A Very Naughty Christmas - - West End Articles Page 15

The Listies Ruin Xmas is a show with a mission: to make families laugh as much as possible in 55 minutes.

Two of the Valley's favorite and most-celebrated actors will bring their special gifts to the holiday season in limited engagement one-person performances of Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Carol, and David Sedaris' hilarious anti-holiday tale, The Santaland Diaries.  Produced by Arizona Theatre Company in association with the Herberger Theatre Center, both shows will play in an intimate custom-built 250-seat stage-within-a-stage located in the grandly theatrical setting of Center Stage in downtown Phoenix.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, presents the Southern California regional premiere of Georges Feydeau's classic French farce, A Flea in Her Ear - considered the greatest of French farces -- in a new version written by David Ives. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, the show begins previews on September 6 and plays through November 22, 2015 (opens on September 12). Flea is the first production in A Noise Within's 2015-2016 BREAKING & ENTERING season, and is followed by the world premiere translation/adaptation of Jean Anouilh's Antigone by Robertson Dean (September 20 to November 20) and All My Sons by Arthur Miller, the Company's contribution to the global Miller Centennial Celebration(October 11-November 21).

Steven Berkoff and Shobu Kapoor return to the stage to play opposite Sanjeev Bhaskar in the world premiere of Anthony Horowitz's new play Dinner with Saddam.  The production, directed by Lindsay Posner, opens on 22 September, with previews from 10 September, and runs until 14 November.

Tim Minchin talks MATILDA!

The Yule Lads are not simply mischievous creatures imagined by the author. These 13 little half-ogre, half-troll beings have been Icelandic legends for generations. Now, they have been brought to life in a beautifully illustrated children's book, 'The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads,' authored by local Morton resident Heidi Herman. Nordic Tale Shared for Generations The legend began at least 1500 years ago. Passed down from generation to generation in Iceland, Herman distinctly remembers being enchanted by the story as a child hearing it from her mother, Ieda, a native Icelander and author in her own right. Ieda published her memoirs in 2013, prompting Heidi to write children's stories based on the legends her mother wrote about. The Yule Lads is the first story available in print. Mischievous by nature, each with their own personality, the Yule Lads are creatures that venture from their hiding spot only 13 days a year, just before Christmas. They each sneak into towns, one at a time, and leave gifts for good children (or a rotten potato for naughty children), cause a little mischief, have a little fun, then one by one, return to their remote mountain home. The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads centers on one of the little creatures, Stekkjastaur, known as Sheep Cote Clod in English. Stekkjastaur is discovered by a shepherd boy, and to buy his silence (and his own protection), gives the boy a little gift. What happens next is surprising and heartwarming. Beautifully Illustrated & Modernized for Worldwide Audience Herman is thrilled to have modernized the tale she remembers from her mother's homeland, and says she simply had to write it. 'I wrote it because it needed to be written. There isn't very much out there about Iceland,' says Herman, noting that she could find references retelling the legend of the Yule Lads, and a charming poem from 1932, but an actual narrative has never been recorded. Now the folk tale is available so that families worldwide can share the story with the each generation. Herman knows the impact fairy tales have on children, and loves that this story not only has genuine entertainment value, but is full of family values and morals. Children, as well as parents, she says, will enjoy the rich illustrations as well as the moral behind the story. Another fun facet of 'The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads' is the unique cultural aspect, one which is absent in most children's stories in many parts of the world. 'It is an introduction to folk tales and legends from Iceland. It's something fresh and new,' she says. The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads by Heidi Herman will be available at a special introductory price for a limited time on Amazon.com beginning April 27, 2014.

The Collegiate Chorale announces that Ron Rifkin will join the cast of the US Premiere of Kurt Weill's The Road of Promise tonight, May 6, 2015 at 8pm and May 7, 2015 at 7pm at Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019.

The Collegiate Chorale announces that Eli Tokash will join the cast of the US Premiere of Kurt Weill's The Road of Promise on May 6, 2015 at 8pm and May 7, 2015 at 7pm at Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019. Tickets are $30-$135 and are available at www.carnegiehall.org, CarnegieCharge 212-247-7800, or the Box Office at 57th and Seventh. For more information, visit http://collegiatechorale.org/performances/the-road-of-promise.

