When it comes to the holidays, Andy Williams said it best when he crooned the line, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Williams may have been referring to Christmas trees and festive treats, but we’re particularly jolly over the holiday shows popping up around Seattle this season. Whether you plan to keep it classic with The Nutcracker ballet or want to laugh away the winter blues, the next two months are brimming with dance, burlesque, comedy, and live music — all with a merry, seasonal twist. So, Check some names off your list with an early gifts of tickets, or start a new tradition with those you hold dear. Whether you’ve been good, bad or in between, there will always be time for some holiday cheer.

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show

Returning to Seattle for the seventh year, drag artists BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon — dubbed the Queens of Christmas by Entertainment Weekly — present The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show. The all-new performance, written by the duo (and directed and the joy, humor, glamour, and sequins you’ve come to expect from Jinkx and DeLa, all wrapped up in a singing, dancing Christmas-themed spectacular. “All the lights and songs and trappings of the holidays were created to help get us through the coldest, darkest part of the year,” DeLa says. “To keep our spirits bright as we steel ourselves for the winter to come and remember that spring will return once again. In a world that feels increasingly dark, please come make some light with us. We will gladly share our warmth.”

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show runs Dec. 21–24 at the Moore Theatre

The Seattle Symphony Holiday Shows

A wellspring of holiday entertainment, the Seattle Symphony has nine seasonal offerings this year, from family-centric activities to the classic performances of Handel’s Messiah. Kicking off the month of December, Tony Award-winning singer Leslie Odom Jr. makes a stop in Seattle. Later in the month pianist Chloe Flower brings a fresh take to the holiday classics, and for three nights the symphony will play along with showings of Home Alone. Additional performances include Northwest Boychoir, Canadian Brass, and the interactive, youth-focused Jingle Bell Bash.

“The Seattle Symphony’s holiday season offers something for everyone,” says Raff Wilson, the symphony’s vice president of artistic planning. “This season, we present everything from festive family sing-alongs to classic films with live orchestral scores. We invite you to Benaroya Hall for a series of concerts designed to bring loved ones together, sharing joyful music, and igniting the spirit of the season.”

For a complete list of performances and dates, visit seattlesymphony.org.

A Christmas Carol

Revisit a holiday favorite with ACT’s production of A Christmas Carol, now in its 49th year. Adapted from Charles Dickens’ classic morality tale by the late Gregory A. Falls, the drama tells the story of the rich but stingy Ebenezer Scrooge, who, one cold Christmas Eve, is visited by three spirits who take him on a journey through his past, present, and future, opening up the old man’s eyes to the true meaning of Christmas. Directed by R. Hamilton Wright for the fifth time, the production welcomes prominent local actor Darragh Kennan for his second turn as Ebenezer Scrooge. “The way in which we end up telling this story only reveals itself when we all gather in the room and start exploring the text together,” Wright says.

“In my experience, all of the most wonderful moments of storytelling in a play are discovered almost by accident as actors navigate their way through the play. Many of what I think are my best ideas — notions that come to me in the shower or while brushing my teeth or taking a walk — end up discarded because something better just blossomed in the rehearsal room. So, what can I say? I know we will have a different opening to the play, but exactly what it will look and feel like is still to be discovered.”

A Christmas Carol runs Nov. 29–Dec. 27 at ACT Theatre.

Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker

A beloved holiday treat, Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann’s Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker returns to the Triple Door to tantalize with opulent costumes, top-tier talent, and original choreography from Verlaine herself. Based on the popular Christmas classic, Land of the Sweets features original jazz arrangements of the Tchaikovsky score by Jasper McCann, Kate Olson, and Michael Owcharuk. Described by Verlaine as “a technicolor explosion of holiday glamour for grownups,” this year’s show will include the return of a Pacific Northwest Ballet-trained dancer from New York City, “to bring some bawdy ballet to our holiday magic. Where professional dancers and musicians frolic in a world that is nostalgic enough to tug at your heart and naughty enough to spice up your gathering.”

Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker runs Dec. 11–29 at the Triple Door.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

Part of Seattle Theatre Group’s 24/25 Performing Arts Series, Cirque Dreams Holidaze brings all your favorite seasonal storybook characters to the stage for a fantastical holiday performance. Featuring sugarplums, toy soldiers, reindeer, penguins, and more, this 90-minute extravaganza of circus arts is a unique opportunity to see aerial acts, jump-ropers, sleight-of-hand jugglers, acrobats, and more. “Our Performing Arts Series centers storytellers, entertainers, and artists with big ambition— people who are growing, reaching, and creating to bring the community together,” says Jack McLarnan, STG’s associate director of performing arts programs. “At STG we always want to make space for magic and fun and celebrate the potential for greatness in all of us. The shows in this season do just that, and we are excited to continue to create opportunities for audiences to discover something new.”

Cirque Dreams Holidaze runs Dec. 6–7 at the Paramount Theatre.

