Marin, a gorgeous amphitheater where they’ve done summer theater for over 100 years</a>.
May 24: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832519/acid-western-zerzura-brings-its-search-for-a-mythical-oasis-to-oakland" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The film Zerzura screens and the guitarist Mdou Moctar performs with the film’s star, Ahmoudou Madassane at the Starline Social Club in Oakland</a>. 
Through July 17: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832478/raised-in-the-sf-art-scene-and-having-his-first-solo-show" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Yarrow Slaps’ More Water at State Gallery features the artists&#8217; works along with a back room that shows off Slaps&#8217;s curatorial side, with a group show by a crew of artists he’s calling the Art Figaz</a>. 
And some special news about the <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832402/tame-impala-aap-rocky-headline-treasure-island-music-festival" rel="noopener" target="_blank">return of the Treasure Island Music Festival</a>, including their <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13832402/tame-impala-aap-rocky-headline-treasure-island-music-festival" rel="noopener" target="_blank">just-announced lineup</a>.

<description>This week on the Do List, we're talking about the Malcolm X Festival, the Treasure Island Music Festival, the Topsy Turvy Queer Circus and more.</description>

This week on the Do List, we're talking about the Malcolm X Festival, the Treasure Island Music Festival, the Topsy Turvy Queer Circus and more.

On the Air: Gabe & Ariana’s Do List Picks for May 18, 2018

I&#8217;m joined by two of my favorite co-hosts for this episode of The Do List: KQED Arts&#8217; senior editor Gabe Meline, and Stanford Institute for Diversity in the Arts&#8217; co-chair A-lan Holt. And the biggest reason was so they could hold my hand as I said goodbye to KQED and our listeners.
I’m leaving KQED and The Do List for the life of a country bumpkin, in the Sierra Foothills. Emphasis on the bumpkin.
It’s been the greatest joy of my life to work here at KQED, and to serve the people, as our late news director Raul Ramirez used to say.
The Do List is almost 10 years old, and it&#8217;s in good hands with Gabe Meline as our new host, and our new producer, Ashleyanne Krigbaum. They&#8217;ll bring fresh energy and voices to the show, while staying true to our mission of helping you, the listener, find great shows and good cheer. We share a love of discovering new talent, and performances that help us understand the world better; that help us be more empathetic; that make us better human beings.
Please keep listening and reading. Now here&#8217;s our show for this week.
April 25-May 20: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13831746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Suzan-Lori Parks play at the American Conservatory Theater confronts the desperate choices of a slave during the Civil War</a>.
May 18: <a href="http://www.ubuntutheaterproject.com/topdog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The nomadic Ubuntu Theater presents Suzan-Lori Parks&#8217; Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog</a>.
May 15-20: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13831765/a-wild-mix-of-movement-in-odcs-walking-distance-dance-festival" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ODC&#8217;s Walking Distance Dance Festival offers an antidote to blandness</a>.
May 17 and 19: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13831791/ghost-ensemble-and-the-deep-listening-of-pauline-oliveros" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ghost Ensemble makes music for deep, deep listening</a>.
May 10-12: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13831796/singer-jose-james-channels-bill-withers-on-his-latest-tour" rel="noopener" target="_blank">José James performs a tribute to the music of the great Bill Withers</a>.
May 15: <a href="https://www.cartoonart.org/event/toon-talk-keith-knight-homecoming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cartoonist Keith Knight delivers a &#8220;Toon Talk&#8221; at the Cartoon Art Museum</a>.
May 13: <a href="https://www.theindependentsf.com/event/1611925-ezra-furman-san-francisco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Mother&#8217;s Day, Ezra Furman at the Independent in San Francisco, a great songwriter and energetic performer</a>.
May 17: <a href="https://events.stanford.edu/events/763/76385/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Conversation about thethe arts and social justice at Stanford&#8217;s Cubberley Auditorium with Linda Sarsour</a>, <a href="https://events.stanford.edu/events/763/76385/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrisse Cullors, Favianna Rodriguez and Raquel De Anda</a>.
<figure id="attachment_13831740" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 800px"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-800x451.jpg" alt="Stanford&#039;s A-lan Holt and KQED&#039;s Gabe Meline join Cy Musiker for his final episode as host of The Do List." width="800" height="451" class="size-medium wp-image-13831740" srcset="https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-800x451.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-160x90.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-768x433.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-1020x575.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-1200x677.jpg 1200w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-1180x665.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-960x541.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-240x135.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-375x211.jpg 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771-520x293.jpg 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/Image-uploaded-from-iOS-1-e1525892416771.jpg 1525w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Stanford&#8217;s A-lan Holt and KQED&#8217;s Gabe Meline join Cy Musiker for his final episode as host of The Do List. <cite>(Nastia Voynovskaya/KQED)</cite></figcaption></figure>

<description>On the Do List this week, we cover a Ghost Ensemble, a dance festival, a tribute to Bill Withers and more.</description>

KQED's The Do List for May 11, 2018

On the Do List this week, we cover a Ghost Ensemble, a dance festival, a tribute to Bill Withers and more.

The Do List Podcast Archives | KQED Arts

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