Carrie Keranen, Brendan Hunt (behind window) and Kate Wronowski in "Crumble" at Sacred Fools; Photo by Ed Krieger
It’s that magical time of year: family fun, good food and trash-talking reindeer.
And just like the many personalities in your favorite holiday family photo, LA offers a little something for everyone’s individual style and dietary restrictions. What better way to celebrate the season in Los Angeles than skip the pepper-spraying mobs and discover terrific holiday shows for dreamy kids of all ages, cynical hipsters and everyone else on Santa’s list?
First up, we have the NICE shows…
Family fare abounds in all pockets of our sprawling empire. This means classic holiday stories and plenty of musical magic.
Lowe Taylor, Julie Dixon Jackson, Misty Cotton and Bets Malone in "Winter Wonderettes" at Musical Theatre West
Winter Wonderettes, from Long Beach’s multiple-award winning Musical Theatre West, promises to delight all ages with ’60s-inspired, four-part, female harmonies in a high-energy, marshmallow world. This production boasts direction by Roger Bean, creator of the long-running prequel The Marvelous Wonderettes, and a well-tuned cast of Broadway and Off-Broadway veterans.
Tie a ribbon on that finger, as we must not forget the Ovation-winning Troubadour Theater Company with its musical mash-up A Christmas Westside Story at the Falcon Theatre in Toluca Lake. This original work combines the classic movie A Christmas Story with the Broadway musical West Side Story, in the wacky Troubie style.
William Crisp and Jessie McLean in the Chance Theater's "Anne of Green Gables"; Photo by Doug Catiller
For a seasonal musical without an overt holiday storyline, Anne of Green Gables at the award-winning Chance Theater in Orange County might fit the family entertainment bill. Adapted from the classic novel about Anne Shirley—a red-haired, wide-eyed orphan girl thrust upon a small town in 1878—this intimate musical theater experience is designed to leave audiences of all ages with plenty of warmth and cheer.
The Secret Rose in North Hollywood turns out an updated musical spin on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad. Complete with the ghosts, romance and spirit of the holidays, this 21st century revamp gives audiences a fresh new way to consume this holiday classic. And in the spirit of giving, proceeds from this production will be donated to Children International and the Valley Schools.
Chas Mitchell and Jim Cox in "Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad" at Secret Rose Theatre; Photo by David Sprague
South Coast Repertory is staging its 32nd annual production of Jerry Patch’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and additional (non-musical) takes on the Dickens story can be found at the Covina Center for the Performing Arts, Glendale Centre Theatre and the Grove Theater Center in Burbank. While the Covina and Glendale productions offer traditional interpretations, the Grove Theater Center creates a three-person retelling in Kevin Cochran’s adaptation. Knightsbridge Theatre is presenting two seasonal shows in rep — A Christmas Carol, set among the homeless, and A Voice of Our Own, billed as a “totally teen” take on the holidays.
For a Chanukah-inspired version of Christmas Carol, look no farther than Hollywood’s 68 Cent Crew. The Crew explores the ramifications of A Chanukah Carol, when a sudden casting change of the radio-play version leaves its production with a Jewish hero leading the way and making religious corrections in the premiere of this comedy.
Suzanna Guzman in "La Virgen De Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin" presented by the Latino Theater Company at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels; Photo by Carol Petersen
Despite reports of difficult fund-raising for its annual production of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin, at the downtown Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Latino Theater Company still plans to present it on Dec. 8 and 9. It tells the story of the Virgin Mary’s appearance to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531. Another offering for Spanish as well as English speakers is the Bilingual Foundation‘s annual production of Too Many Tamales, about a little girl’s Christmas Eve dilemma.
Of course, there are always those of us in need of our annual Frank Capra fix. Have no fear, help is on the way. There are at least two local nods to the timeless holiday classic reminding us all what happens every time a bell rings…
The Sierra Madre Playhouse offers the classic stage version of It’s a Wonderful Life adapted directly from the film version and featuring all the familiar characters, including Clarence the insecure but loveable guardian angel who shows our hero, George Bailey, the true value of friendship and the meaning of life.
Matt Herrmann and Jack Kandel in "It's A Wonderful Life" at Sierra Madre Playhouse; Photo by Lars Momsen
Theater Unleashed offers its own retelling of the Capra classic in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play. This loose adaptation of the against-all-odds redemption story centers around a radio station pulling it together for what may be its final shot on the air…or is it?
