SEEKING YULETIDE? OKC Philharmonic Brass Ensemble
Shows across Oklahoma to put you in the holiday spirit
The sights and sounds of the holiday season are coming to stages across Oklahoma.
From the beloved ballet “The Nutcracker” and the Dickensian drama of “A Christmas Carol” to popular seasonal concert tours like Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Oklahoma boasts more plum options for live yuletide entertainment this season than Santa Claus can carry.
Here are live shows you can catch in the Sooner State this season:
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9. Where: Center Court, Penn Square Mall, 1901 Northwest Expressway.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/okcphilharmonic.
The musicians will treat shoppers to seasonal hits.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, OKC and Tulsa
OKC: 7 p.m. Dec. 7, Paycom Center, 100 W Reno.
Tulsa: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15, BOK Center, 200 S Denver, Tulsa.
Tickets: https://www.trans-siberian.com/tour.
The rocking holiday favorite returns to the Sooner State on its 2023 winter tour, titled “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve – the Best of TSO & More.”
Red Dirt Rangers’ Kids Christmas Show
When: 2 p.m. Dec. 17
Where: Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. Tickets: https://reddirtrangers.com/schedule.
The venerable Payne County band brings its long-running holiday gig back to the renowned OKC listening room.
Bricktown Water Taxi Caroling Cruises
When: 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays through Dec. 22.
Where: Bricktown Canal. Information: https://artafloatokc.org/#events.
The holiday season of 45-minute musical excursions will feature talented local performers Sarafina Byrd, Rod Porter, Ckai Dawson and more. Passengers check in and board at Put a Cork In It Winery, 115 E California Ave.
Mannheim Steamroller, Tulsa
When: 8 p.m. Dec. 9.
Where: River Spirit Casino Resort, 8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa.
Tickets: https://tickets.riverspirittulsa.com.
The brainchild of record producer
and composer Chip Davis, the Grammy Award-winning holiday staple rolls into Tulsa for one night only.
Tequila Songbirds Christmas Show
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22.
Where: Blue Door.
Tickets: http://www.bluedoorokc.com/calendar.
The local singer-songwriters will flock together to play an all-ages holiday concert.
‘Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker’
When: Dec. 7-23.
Where: Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park’s black box theater, 2920 Paseo.
Tickets: https://www.okshakes.org/indoor-black-box.
Oklahoma Shakespeare closes its 39th season indoors with its original holiday production, which local playwright Erin Woods has adapted from Austen’s iconic novels.
Star Dance Company Holiday Spectacular
When: Dec. 7-10.
Where: Oklahoma City University’s Kirkpatrick Theatre, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave.
Tickets: https://www.okcu.edu/dance/performance/homeholidays.
More than 120 performers from OCU’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance will put on a high-energy holiday celebration.
Christmas Vespers
When: 8 p.m. Dec. 8 and 4 p.m. Dec. 9.
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 1001 NW 25.
Tickets: https://oklahomacity.csstix.com.
More than 250 choral singers and orchestral musicians will join forces for OCU’s 44th annual celebratory concert, including scripture, poetry, congregational singing of cherished carols and a candlelit finale.
Lyric Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’
When: Through Dec. 24.
Where: Plaza Theatre, 1727 NW 16. Information: https://lyrictheatreokc.com.
After staging the yuletide classic outdoors at the Harn Homestead for the past three years due to the pandemic, Lyric is bringing its 13th annual production of Charles Dickens’ often-adapted “Ghost Story of Christmas” back indoors.
‘Little Women: A Holiday Experience’
When: Through Dec. 9.
Where: Harn Homestead, 1721 N Lincoln Blvd.
Tickets: https://harnhomestead.com.
After hosting Lyric Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol” for the past three years, Harn Homestead is hosting a new immersive outdoor traveling production of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved 1868 novel, adapted by Storyteller Theatre Arts Co.
‘A Territorial Christmas Carol,’ Guthrie
When: Through Dec. 23.
Where: Pollard Theatre, 120 W Harrison Ave., Guthrie.
Information: https://thepollard.org. The nonprofit theater has staged its signature seasonal show — adapted by the late Oklahoman Stephen Scott from the classic novel by Charles Dickens — for 1,000 performances and 150,000 patrons over more than 30 years.
3rd Act Theatre Company’s ‘A Sherlock Carol’
When: Dec. 8-23.
Where: Shoppes at Northpark, 12100 N May Ave.
Tickets: https://www.facebook.com/3rdActTheatreCo.
The community theater presents the Oklahoma premiere of Mark Shanahan’s Dickens of a holiday mystery, starring Don Taylor as Sherlock Holmes and Peter Fischaber as Ebenezer Scrooge.
OKC Ballet’s ‘ The Nutcracker’
When: Dec. 8-18.
Where: Civic Center.
Tickets: https://www.okcballet.org. It’s the 60th anniversary of Oklahoma City Ballet’s first production of “The Nutcracker.” The company’s classic version of the yuletide mainstay will feature the OKC Philharmonic and Canterbury Voices, who will perform Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s treasured score live. A sensory-friendly performance is set for 6 p.m. Dec 18.
UCO’s ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ Edmond
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-9 and 2 p.m.
Dec. 9-10.
Where: UCO Jazz Lab, 100 E 5, Edmond.
Tickets: https://www.ucojaz-zlab.com/events.
The University of Central Oklahoma’s Musical Theatre Division is staging the musical adaptation of the iconic TV special.
‘RACE’s Hip Hop Nutcracker’
When: Dec. 8-10.
Where: OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.
Tickets: https://www.racedance.com.
RACE Dance Collective — a local professional hip-hop, contemporary and jazz dance company — is bringing back its original reimagining of the seasonal favorite, featuring students from OKC Public Schools. The 7 p.m. Dec. 9 performance will be presented with Spanishlanguage narration.
‘Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet,’ Midwest City
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 7.
Where: Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center.
Tickets: http://www.nutcracker.com.
The touring production features a multinational cast of 40 professional performers, including principal dancers from Ukraine and artists from Japan, Italy, Turkey and more.
‘ The Polar Express Train Ride’
When: Through Dec. 27.
Where: Oklahoma Railway Museum, 3400 NE Grand Blvd.
Information: https://okcthepolarexpressride.com.
A full theatrical show with a train car for a stage, the immersive ride faithfully follows Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved 1985 children’s book and Robert Zemeckis’ enduring 2004 computer-animated film starring Tom Hanks.