Previews: SARA SHEPERD Brings Her Holiday Show PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS to the Blue Strawberry Showroom And Lounge

Broadway’s Sara Sheperd returns to St. Louis with her new cabaret show “Please Come Home for Christmas.” Sheperd invites audiences to “slow down, get cozy, and enjoy the tunes of Broadway and the Holidays” at Blue Strawberry on December 13, 2025.

Audiences will remember her performance as Carole King in 2024’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at The Muny. Sheperd was nominated for a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for that performance.

Sheperd told Broadway World that when Jim Dolan invited her back to perform at Blue Strawberry, she couldn’t resist choosing a date in December. “I thought it would be really fun to do a holiday themed show.” She continued, “I love the holidays.  This show will have some holiday songs, and some Broadway tunes too!” She shared that the Broadway numbers will have themes of home, family, and community to have some cohesiveness with the rest of the show.

When asked about her favorite holiday song, Sheperd pointed toward the show title. “I like Please Come Home for Christmas.”

Sheperd will also feature a St. Louis favorite from the musical Meet Me in St. Louis. “I included Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in the show because Meet Me in St. Louis has a special place in my heart. I played Tootie when I was 5 years old. It was my first time on stage.”

She has another tie to St. Louis. Her father Scott Sheperd lives here. He will have a prominent role in her show at Blue Strawberry. Her dad will music direct and accompany her on piano. They’ve been planning the show remotely. She is planning to arrive a few days early to rehearse with her dad and put the finishing touches on the show.

“It is just me and my dad. He played for me when I did my other show in St. Louis. I came up with the set list and he’s helping me choose keys and arrange the music. He turns 80 just a few days after our performance at Blue Strawberry,” she said

Her father Scott and her stepmom moved to St. Louis in 2007. It was the same year that Sheperd made her Muny debut while in college at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. That summer she performed in Hello! Dolly!, The Pajama Game, and Les Misérables.

This year Sheperd starred as Grizabella in CATS at The Fulton Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “This show meant a lot to me. This was the first show I had done outside of Beautiful in a very long time. I was so excited to dive into a whole new role,” she exclaimed. She talked about Director Marc Robin’s unique concept, singing the Andrew Lloyd Webber score, and working with some incredible dancers. “The cast was unbelievable!” She called the experience wonderful.

Sheperd is looking forward to spending Christmas in New York City with her boyfriend and their three fur babies. She said that every year they do something very simple. “We get pizza or Chinese food and eat throughout the day!” She said her boyfriend works in the hospitality industry and often works on holidays. Following Christmas she travels home to Ohio to spend a week with her sister’s family. “I usually ring in the New Year in Ohio!”

In addition to mentioning her favorite holiday songs that she’ll perform at Blue Strawberry, Sheperd shared some of her other holiday favorites. “I like an iced sugar cookie with sprinkles and an egg nog with a touch of bourbon.” She said her favorite holiday movie is Home Alone.

Sheperd last appeared here with the Cabaret Project of St. Louis in the upstairs ballroom at The Sheldon. Broadway World called her a wonderful singer and a magnificent storyteller. The review said, “she charmed the audience with her warmth, entertained them with her sumptuous voice and delicious vibrato, and left them feeling connected to a humble and kind artist.”

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