A TV special in 1962 is the setting for The Freddie Wyatt Christmas Spectacular, at Actors Co-op in Hollywood. The complete title is The Freddie Wyatt Bixby Petroleum Variety Hour Christmas Spectacular Extravaganza Show. It’s part of the company’s Co-op Two! offerings.
Tuck these family-oriented titles away on the holiday calendar, but be sure to leave a few dates open for some grown-ups-only theater outings. No one wants a lump of coal in the stocking, but there’s plenty of fun to be had after the little ones are snuggled all tight in their beds or before the in-laws arrive.
Here’s a holiday taste from the NAUGHTIER side…
Lewis Crouse, Richard Comeau, and Jeff Hellebrand take turns performing the role of Donner in "I Only Wanted the Best for Rudolph", one of "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues" at the Chance Theater; Photo by Christopher Trela
First up is the irreverent The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (either the Production Company‘s rendition at the Lex in Hollywood, or a grown-up alternate to Green Gables at the Chance Theater,). This holiday favorite (back for its ninth year at the Chance) features the confessions and often shocking truths revealed by Santa’s not-so-jolly, four-legged friends. Because when a doe say “No,” she means “No way, Sucka!”
Another popular skewering of the holidays resides in The Santaland Diaries, the solo show about the perils of department store elf-dom, as penned by acerbic funnyman David Sedaris and performed by Paolo Andino. It’s a Blank Theatre production at the Stella Adler Theatre, not at the Blank’s home base.
Across the street from the Blank’s home base, on Hollywood’s Theater Row, you’ll find Bob’s Holiday Office Party, back for the 16th year, this time at the Hudson Theatre. It’s about the gradually disintegrating Christmas soiree at a small-town insurance agency.
Not to be outdone in off-the-wall holiday story-telling, Sacred Fools is cooking up two festive, adults-only productions with Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) and the U.S. premiere of the hit British import The Christmas Present.
Crumble‘s darkly comedic family tale (set at Christmastime) presents the strained relationship between mother, daughter, figments of fantasy and the apartment where they all live. The Christmas Present takes audiences on an all-British romp (not Americanized in the slightest) depicting a “heart-warming tale for lonely people” when a well-meaning divorced man becomes enmeshed with not one, but two prostitutes during the holidays.
For those looking for LGBT themes, there are plenty of side-splitting, oh-no-you-didn’t productions to celebrate all that’s right with free speech and maybe a little bit wrong with the holidays.
Michael Taylor Gray as Scrooge in "Gay Apparel"; Photo by Jason Moyer
Celebration Theatre offers Christmastime is Queer 4 with another round of short plays inspired by the holidays and all the raucous relationship dilemmas the season can provoke. Designed to delight, tickle and blush you into some holiday cheer, CQ4 features all original work by local playwrights.
North Hollywood will play host to the West Coast premiere of The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever at the Avery Schreiber Theatre. As the title suggests, this holiday camp-fest boasts plenty of over-the-top characters balanced with lots of heart to entertain non-conservative adults of all ages.
Also returning to LA, back for its fourth year, Gay Apparel: A Christmas Carol creates yet another re-telling of the classic Dickens story with a fashion designer for a Scrooge, gay ghosts and the healing power of love and redemption. It’s nestled inside Space 916 on North Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood.
Of course, what holiday would be complete without the award-winning, fun-at-all-costs adventures at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group on Lankershim in North Hollywood?
First up, Zombie Joe’s delivers the late-night Christmas Thrills and High Adventure—a collection of sexy, time-jumping shorts exploring Christmas wishes and the secret fantasies of the big guy himself…Santa. This play with “high-octane musical interludes” promises plenty of zany fun.
The cast members of Zombie Joe's "Christmas Thrills and High Adventure"
We promised something for the hipsters and here it is — Zombie Joe’s Christmas 4 Bukowski. This holiday-inspired premiere presents the writing of Bukowski, including his finest poems and stories with a live musical score of original work and timeless classics.
And the list doesn’t stop there. For all the good theater-going boys and girls in LA, there’s something special just waiting to be discovered this holiday season. View our full LA Stage Alliance Calendar Listings for even more holiday gems, including those with special limited engagements or one-night only events.
With so many theaters in the greater Los Angeles area, there’s bound to be something playing in your very own neck of the woods or something that’s worth a modest sleigh ride.
Happy Holidays!
**Many holiday productions have limited runs or varying performance schedules. Please check theater locations, dates and times carefully when you reserve your tickets. If you have any questions about details for a particular production, please contact that theater company’s box office as directed on its website.
