In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we hear from Dr. Theresa Tran, Director of the Houston Health Department, who discusses health equity in Houston and what's being done to close the gaps in healthcare access.

Also, we’re joined by Stanton Welch, artistic director of Houston Ballet and Jennifer Sommers, director of the Houston Ballet Academy, who tell us more about this year’s production of The Nutcracker, a long-standing Houston holiday tradition.

Then, we hear Ernie’s conversation with actor, playwright, and director John Cameron Mitchell, who discusses his upcoming event with Arthouse Houston, and our hosts share a rundown of holiday-themed weekend events for our regular Friday feature, "Last Minute Plans."