‘Tis the season when stage favorites make the days merry and bright on screen. This year, dozens of Broadway alums are participating in holiday movies, TV specials, concerts, and more that are available to watch from the comfort of home.
So put on those cozies, make some popcorn, grab the remote, and enjoy some of the best-to-watch this holiday season for theatre lovers. Be sure to double-check local listings for the most current premiere dates and air times; all times below are ET. Many Hallmark and Lifetime movies are available to stream (with a cable subscription) after their primetime debut, all of which are at 8 PM.
Concerts, Specials, and Parades
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (November 26 at 9 AM, NBC)
NYC welcomes back spectators in-person while the televised special will see performances from the Broadway casts of Six, Moulin Rouge!, and Wicked, plus NBC's upcoming Annie Live!. Additional performers include Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Jordan Fisher, The Rockettes, Ballet Hispánico, and the cast of Girls5Eva.
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (December 1 at 8 PM, NBC and Peacock)
Audiences will get a taste of the Newfoundland holiday spirit this year as the Broadway cast of Come From Away performs at the famed tree-lighting ceremony. The lineup also includes the Radio City Rockettes and Harry Conick, Jr., Pentatonix, Alessia Cara, and Carrie Underwood.
Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around (December 1 at 10 PM, NBC)
The Grammy winner hosts a holiday spectacular, featuring a star-studded cast including Broadway alums Ariana Grande and Leslie Odom, Jr. Rounding out the guest list Brett Eldredge, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Poehler, and more.
It’s a Wonderful Life (December 5 at 8 PM, Zoom)
A bevvy of Broadway stars gather around the virtual table to do a reading of the classic holiday film. Slated to participate are Tony winner Mandy Patinkin and Tony nominees Jean Smart, Ed Harris, and Martin Sheen, along with Phil Lamarr, Rosario Dawson, Mark Hamill, Jason Sudeikis, Ron Funches, Lou Diamond Phillips, and George Wendt. Click here for tickets.
The National Christmas Tree Lighting, (December 5 at 8:30 PM, CBS)
Billy Porter, Kristin Chenoweth, and Patti LaBelle are just some of the performers slated to appear at the Ellipse in President's Park in front of the White House. The event will also feature performances by the U.S. Army Band Downrange and the Howard Gospel Choir.
A Home for the Holidays (December 5 9:30 PM, CBS and Paramount+)
For the last two decades, this annual tradition has shined a light on the thousands of American children in foster care and subsequently inspired tens of thousands of adoptions. Filmed at the Grove in Los Angeles, the special features performances by Darren Criss, Justin Bieber, Kane Brown, and Alessia Cara.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (December 14 at 9 PM ET, PBS)
Conceived by Grammy, Emmy and Tony winner John Mauceri, this reimagining of Tchaikovsky's perennial holiday favorite stars Alan Cumming as the narrator of a three-part tale: the Nutcracker’s origin story, the well-known events on Christmas Eve, and what happens to the girl and the prince after the beloved ballet ends. Music from Tchaikovsky’s tone poems, orchestral suites, and the score for The Nutcracker ballet help tell this expanded tale. Also available to stream on PBS.org, and the PBS Video app.
44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (December 22 at 9 PM, CBS)
Stage and screen star Bette Midler, most recently on Broadway in a Tony-winning turn as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the revival of Hello, Dolly!, is one of the five honorees who will receive the prestigious award for lifetime artistic achievements. Recipients also include operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder, songwriter, producer, and director Berry Gordy; Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
Headliners
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (November 18, Netflix)
Stage and screen favorite Vanessa Hudgens pulls triple duty again in this third outing of the identity-swapping franchise. The star plays Queen Margaret, her mischievous cousin Fiona, and Princess Stacy as the trio band together to retrieve a priceless royal heirloom stolen from the palace.
8-Bit Christmas (November 24, HBO Max)
Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris goes back to the ‘80s in this throwback to the kid craze when Nintendo game consoles first arrived. Joining Harris is Winslow Fegley as the adult and young Jake, respectively, on his mission to secure a Nintendo of his own with the help of his friends. June Diane Raphael, David Cross, and Steve Zahn co-star.
Christmas Deja Vu (November 25, BET+)
Olivier winner Amber Riley plays an aspiring, down-on-her-luck singer who meets an angel—played by original Dreamgirl Loretta Devine—who grants her wish to find success (and love the holidays again).
Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune (November 26, Lifetime)
Years after their personal and professional breakup, the singing duo of Georgia and Joe Winter, played by McEntire and John Schneider, respectively, agree to reunite after their daughter asks them to participate in a Christmas Charity concert, only to find themselves getting back in tune on stage and off.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (December 1, Roku Channel)
The gang’s all back for a musical holiday adventure following the cliffhanger of Season 2 (the series was canceled shortly after). Jane Levy, Alex Newell, Skylar Astin, Mary Steenburgen, Peter Gallagher, Bernadette Peters, and more return in this full-length feature. Check out a sneak peek of Newell singing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year” here.
Single All the Way (Netflix, December 2)
Michael Urie, Luke MacFarlane, and Philemon Chambers lead this gay holiday rom-com following Peter as he convinces his best friend to come home for the holidays in an attempt to show his family he's finally in a relationship. A blind date with his mother's trainer, however, derails the plan. Kathy Najimy and Jennifer Coolege co-star.
The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (December 2, VH1)
Krysta Rodriguez plays a journalist sent to uncover the secrets of a small Christmas-obsessed town. Her Grinch-y editrix is played by RuPaul and viewers can expect over a dozen cameos from Drag Race alums, including Peppermint (Head Over Heels).
Annie Live! (December 2, NBC)
The Peacock adds this classic musical to its long list of live, televised musicals. Newcomer Celina Smith stars as the hard-knocked orphan, with Harry Connick, Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace, Tituss Burgess as Rooster, Megan Hilty as Lily St. Regis, and Andrea McArdle as Eleanor Roosevelt.
A Christmas Dance Reunion (December 3, Lifetime)
After his toe-tapping performance in Kiss Me, Kate, Broadway star Corbin Bleu returns to the screen. When Lucy Mortimer (Monique Coleman) returns to the Winterleigh Resort to help celebrate the hotel’s final Christmas season, she is reunited with her former dance partner, Barrett (Bleu). As they try to save the resort, they rekindle their friendship... and maybe a little bit more.
The Jenkins Family Christmas (December 5, BET+)
Anthony Chatmon II, who was in Be More Chill and Hadestown, stars as family’s gay son, Kenny, who brings home his white boyfriend for Christmas. Sound familiar? It follows the same plot as Douglas Lyons’ Chicken & Biscuits, who serves as a producer on the holiday film.
Writing Around the Christmas Tree (December 25, Lifetime)
Hamilton star Krystal Joy Brown plays a successful romance novelist who meets-cute with another writer that convinces her that she shouldn’t be writing about love, if she doesn’t allow herself to get out and actually experience it.
More Broadway Stars
Christmas In My Heart (October 23, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Cast includes: Sheryl Lee Ralph (Dreamgirls)
READ: 6 Opportunities to See Broadway Stars on Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas
Christmas in Harmony, (October 29, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Loretta Devine, Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams (Once Upon This Island)
Next Stop, Christmas (November 6, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson (Back to the Future)
A Christmas Treasure (November 7, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Michael Xavier (Sunset Boulevard) and Jordin Sparks (Waitress)
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (Originally premiered in 2008, streaming November 19 on Disney+)
Cast includes: Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Krakowski, Jesse L. Williams, and Uma Thurman
You Make It Feel Like Christmas (November 20, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Michael Xavier
A Kiss Before Christmas (November 21, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Desperate Housewives co-stars James Denton and Teri Hatcher, Marilu Henner
A Castle for Christmas (November 26, Netflix)
Cast includes: Brooke Shields (Chicago), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride)
The Black Pack: We Three Kings (November 29, The CW)
Cast includes: Taye Diggs (Rent), Jordin Sparks
Christmas Village Romance (December 2, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Jake Epstein (Beautiful—The Carole King Musical)
Sugar Plum Twist (December 2, Hallmark Movies Now)
Featuring: a reimagining of The Nutcracker
Christmas Again (December 3, Disney Channel)
Cast includes: Priscilla Lopez, Daniel Sunjata
Eight Gifts of Hanukkah (December 3, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Jake Epstein
A Clüsterfünke Christmas (December 4, Comedy Central)
Cast includes: Ana Gastayer (Wicked), Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu)
My Favorite Christmas Melody (December 5, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Mya (Chicago)
Christmas Movie Magic (December 7, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Drew Seeley (The Little Mermaid)
A Fiance for Christmas (December 9, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Marie Osmond (The King & I)
Holiday in Santa Fe (December 10, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Mario Lopez (A Chorus Line)
A Dickens of a Holiday (December 10, Hallmark)
Featuring: a local production of A Christmas Carol
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (December 18, Hallmark)
Cast includes: Treat Williams, Jonathan Bennett, Sharon Lawrence
Christmas Takes Flight (December 19, CBS)
Cast includes: Katie Lowes (Waitress)
Candy Cane Candidate (December 20, Lifetime)
Cast includes: Jacky Lai, Jake Epstein