Jingle All The Gay

Get ready for side-splitting laugher with a holiday show that’s a little different — in a very good way. Now 15 years in, Kitten N’ Lou are bringing back their annual production of Jingle All the Gay (this year at the Neptune Theatre), a heartwarming and raucous story about finding joy, connection, and family — in many different forms — during the yuletide season. “This show has always been a haven to come home to every year for folks who sometimes feel disconnected from the holidays,” Lou says, “and we are excited to celebrate with everyone in our fabulously grand new home, The Neptune Theatre. Expect beloved favorites (the re-
turn of Cherdonna!) as well as fun new surprises, but ultimately the same beating heart the show has always had: sharing love and laughter in trying times with the people we choose to call ‘family.’”

Jingle All the Gay runs Dec. 13–15 at the Neptune Theatre.

 

A Very Die Hard Christmas

It’s an age-old question: Is Die Hard, the 1988 action thriller starring Bruce Willis, a Christmas film? We may never settle the answer, but this season, a holiday show not to miss is A Very Die Hard Christmas, returning for a 30-show run at Green Lake’s Seattle Public Theater. Presented by The Habit Comedy team, led by writer Jeff Schell and producer-director Mark Siano, the fast-paced comedy parodies the cult classic action flick, complete with slick villains, violent battles, and smooth ‘80s music galore. The show stars local talents Jason Marr as John McClane and Rebecca Olson/Valerie Ryan Miller as Hans Gruber. “A Very Die Hard Christmas has Christmas in the title, and we sing Christmas songs and wear Christmas sweaters, we make fun of Santa, Bruce Willis, Jesus, and Hans Gruber all in the same sentence,” says creator Mark Siano. “Thousands of people flock to Green Lake each year for this comedy, and it has become an annual tradition for friends and family reuniting around Christmas.”

A Very Die Hard Christmas runs Nov.22–Dec. 22 at Seattle Public Theater. SOLD OUT but you can still get tickets through the rush list.

 

Black Nativity

Returning for the second year from Intiman Theatre, and in partnership with The Hansberry Project, Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity will feature a cast of 30 local actors, dancers, musicians, and choir members. Premiered off-Broadway in 1961, Black Nativity tells the nativity story from an African American perspective through gospel music, scripture, dance, and poetry. Directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, the show is experiencing a spirited return to the stage after a decade-long absence. “Black Nativity endures because we are hungry for community and connection. This event feeds that hunger. We gather together with the intention to lift our spirits and share our voices,” Curtis-Newton says. “It speaks to our desire to be in communion with each other. That’s what it has always meant. People can expect a joyous evening of communal singing and uplifting storytelling. It is an amazing experience, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

Black Nativity runs Dec. 4-29 at Broadway Performance Hall.

 

The Nutcracker

There’s just something about The Nutcracker. Whether it’s your first or 20th time seeing the holiday classic, the magic never seems to fade. Danced by Pacific Northwest Ballet’s company (plus delightful appearances from more than 70 PNB school students), with scenic and costume design by the late author and illustrator Ian Falconer (known best for his Olivia children’s book series), the ballet showcases the skill and talent of PNB’s world-class dancers in an accessible, familiar tale.

“The Nutcracker has always been and will always be an entry point for many into the world of ballet,” says PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal. “It was mine as an audience member and later as a party guest. The care and commitment exhibited by rehearsal directors, student performers, and a massive team backstage, onstage, and in the orchestra pit, is part of a wondrous tradition of welcoming and introducing people of all ages and all cultures to the magic of dance.”

The Nutcracker runs Nov. 29–Dec. 28 at McCaw Hall.

Wonderland

Another seattle holiday tradition, Can Can’s Wonderland is a bold holiday cabaret, reimagined in its 11th year to blend cherished show favorites with new sexy surprises. In the heart of Pike Place Market, the Can Can transforms into a cozy winter chalet for the season, the perfect backdrop for choreography from the talented Fae Pink, whose years of professional dance experience shine on the stage through Can Can’s spectacular troupe of performers. In addition to evening and 21-plus performances, Can Can is offering all-ages matinee shows with no age restrictions. “We are always thrilled when our annual holiday hit, Wonderland, awakens from hibernation and spreads its festive charm among our audiences and crew alike,” says Can Can Artistic Director Chris Pink. “It’s as if a confetti cannon adorned with sparkle and glitter, filled with cheer and joy, has burst over Seattle for those who believe in the Can Can holiday spirit.”

Wonderland runs Nov. 21–Jan. 5 at the Can Can.

The Dina Martina Christmas Show

A local favorite, performer Dina Martina returns to ACT Theatre with her annual Christmas extravaganza. Combining traditional and contemporary holiday tunes with Martina’s razor-sharp comedic sensibilities, this year’s show will, according to its star, “be a veritable cornucopia of lavish/questionable costumes against a backdrop of sumptuous sets and hilarious new videos that evoke a thankfully bygone era, augmented by a salpicon of rare and unwanted gifts for hapless audience members. To cap off this festive buffet (is) a sneezeguard of new and used songs that’ll warm your heart and empty your stomach. Cream of the drawer.”

The Dina Martina Christmas Show runs Dec. 6–24 at ACT Theatre.