Melissa Villaseñor to Host 65th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration
The performance will take place on December 24.
Stand-up comedian, actor, voice impressionist, visual artist and L.A. native Melissa Villaseñor is set to host the 65th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration on Tuesday, December 24.
Sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and presented by The Music Center, the L.A. County Holiday Celebration is a one-of-a-kind, free, three-hour spectacular that provides Angelenos an opportunity to come together every year on Christmas Eve to experience the variety of rich, dynamic cultures that can be found throughout Los Angeles County. Audiences can choose to watch the show in person at The Music Center’s iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, from the comfort of their own homes on TV at PBS SoCal, or online at pbssocal.org and on the free PBS App. Entrance to the in-person event is free; with advance tickets available online at holidaycelebration.org and standby entry starting at 3:30 p.m.
With The Music Center, this year’s executive producer, Lindha Narvaez of Milktmade, is embracing the evolution of the annual show with a fresh approach that will see Villaseñor traversing the theatre and interacting with the audience. Villaseñor will be joined by voiceover actor and announcer Queen Noveen, who will provide live narration, making vocal and in-person appearances throughout the show.
Spectators will be treated to a diverse line-up of over two dozen Los Angeles-based music, dance and vocal ensembles and—new to the lineup this year—a circus act and a marionette performance.
Born and raised in Whittier, CA, Melissa Villaseñor broke barriers by becoming the first-ever Latina cast member of Saturday Night Live. A comedic impressions expert, Villaseñor got her start as a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent. Some of her most memorable SNL impressions include Owen Wilson, Lady Gaga, and Dolly Parton. An accomplished voice actor, she has voiced characters on several television shows including Nickelodeon’s OK K.O.! and Rock, Paper, Scissors, and in films Toy Story 4 and Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Villaseñor was a guest on Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and can be seen in Barry, Crashing, and Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, to name a few. Her multihyphenate talents range even further. She hosted the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards, published a self-help journal ‘Whoops, I’m Awesome,’ recorded two music albums, had a Netflix special and creates fine art. Some of Villaseñor’s acknowledgements include Forbes 30 Under 30, Rolling Stone’s 50 Funniest People Right Now, and CNN’s Women in Comedy.
Noveen is a multifaceted actor who is best known for voicing various projects for ABC, Netflix, ESPN, Mattel, Amazon Prime and more. She’s known for announcing SAG Awards, MTV, E!, NFL and NASCAR, to name a few.
See below for a complete list of the 28 groups scheduled to perform in this year’s Holiday Celebration, representing Los Angeles County’s many neighborhoods and cultures.
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Good Night, Oscar North Coast Repertory (9/16-10/11) |
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Much Ado About Nothing McCadden Place Theatre (8/07-8/16) |
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6 Out of 10 Theatre 68 (8/20-8/20) |
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Catch Me If You Can Colony Theatre (9/17-10/18) |
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Emily Skinner: In Concert Feinstein's at the Nikko (8/14-8/15) |
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Gershwin and the Golden Age Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) (10/11-10/11) |
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John Lloyd Young Feinstein's at the Nikko (8/21-8/22) |
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Love, Loss and What I Wore Sawyer's Playhouse (8/08-8/30) |
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Our Man in Santiago by Mark Wilding Odyssey Theatre Ensemble (9/10-9/20) |
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Kaiju The Road Theatre Company (9/22-11/01) |