The 2015/16 Season at Syracuse Stage is bookended with comedies. Opening the season in October is Steve Martin's farcical romp The Underpants. The season will close in May 2016 with a brand new madcap comedy spoof of Sherlock Holmes' most famous case in Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: a Sherlock Holmes Mystery.

The Collegiate Chorale announces that Ron Rifkin will join the cast of the US Premiere of Kurt Weill's The Road of Promise on May 6, 2015 at 8pm and May 7, 2015 at 7pm at Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019.

ZACH Theatre is pleased to announce the 2015-16 season with reinventions of contemporary musicals, boundary-breaking plays, and holiday entertainment for those naughty and nice.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

This February and March 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents a new Off-Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's Tony Award-winning Into the Woods. Directed by Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, this production premiered in May 2013 at the McCarter Theatre in association with the Fiasco Theater. Into the Woods officially opens tonight, January 22, 2015 at the Laura Pels Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

MAMMA MIA is a show full of many ABBA favorites such as "Winner Takes It All" and "Dancing Queen." The story is endearing and funny as a family tries to unite and work together preparing for the wedding of Donna's only child, Sophie

On Monday December 22 the terribly amusing song stylist Cortes Alexander presented his annual Swell Noel to an uber packed house at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Alexander has such frenetic energy and charm that, and I've said this before, you just want to wrap him up. What a joyous Christmas present...and with his two glorious backup singers, the Swell Girls Melissa Bailey and Julie Gar

Singer-guitarist Wendell Ferguson is the anti-Claus. And I was reminded how much I enjoy his Yuletied parodies earlier this month at the CBC taping of this year's Royal Canadian Air Farce New Year's Eve comedy special. Remember the kid in the horror movie 'The Omen' who turns out to be the anti-Christ? Gregory Peck checked the lad's scalp and found three sixes - the sign of the beast - in a circle? Well, if you were to check Wendell's scalp, you'd find three 'Hos' in a circle instead!

Get up off your couch; pass through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and head on down to the Curran Theatre to see everyone's favorite Elf - Buddy! This family friendly Christmas spectacular is going to bring the whole family into the holiday season with a hop skip and a Christmas carol with the whole cast of Elf. Playing now through December 28, Santa, Buddy and the whole cast of Elf are sure to bring Christmas joy to every girl and boy - and adults!

The podcast no one is talking about is about to take on the podcast that everyone is talking about. On December 21 at 7 p.m. the Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) will present The Last Hurrah's Very Serial Christmas Special.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Alexander Fraser, Producing Director, Robyn Goodman, Executive Producer, Josh Fiedler, Producer & Stephen Kocis, Producer) warmly welcome the cast and creative team for the 2014 season finale, PLAID TIDINGS, A special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid, singing holiday standards like 'Jingle Bells', 'Let it Snow' and 'I'll be Home for Christmas' in perfect, Plaid harmony!

TLC announces holiday scheduling including special episodes of 'Long Island Medium' & 'Extreme Cheapskates'.

This December and January 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Scroll down for details!

'Tis the season to be jolly! Animal Planet gets into the holiday spirit with its annual HOLIDAY BEST FEST programming event. Beginning Monday, December 15 and continuing through Wednesday, December 31, Animal Planet kicks off a 17-day celebration, thanking its viewers by stuffing their stockings with seasonal-themed episodes of fan-favorite series.

Marking 27 days until Christmas, today we pay tribute to an instantly recognizable Oscar-winning seasonal selection penned by Golden Age Broadway and Hollywood music master Frank Loesser, 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Alexander Fraser, Producing Director, Robyn Goodman, Executive Producer, Josh Fiedler, Producer & Stephen Kocis, Producer) warmly welcome the cast and creative team for the 2014 season finale, PLAID TIDINGS, A special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid, singing holiday standards like 'Jingle Bells', 'Let it Snow' and 'I'll be Home for Christmas' in perfect, Plaid harmony!