Mark holidays with on-stage offerings
The holidays are all about tradition, and that’s true on stages across the Valley. For dance lovers, of course, there are more “Nutcrackers” than you can shake a toe shoe at. And if you’re into theater, there’s family fare such as “A Christmas Carol” but also naughty options like Space 55’s “A Bloody Mary Christmas.” Here are our Top 10 picks for holiday shows this season.
‘A Christmas Story: The Musical’
The 1983 movie about 9-year-old Ralphie Parker’s quest for a Red Ryder BB gun has become a holiday tradition, and the stage musical adaptation is well on its way to attaining similar status. It doesn’t just re-create the favorite moments from the film, it one-ups them with big production numbers such as “A Major Award,” which features not just one sexy leg lamp but a Rockettes kick line of them.
Through Wednesday, Dec. 28. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. Call for prices. 623-7768400, azbroadway.org.
‘A Bloody Mary Christmas’
Space 55 Ensemble’s annual offering is billed as “the holiday musical for people who hate the holidays and musicals.” It’s an R-rated farce about three booze-swilling, F-bomb-dropping Sun City seniors who face eviction if they can’t come up with $5,000 in back fees for the homeowners association by Christmas. Joining in on the drinking is highly recommended for this one.
Through Friday, Dec. 30. Space 55, 636 E. Pierce St., Phoenix. $15-$20. space55.org.
‘Twist Your Dickens’
Ebenezer Scrooge and “A Christmas Carol” get an irreverent spin in this improv-driven comedy created by Chicago’s famed Second City troupe. Adult content, so leave Tiny Tim at home for this one.
Wednesday, Nov. 30, through Saturday, Dec. 24. Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road. $30 and up. 602-254-2151, phoenixtheatre.com.
‘Black Nativity’
Created by the Harlem Renaissaince poet Langston Hughes in 1961, this Afrocentric Christmas pageant blends traditional carols such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” with gospel numbers such as “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” along with Bible verses and old-fashioned exhortation. Black Theatre Troupe’s version is updated with 21st-century arrangements and new spoken-word pieces.
Friday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 18. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. $36. 602-258-8129, blacktheatretroupe.org.
A greedy king learns why it is better to give than receive in this fairy-tale musical for kids. The music is by Valley composer Craig Bohmler, who also wrote “Gunmetal Blues” and a new opera, “Riders of the Purple Sage,” that’s getting its world premiere in Phoenix next year.
Saturday, Dec. 3, through Saturday, Dec. 10. Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 8355 W. Peoria Ave. $14-$36. 623-815-7930, theaterworks.org.
‘Snow Queen’
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “Snow Queen” is Center Dance Ensemble’s modern-dance alternative to “The Nutcracker.” Dozens of kids join the professional cast in a charming fairy tale that’s been a tradition in Phoenix for more than a quarter-century.
2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 5 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 3-18. Lunch Time Dance Theater (shortened performances), 12:10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 and 16. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. $14-$28 ($6 Fridays). 602-252-8497, herbergertheater.org, centerdance.com.
‘Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold’
Patti Hannon has been dishing out hilarious tough love to her “students” in the “Late Nite Catechism” series since the last century. The holiday edition enlists the audience to become historical sleuths in a spoof of TV’s many crime-scene-investigation dramas.
Friday, Dec. 9, through Sunday, Dec. 18. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $39. 480-4998587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
iTheatre Collaborative’s
You’ll hear a few familiar tunes sung by a chipper crew of local musical-theater stars. But the real fun of this annual tradition is that piano man Jeff Kennedy changes things up with a surprising selection of newer songs and forgotten gems from the past.
Friday, Dec. 9, through Sunday, Dec. 18. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. $25. 602-252-8497, herbergertheater.org, itheatreaz.org.
Ballet Arizona, ‘The Nutcracker’
Ballet Arizona’s “Nutcracker” isn’t just the gold standard here in the Valley, it was named one of the best versions in the country by the New York Times. The dancers are great, of course — and that includes the kids — but the lavish production features top-notch visual effects, including cinematic video projections and a dazzling snow storm. Choreographer Ib Andersen also includes some cheeky contemporary humor, such a giant Mother Ginger performed by a male dancer in drag, “Gangnam Style.”
Friday, Dec. 9, through Saturday, Dec. 24. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. $25-$169. 602-381-1096, balletaz.org.