A CHRISTMAS CAROL and WHITE CHRISTMAS Begin at The Shaw Festival This Winter

The Shaw Festival is preparing to deck the halls once again with a pair of holiday favorites, as A Christmas Carol and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas returning this winter. The season begins November 1 at the Royal George Theatre with A Christmas Carol, followed closely by White Christmas opening November 7 at the Festival Theatre.

“The magic of the holiday season is close at hand, and we’re thrilled to welcome audiences back to Niagara-on-the-Lake to experience it,” said Artistic Director Tim Carroll, who adapted and directs A Christmas Carol. “Come join us and add more warmth, wonder, and joy to your holidays with A Christmas Carol—the perfect annual reminder of what this season is truly about—and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, featuring dazzling performances, nostalgic charm, and timeless songs that will put you in the festive spirit.”

For Carroll, this year’s A Christmas Carol carries special meaning. “Things come full circle this holiday season,” he added. “I’ll be directing my adaptation of A Christmas Carol—the final show to be staged at the current Royal George Theatre—just as I did when The Shaw first presented it in 2017.” The Royal George Theatre is set to close for a major rebuild following the holiday playbill’s conclusion on December 21.

At the Festival Theatre, Kate Hennig will direct Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, the classic musical based on the beloved Paramount Pictures film. Featuring showstopping choreography, glittering costumes, and some of the most recognizable tunes in the American songbook, White Christmas promises a nostalgic escape filled with humor, heart, and high-kicking holiday spirit.

The production stars Jeff Irving as Bob Wallace and Kevin McLachlan as Phil Davis, the former soldiers turned song-and-dance men who follow sister act Mary Antonini (Judy) and Camille Eanga-Selenge (Betty) to Pine Tree, Vermont, where they stage a Christmas spectacular to save a struggling inn. David Keeley plays General Henry Waverly, with Jenni Burke as Martha Watson.

Hennig leads a powerhouse creative team that includes Music Director Paul Sportelli, Choreographer Allison Plamondon, Set and Costume Designer Judith Bowden, Lighting Designer Kevin Lamotte, and Sound Designer Joanna Lynne Staub.

Rounding out the ensemble are Matt Alfano, Vivienne Atwood, Alexander Batycki, Jason Cadieux, Kristi Frank, Taylor Garwood, Élodie Gillett, Alexandra Gratton, Daniel Greenberg, Matthieu Handfield, Bryce Johnson, Julia Juhas, Celine Jung, Graeme Kitagawa, Shona Kiyama, Allison McCaughey, Madelyn Miyashita, André Morin, Kyla Musselman, Ruthie Nkut, Éamon Stocks, Kelly Wong, and Shawn Wright.

Stage management is led by Allan Teichman, assisted by Annie McWhinnie and Becca Jorgensen. White Christmas is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals and is recommended for audiences ages 8 and up.

Performances of A Christmas Carol begin November 1 and continue through December 21, while Irving Berlin’s White Christmas runs November 7–December 21. Both productions promise to deliver the Festival’s signature blend of theatrical excellence and seasonal joy.