CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR Starring the Rockettes & More Lead Top Off-Broadway Shows for December
Each month we're rounding up 10 off-Broadway recommendations for audiences not to miss!
By: Team BWW Dec. 01, 2023
What's happening off-Broadway? BroadwayWorld is helping you pick what to see next by rounding up our top recommended theatre each month. Coming up off-Broadway this December are holiday favorites, New York City traditions, new Christmas productions, and more.
Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes
Radio City Music Hall
Now through January 1, 2024
A staple of the holidays in New York City, the Christmas Spectacular stars the incomparable Radio City Rockettes and features nine show-stopping numbers throughout the 90-minute production. The awe-inspiring show features intricate choreography and thrilling performances that leave audiences with a sense of wonder and amazement. Last year, the Christmas Spectacular debuted a newly reimagined lyrical number “Dance of the Frost Fairies,” turning Radio City into a wintry wonderland with The Rockettes performing as whimsical fairies while fairy-drones magically fly throughout the Music Hall. Since it opened at Radio City in 1933, the Christmas Spectacular has brought holiday joy to more than 70 million people from around the world.
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Now through Sunday, December 31, 2023
New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) acclaimed production of Balanchine’s masterpiece, which premiered on February 2, 1954, helped to establish The Nutcracker and its score as perennial favorites in the United States, evident by the now countless versions of the ballet performed all over the country. NYCB’s beloved production is seen by more than 100,000 people annually.
Highlights of this world-renowned holiday production include a one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 16 to 41 feet, an onstage snowstorm, and hundreds of elaborate costumes, including one for Mother Ginger that measures 9 feet wide and weighs 85 pounds. The production’s grand finale involves one million watts of lighting, the most used in any New York City Ballet production.
Company XIV's Nutcracker Rouge
Théâtre XIV
Now through January 27, 2024
Company XIV’s naughty take on the classic ballet returns for a 13th anniversary limited engagement at Théâtre XIV. Circus artists, enchanting chanteuses, burlesque dancers, and baroque extravagance fashion a dazzling symphony to liberate a familiar tale with sensual and opulent flair. Leave the kids at home and satisfy your sweet tooth at Nutcracker Rouge.
A Christmas Carol at the Merchant's House
The Merchant’s House
Now through December 24
This holiday season, Summoners Ensemble Theatre and the Merchant’s House Museum celebrate 11 years of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the MERCHANT’S HOUSE (29 East 4th Street, Manhattan). Surrounded by 19th century holiday decorations, flickering candles, and richly appointed period furnishings, audiences will be transported back 150 years in this captivating 70-minute performance created from Dickens’ own script.
It's December 1867 and Charles Dickens has arrived in New York City for a month of sold-out performances of his beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Be transfixed as Mr. Dickens, portrayed by actor John Kevin Jones, tells his timeless Christmas tale in the elegant intact Greek Revival parlor of the landmark 1832 Merchant’s House Museum.
The Best Christmas of All at Carnegie Hall
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23, 2023
The New York Pops—led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke— will ring in the holidays with two festive concerts, The Best Christmas of All, on Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The orchestra is joined by Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and SAG Award nominee Norm Lewis and Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA for its annual holiday tradition featuring a merry night of classic carols, contemporary favorites, plus a few surprises.
A Christmas Carol the Musical at The Players Theatre
Now through December 30, 2023
15th Smash Year of this lively musical adaptation of the classic Dickens tale. Follow along with Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by four ghosts; his old business partner Marley, the ghost of Christmas past, present and future. See what happens when he gets a glimpse of his own future if he doesn’t change his life. Will Scrooge catch the holiday spirit and save himself in the process? Find out by joining us for this special holiday show with a story so warm it will melt the cold heart of even the grumpiest Scrooge!
Brooklyn Ballet's The Brooklyn Nutcracker
Kings Theatre
Saturday, December 16
Brooklyn Ballet, a unique and interdisciplinary dance company that confronts convention and defies expectation, presents two performances of The Brooklyn Nutcracker at the majestic Kings Theatre in Flatbush, Brooklyn, on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. With its fusion of ballet, hip-hop, and a rich tapestry of global dance genres, The Brooklyn Nutcracker stands as New York's only culturally inclusive interpretation of this beloved holiday tradition.
ChestNUTS
The American Theater of Actors
December 6 - December 10, 2023
Experience an evening of laughter and unexpected holiday cheer with "ChestNUTS," a unique collection of one-acts, songs, and poems at the American Theater of Actors. This special event, running from December 6th through December 10th, is the brainchild of veteran comedy writers Gary Apple ("The Simpsons," "Christmas In Hell") and Dirk Burrows ("Catch And Release," "The Poly Plays.")
Audiences can look forward to the world premieres of one-act plays "Yankee Swap" and "Ho!" by Burrows, as well as "Wheeler vs Wheeler" and "The Girl Who Spoke Subway" by Apple, all adding up to an 80-minute journey of twisted holiday tales and humor.
Fluffy the Pine
The Wild Project
December 7-10, 2023
SUPA Entertainment and Forager Theatre Company will present the original work of “Fluffy the Pine” with book, music and lyrics by pop music duo Susan Paroff and Nikki Sorrentino. “Fluffy the Pine” is a campy pop musical comedy that promises to captivate audiences with its high-octane music, hilarious characters, and heartfelt story. We follow Fluffy from a rural tree farm in Alaska to the Big Apple, where Fluffy must convince the dysfunctional Crude family that their newly created, edible plastic is bad for the world. With the help of Hannah the Hanukkah Bush and Tarry the Tall, Fluffy embarks on a magical adventure to show the world what real trees can do.
A Grey Gardens Christmas: A Loving Tribute Musical Parody
Cre8tive NYC Studios
December 1, 2023 - January 12, 2024, Most Fridays at 8 PM
This unique and respectful tribute to the Beales, conceived by the creators of "The 'Original' Golden Girls LIVE: On Stage!", is now slated to continue captivating New York audiences every Friday at 8 PM through January. The audience is invited to explore the complex dynamics of the Beales' relationship, their enduring legacy, and the universal themes of family, resilience, and love.
"A Grey Gardens Christmas: A Loving Parody" is a rich tapestry that weaves together moments of light-hearted comedy with poignant, tender scenes. It delves into the lives of the Beales, exploring their eccentricities, challenges, and the unbreakable bond they shared. This production not only entertains but also enlightens, offering insights into the human condition and the strength found in familial bonds.
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