The Chicago theatre community will present a variety of holiday plays, musicals, dance, and concert offerings. The following is a selection of holiday-themed work playing in Chicago this season.
Classic Chicago favorites:
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will return to the Goodman Theatre for its 39th year, running November 19-December 31. It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, presented by American Blues Theater at the Greenhouse Theater Center, will run November 18-December 31. The House Theatre presents its family-friendly version of The Nutcracker at the Chopin Theatre through December 30. The Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker is re-imagined for a world-premiere version by Christopher Wheeldon at the Auditorium Theatre December 10-30.
Holiday-themed musicals:
The Christmas Schooner, featuring a score of original music and traditional holiday favorites, will play The Mercury Theater November 30-December 31. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical will return to Chicago for a nine-performance run at The Chicago Theatre November 17-20. The Citadel Theatre’s A Christmas Story: The Musical will run November 18-December 18.
Holiday comedies:
Williams Street Rep will present A Christmas Survival Guide at The Raue Center November 26-December 4. The Second City’s Holidazed and Confused will go up at the UP Comedy Club November 13-December 31. The Annoyance Productions’ Auntie Chan’s Holiday Office Party is now being presented through December 18 at The Annoyance Theatre and Bar. For its third year, the Second City at the Goodman Theatre will present Twist Your Dickens, a twisted take on Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and pop culture’s most beloved holiday specials, December 2-30. Musical theatre meets sketch comedy in UP Comedy Club’s Nick and Gabe: Snowflake Ball December 1-15. Rip Nelson Holiday Spectacular, following Rip Nelson as he tries to salvage his television career with a holiday TV special, produced by Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary’s Attic, will run November 20-December 30.
Other notable works:
Emerald City Theatre Company’s A Charlie Brown Christmas runs November 11– January 8, 2017, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. 20% Theatre Company Chicago’s Bethlehem (PA), exploring community, heartbreak, and hope as the largest live nativity scene in the greater Mid-Atlantic, will play Berry United Methodist Church December 7-10. The holiday musical revue Christmas at Christine’s, led by Christine Bunuan, will be held at Pierce Hall at the Historic Chicago Temple Building December 1-23. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, makes its premiere at Northlight Theatre through December 18. Piccolo Theatre’s The Snow Queen will run November 19-December 18.
An updated list of holiday shows, with additional details about each production, is available throughout the season at ChicagoPlays.com. Additionally, many holiday shows will be available at Hot Tix, Chicago’s local, half-price ticketing service.
