THEATER Opening This Week LIVE THEATER WORKSHOP. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. 327-4242. The Miss Firecracker Contest, written by Beth Henley, is about a small town in Mississippi just days before the Fourth of July and the yearly pageant. Continues through December 15. Shows run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets cost $12 to $14. Call for reservations. Continuing GASLIGHT THEATER. 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. 886-9428. Christmas in the Big Apple or She's Rotten to the Core is the tale of a young orphan girl and her belief in a magical Santa Claus suit. Shows continue through January 4. Tickets cost $6.95 to $14.95 with dinner available for purchase in the theater or at Little Anthony's Diner next door. Call for reservations. HIDDEN VALLEY IN RESTAURANT AND SALOON. Hidden Valley Inn Restaurant and Saloon. 4825 N. Sabino Canyon Road. 299-4941. Cowboy Christmas Round-Up is a western dinner theater revue featuring a holiday musical continuing daily through December 28. Tickets cost $13.95 for adults, $8.95 for kids under 12. Optional show menu available. Doors open at 5:30 for for the 7 p.m. show; at 2 p.m. for matinees. Call for tickets or details. TEMPLE OF MUSIC AND ART. 330 S. Scott Ave. 884-4875 (main stage). The Fantasticks features lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt in the holiday production by Arizona Theater Company. Tickets cost $31 to $44. Call 622-2823 for details and schedules. Continues through December 15. Out of Town BISBEE REPERTORY THEATER. 94 Main St. Bisbee. (520) 432-3786. The Miracle Worker continues through December 8 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $12 at the door, $5 for students. Call 432-3786. Announcements A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Catalina Foothills Church. 2150 E. Orange Grove Road. Fine Arts Ministry presents the classic Charles Dickens' play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 5-7 at 7 p.m. Reserved tickets cost $10 and include a pre-show reception with live carolers and choice of seating; general admission costs $5. Call 615-8500. CATALINA PLAYERS AUDITIONS. Trinity Presbyterian Church Grand Hall. 400 N. University Blvd. Try out for The Musical Malt Shop Murder Mystery on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 10-11 from 7 to 9 p.m. Sing 16 bars of a 50's type song. Piano accompaniment provided. 529-1864. CREATIVE WOMAN WORKSHOPS. Center for Expressive Arts and Psychotherapy. 3838 E. Fort. Lowell., Suite 2. Bloodhut Theater workshop series features Awaken the Soul focusing on writing, storytelling and improv. No performance experience necessary. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon, twice a month, through March, 2003. $16 per session. Call for exact schedule and details at 982-7450. LATINO PLAYWRITING AWARD. Arizona Theater Company's national competition encouraages playwrights residing in the U.S. or Mexico to submit scripts for the 2003 award. Deadline is December 30. Call 884-8210 for details and guidelines. SCAZZ-RIK-TOBIN. A new local, monthly television program seeks lead character, musical bands and short, animated cartoon segments. Call 742-1806. TEMPLE FOR RENT. The Temple of Music and Art has rental spaces available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call 884-8210 for more information. THREE AMIGOS TOUR. Tucson Convention Center. 260 S. Church Ave. Stars Carlos Mencia and Freddy Soto with special guest Steve Trevino in a tour of top headlining comedy on Friday, December 6 at 8 p.m. tickets cost $33 to $40. 321-1000.