As the holidays approach and the weather turns chilly, there is no better way to cozy up than with world-class performing arts right in your living room. Marquee TV, a global streaming platform offering hundreds of prestigious cultural programs including opera, ballet, theater, visual arts, and classical music from leading organizations like the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company, has you covered!
This season, MarqueeTV has unwrapped a gift of festive favorites and timeless classics. From glittering dance to heart stopping drama, Playbill has curated a list of five dazzling productions you can stream to bring the magic and wonder of the theater into your home for the holidays.
You can start your exclusive 1-month free trial to MarqueeTV by visiting marquee.tv/playbill today.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker From New York City Ballet
For over 70 years, the magic of Christmas has come alive at New York’s Lincoln Center. Now, you can bring this cherished holiday home and experience George Balanchine's Nutcracker performed by New York City Ballet. With masterful choreography, lavish costumes, and Tchaikovsky's timeless score, the enchanting tale of young Marie's dreamlike journey unfolds. An onstage blizzard whisks her to the Land of Sweets, where mischievous mice battle toy soldiers. The iconic "Sugar Plum Fairy" pas de deux, celebrated for its beauty and technical precision, stands out, along with the mesmerizing "Waltz of the Flowers" and "March of the Wooden Soldiers." Tiler Peck shines as the Marzipan Shepherdess, showcasing exceptional artistry and control.
Macbeth Starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo
Fearless and unforgettably creepy. This high-concept production, filmed live at London’s Donmar Warehouse, stars David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife) in Shakespeare’s most infamous tragedy.
Tennant delivers a self-righteous warrior whose sharp intellect curdles into cold-blooded calculation. Seething with paranoia and insidious fury, he makes every soliloquy feel like a whispered confession, compelling us to hang on to his every word. Jumbo’s Lady Macbeth is steely yet soft-spoken, ruthless yet radiant. Draped in virginal white throughout, she exudes an eerie purity, even as she orchestrates a spiral of bloodshed.
Max Webster’s masterful direction grips relentlessly as the body count rises. Stark, filmic expressionism blurs reality and hallucination, while immersive 5.1 surround sound places the audience inside the fevered minds of the Macbeths. As their sanity crumbles, a chilling question remains: Where does ambition end and madness begin?
Derek Deane‘s Swan Lake at English National Ballet
English National Ballet’s Swan Lake in-the-round celebrates the Company’s 75th season, giving you the chance to experience the splendor of ballet on a grand scale. Derek Deane’s stunning in-the-round production has been enjoyed by over 500,000 people worldwide and offers an unmissable 360-degree view of one of the most popular ballets of all time.
With 60 swans, exquisite choreography, and Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score played live by the English National Ballet Philharmonic, this film will take you to the very heart of this "truly awe-inspiring" (The Telegraph) classic.
Featuring Lead Principal Sangeun Lee as Odette/Odile and Principal Gareth Haw as Prince Siegfried, this production captures all the magic of the beloved ballet. From the breath-taking spectacle of shimmering swans moving in unison, to the captivating romance between Prince Siegfried and the Swan Queen Odette, this is cinema bursting with beauty, passion, and betrayal.
Filmed live at the Royal Albert Hall, this special cinematic capture features never-seen-before overhead angles, giving you an aerial view of the genius choreography. Combining exceptional artistry, gorgeous spectacle and compelling drama, Swan Lake in-the-round is a cinematic masterpiece that will enthrall and delight.
Mark Gatiss in A Christmas Carol
From Nottingham Playhouse, witness Scrooge's transformation from a miserly recluse to a beacon of redemption in Mark Gatiss' clever retelling of Dickens' Christmas classic.
Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Doctor Who) stars as Jacob Marley, the haunting specter of Scrooge's late business partner. Marley materializes, shackled by the weight of his past greed to implore Ebenezer Scrooge (Nicholas Farrell) to amend his ways to avoid a similar dreadful fate, setting the stage for three spine-tingling spectral visits that challenge Scrooge's very soul.
Filmed live at London's beautiful Alexandra Palace Theatre, this production blends theatrical whimsy with mesmerizing special effects, completely transporting audiences to the chilling Victorian world of Dickens.
Jeremy Jordan in Bonnie & Clyde
Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical is the story of two small-town kids from the middle of nowhere who became the biggest folk heroes in all America. They craved adventure, and each other. Fearless, shameless, and alluring, this is the electrifying story of love, adventure and crime that captured the attention of an entire nation. Jeremy Jordan (The Great Gatsby) plays Clyde Barrow while Frances Mayli McCann (Les Misérables) plays Bonnie Parker.
Whether you're looking for a cherished ballet tradition or a fresh take on a holiday classic, Marquee TV offers a cultural feast for the eyes and ears. Grab your favorite blanket and a cup of cocoa and let these extraordinary performances add a touch of sparkle to your holiday celebrations this year!
You can start your exclusive 1-month free trial by visiting marquee.tv/playbill today.
