In New York, the holiday theatre season means a feast of heavenly holiday goodies that sing, dance, jingle, and light up stages across the Great White Way and beyond. Here’s a list designed to entertain everyone from tiny tots to the young at heart. Read on for the best of NYC's holiday theatre season.
The Ultimate Theatregoers’ Guide to NY Holiday Shows
A Christmas Carol: Join Charles Dickens as he spins his famous tale in a perfect historic setting: the downtown survivor Merchant’s House Museum, built in 1832. (12/6 thru 12/24) dickens2016.bpt.me
A Christmas Carol The Musical: Scrooge, Marley, and a trio of Ghostettes come together for a priceless holiday production for the whole family. (Thru 12/30) scroogeinthevillage.com
The Amazing Max: A totally cool magician whose antics amuse and skills dazzle—both wee ones and grown-ups alike...up close and mind-blowing! (Thru 12/31) TheAmazingMaxLive.com
Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes™: High tech, high kicks, Santa, and the Living Nativity are why this is NYC’s most famous and fabulous holiday extravaganza. (Thru 1/2) rockettes.com/christmas
The Dead, 1904: A Dublin holiday gathering set in a Victorian mansion where theatregoers move from room to room with music, dances, and a meal lifted from James Joyce’s original story. (Thru 1/7) irishrep.org
Elements of Oz: The 1939 Wizard of Oz film is a holiday standard but this techno version is where smart phones and tablets take audiences into new Ozian dimensions. Whoo-hooo! thebuildersassociation.org
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas: Jane O’Connor’s mini-Ms. is back with all kinds of holiday “Ooh la la!” (Thru 12/30) fancynancychristmaslive.com
The First Noel: This Harlem-based holiday musical hops genres from pop to jazz to gospel in order to tell a universal story of love and belonging. (12/10 thru 12/18) thnyc.org/first-noel
Hanna and the Moonlit Dress: A charming family-friendly show that shines a magical light on the Hanukah season, this interactive musical theatre experience. Ages 2 to 8. (Thru 12/18) 14streety.org/tickets
The Illusionists—Turn of the Century™: The latest version of The Illusionists
to hit Broadway showcases world-famous magicians performing some of history’s most dangerous and provocative illusions. (Thru 1/1) theillusionistslive.com
iLuminate: This season of lights gets a spellbinding twist at this theatrical phenomenon where the performers are the light show and the end result is mind-blowing! (Thru 1/8) iluminate.com
The Imbible: Christmas Carol Cocktails: Raise a glass while learning how to mix cocktails past, present, and future courtesy of three Christmas Spirits. (Thru 12/30) imbible.org
Madeline’s Christmas: Ludwig Bemelmans’ spunky French tot is now the heroine of a sparkling Christmas musical! (Thru 12/18) kidsofthearts.com/madelines-christmas
The Magic Flute: Tony winner Julie Taymor’s colorful take on Mozart's fantasy opera brings a special magic to Lincoln Center! Family fabulous and unforgettable. (12/20 thru 1/5) metopera.org
Mother Africa: My Home: Against a musical backdrop, acrobats, dancers, contortionists and more, from various African nations, fill the stage. Excitement to spare & to share with the whole family! (Thru 1/1) newvictory.org
Northern Pole Territory: A Santastical Bit of Holiday Nonsense: A rooftop bar serving up interactive “adults only” holiday lunacy! (Thru 12/23) santastical.com
Pip’s Island: A wonderfully interactive adventure that lets little ones become treasure-seeking explorers. (Thru 1/8) pipsisland.com
THE RIDE: 5th Annual Holiday Edition: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa...all come into view from your perch on this luxury coach/traveling theatre. (Thru 1/8) experiencetheride.com
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: The Musical: Everything you loved about the TV classic, from the characters to the adventure, is now live and fabulous at Madison Square Garden! (12/1 thru 12/18) theateratmsg.com/rudolph
Seven in One Blow: Adapted from the Grimm fairy tale, this fun show comes with funny characters and a (painless!) lesson or two. (12/2 thru 12/20) axiscompany.org
Sing! A South African and American Musical Holiday Celebration: A joyful meshing of holiday songs and cultures. (Thru 1/1) singcelebration.com
Young Charles Dickens: Ages 8 and up will find this musical that shows the author of A Christmas Carol as a 12 year old boy enlightening, inspiring, and wonderfully entertaining! (Thru 12/18) theatrerow.org/clurman
2016: Year of “The Nutcracker”
Ballerina Swan and the Nutcracker: Puppetry meets ballet in this charming new musical for children. (Thru 12/18) nycchildrenstheater.org
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®: The Lincoln Center original sends Tchaikovsky’s iconic score soaring as 90 dancers bring toy soldiers, the Sugar Plum Fairy, et al to breathtaking life. (Thru 12/31) nycballet.com
The Hard Nut: Mark Morris’s retro-modern gender-bending love letter to the seasonal classic is absolutely irresistible! See it at the Brookyn Academy of Music. (From 12/10 thru 12/18) bam.org
Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker: Tchaikovsky’s music + energetic choreography = 60 minutes of awesome for ages 3 & up. (Thru 12/11) nytb.org
The Yorkville Nutcracker: Happy 21st anniversary to this blend of story and dance set against a dazzling backdrop of 1895 New York landmarks. (12/8 thru 12/11) dancespatrelle.org
Gifts For Theatre Lovers (Tickets, Please...)
Blue Man Group: Three guys who know how to paint the town primary colors and spread manic fun! The perfect present for anyone ready to unleash their screwball alter-ego. At blueman.com check out the prodigious array of gifts including the very swell book Blue Man World.
Puffs, or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic: Any Harry Potter fanatics in your life? Stuff their stockings with tickets to this shabby-chic/in-joke parody. PuffsThePlay.com
“I Want to Have the Total Broadway Kit and Caboodle Pie.” The hit Broadway musical Waitressis serving up a scrumptious five-piece package that includes the original Broadway cast recording (a 2017 Grammy nominee for Best Musical Theatre Album!), a limited-edition Waitress pie ornament, and a Fishs Eddy flour jar, butter dish, and guest check tray. waitressthemusical.com
