Marissa Ramirez and Brian White Set To Host 58th Annual LA County Holiday Celebration

Actors Marisa Ramirez (Blue Bloods) and Brian White (Ray Donovan, Chicago Fire) will return this year to co-host the 58th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration, the largest multicultural holiday celebration in the county.

The performance takes place on Sunday, December 24 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles.

Both admission and parking are free (first come, first seated). Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

Those who can't make it to The Music Center can watch the live broadcast on PBS SoCal KOCE or online at pbssocal.org. The broadcast will repeat on Dec. 24 at 9 p.m. and again on Dec. 25 at noon with streaming also available; the program will air on PBS SoCal 2 on Dec. 25 at 3 a.m., 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., and on Dec. 26 at 11 a.m.

This year's Holiday Celebration features 22 music, dance and choral ensembles - over 500 performers - and reflects the diversity of the many holiday traditions celebrated in Los Angeles. Some highlights include Harmonic Bronze Handbell Ensemble performing a classical handbell piece that celebrates Christmas and Hanukkah; holiday songs sung by the Palmdale High School Choral Union and Sunday Night Singers; the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Band playing a medley of holiday favorites; MUSYCA Children's Choir performing Christmas songs written by contemporary artists; Mostly Kosher playing upbeat Jewish folk and holiday songs; Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Company on Korean drums; all-female mariachi ensemble Las Colibri with unique interpretations of traditional sones, huapangos and rancheras; City Ballet of Los Angeles, performing Nutcracker Swings to a mix of Tchaikovsky and Duke Ellington; JC Culture Foundation performing both Chinese dragon and Chinese lion dances; West African drum and dance company Le Ballet Dembaya with a West-African mask dance; award-winning professional a cappella group m-pact singing unique renditions of popular holiday songs; and much more.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has sponsored this admission-free show for the people of the County every Dec. 24 since 1959.

For complete program information, call (213) 972-3099 or go to MusicCenter.org/holidaycelebration

HOST BIOS:

Marisa Ramirez
Marisa stars as Det. Maria Baez, Danny Reagan's (Donnie Wahlberg) partner in the CBS cop drama Blue Bloods, the prolific actor's fifth lead or series regular role on a primetime series. Marissa played Officer Riley Dunn on ABC's Body of Proof; Evelyn Santos on ABC's critically acclaimed but short-lived series Miracles (opposite Skeet Ulrich); and Dr. Chloe Artis on the FOX 2009 summer series Mental. She starred opposite Rob Lowe in Lifetime's ratings coup Prosecuting Casey Anthony and as Internal Affairs Det. Lina Flores on the Lifetime original series Against the Wall. She created an international sensation as the sizzling Melitta on the wildly popular Starz series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. Daytime fans know her well from CBS' The Young and the Restless (Carmen Mesta) and of course, for her award-winning breakthrough role as Gia Campbell on ABC's General Hospital. When not on the set, Ramirez lends her time and talent to causes important to her including HIV/AIDS, homelessness and animal rescue. She is also an avid kick boxer, which helps keep her so fit. Born in Los Angeles, Ramirez began her career as a model-turned MTV host. She lives in New York.

Brian White
Brian White recently wrapped a recurring role on Showtime's Ray Donovan and NBC's Taken. Brian starred opposite Gary Dourdan in the corporate drama Media from producers Cathy Hughes and Sheila Ducksworth, as well as in three film projects that he also produced: the musical Howard High, the romantic suspense thriller Only for One Night, and the romantic comedy 36 Hour Layover. He starred in and produced the dramatic feature Where Children Play costarring Teyonah Paris and Macy Gray. He also held down three major recurring roles on three of TV's hottest shows, all at the same time: NBC's Chicago Fire, as Taylor Kinney's new partner, Chief/Captain Dallas Patterson; ABC's Scandal, as Kerry Washington's new love interest; and heating up the screen with Rochelle Aytes on ABC's Mistresses. Earlier this year, Brian was seen in Lifetime's With This Ring opposite Jill Scott, Regina King and Eve. He executive produced and starred in the romantic comedy My Favorite Five opposite Rochelle Aytes, and he produced and starred in the feature, And Then There Was You, opposite Garcelle Beauvis and Lynn Whitfield. He starred in CBS' Hostages opposite Dylan McDermott and Toni Collette; in the independent feature, Walter, with Neve Campbell, Peter Facinelli, Virginia Madsen and William H. Macy; in CW's Beauty and the Beast opposite Kristen Kreuk; and in Tyler Perry's romantic drama, Good Deeds. In 2012, White starred opposite Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins and Emmy Award-winner Bradley Whitford in the Joss Whedon/Drew Goddard horror film, The Cabin in the Woods. Other credits include the Bollywood romantic comedy film Politics of Love, opposite Mallika Sherawat, Loretta Devine and Ruby Dee; reprising his popular role of Marcus in the Emmy Award-nominated drama series Men of A Certain Age with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; opposite Taraji P. Henson in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself; opposite Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard in Fighting; and alongside World Wrestling Entertainment superstar John Cena in the film 12 Rounds. Other notable film credits include the box office hit The Family Stone and the Independent Spirit Award-nominated film Brick. White is most recognizable to television audiences as Detective Tavon Garris on the award-winning FX crime drama The Shield. Other television credits include CBS' Moonlight; UPN's Moesha, The Parkers and Second Time Around; and MTV's Spyder Games.

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