BWW Q&A: Stephen Schellhardt of Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS at Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre will continue its 14th Broadway Series with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, running November 12, 2025 through January 11, 2026. Opening night is Friday, November 21 at 7 p.m. 

Based on the 1954 film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, the two-time Tony-nominated musical follows former GIs Bob and Phil—now a song-and-dance duo—who team with sisters Betty and Judy at a Vermont ski lodge owned by the men’s former commanding officer. The story builds to a lodge-saving show and a finale featuring the title song.

Paramount’s staging is directed by Stephen Schellhardt (returning after the Jeff Recommended The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), with a 14-person live orchestra performing Berlin standards including “Sisters,” “Snow,” and “White Christmas.” The production features large ensemble dance numbers, period costumes, and full scenic design in Paramount’s Grand Gallery setting.

Schellhardt said the revival’s appeal lies in both scale and sentiment, citing themes of camaraderie, tradition, and “paying it forward.” The director is also known to Paramount audiences for leading roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Into the Woods, and Fun Home.

Schedule & Tickets

Performances run through January 11: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Added holiday matinees are Friday, November 28 at 2 p.m. and Friday, December 26 at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), or Christmas Day (Dec. 25).

Tickets are $31–$106 (in-person purchase; additional fees apply for phone/online). The theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL.

STEPEHN SCHELLHARDT is a Jeff Award-winning director and thrilled to be back at Paramount working with this incredible group of artists. Recent directing credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Paramount Bold Series), Little Women, the Musical (Peninsula Players), Fun Home and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Porchlight Music Theatre), The Play that Goes Wrong, The Wizard of Oz, Footloose (The Barter Theatre), Queer Eye: The Musical Parody (The Second 
City), Big Fish (Jeff Award – Best Director), Urinetown, Dogfight at BoHo Theatre in 
Chicago where he served as company member and Artistic Director for several years, Greater Tuna (Timberlake Playhouse), Songs for a New World and Urinetown at Rockford University, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and the 88th and 89th Annual Waa-Mu Show at Northwestern University. Stephen is a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama.

What drew you to the project of Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Paramount Theatre?

I’ve been a fan of White Christmas since I was a kid. I love Irving Berlin’s music, the thrilling dance numbers and vibrant costumes. However, the overwhelming feeling of joy that this story gives me when I watch it, specifically its deep reverence for home, family, and the quiet heroism of service is what really drew me to this project. I consider the Paramount Theater an artistic home and I’m thrilled to be bringing this iconic story to Paramount audiences.

Can you share how you plan to pay homage to this iconic musical while also bringing in your unique vision?

My goal is to honor this story as honestly as possible. Audiences will be seeing the spectacle of huge dance numbers of various styles, gorgeous costumes and sets and Irving Berlin’s score played by a full orchestra, all while being balanced with an extra dose of truth and heart. We’re leaning into the nostalgic feeling this musical gives us while highlighting its themes of home, service, family, and love that make it so beloved by so many people.

How are you approaching the bright, bold, and dynamic aspects of the show, particularly in regards to costumes and dance numbers?

Audiences are in store for a fabulous feast for the eyes, as we are embracing the spectacle and pageantry of this glorious musical with all of the Parmount Theatre’s holiday flair.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas is a story that reminds audiences of what's important in life, can you share your thoughts on this and how it's reflected in your direction?

White Christmas is a love letter to the people who shape us: the friends who become family, the mentors who guide us, and the communities that hold us together. It’s about showing up for one another in the everyday acts of kindness that often go unnoticed. Whether it’s helping a friend chase a dream, lifting someone’s spirits with a song, or rallying to support a beloved General in need, this story reminds us that service is love in motion. In a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, White Christmas invites us to return to the warmth of shared memories, the comfort of familiar traditions, and the joy of giving and paying it forward. This story begs the question - how can we show up and show our love and appreciation to our fellow humans, and how can we find reason to do so every day? It celebrates what happens when we choose compassion over convenience and when we remember that the greatest gifts aren’t wrapped but felt. My hope is that our this story will be what our audiences all need right now during this holiday season. A little bit of hope and joy.

White Christmas has a thread of quiet heroism and service running through it. How does that theme resonate with audiences today?

It’s the season of giving and connecting with loved ones. Hopefully this musical will emphasize the important of empathy, telling your chosen family that you love them, and thinking of the ways each and every one of us can give back to the community around us as well as the world. Part of the way we hope to honor these important themes is by offering donated tickets for Veterans, in and around the Chicago area.

You’ve worked with an incredible team of artists at Paramount. What has made this collaboration special or different from past projects?

Every day on this project was a joy for me. I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by a dream cast, a creative team full of masters of their craft, and the unwavering support of the amazing Paramount staff.

What does “home for the holidays” mean to you personally, and how does that spirit appear in your staging?

Every single character in this musical finds their “home” during the course of this story. Home can mean something different to everyone, however, the feeling of being home and being around the people you have chosen as your community and realizing that the connections we all have are more important than our differences, is what brings us together. My staging aims to capture the journey all these characters must take in order to find their true home.

Why must audiences come and see the show?