Haul out the holly! It’s time to celebrate the season with an assortment of holiday theater productions. There’s no shortage of holiday favorites for the Christmas traditionalists. For the Scrooges among us, there are some non-seasonal offerings too. Grab your candy cane, don your red and green, and then follow the sound of jingle bells and ho-ho-hos to the closest theater.
Cincinnati Music Theatre kicks off the traditional familiar favorites with A Christmas Story: The Musical (Nov. 14-22), where the Red Ryder BB guns, leg lamps and unfortunate bunny suits are supplemented with song. Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol returns to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (Nov. 21-Dec. 28) and NKU mounts their version of the show (Nov. 21-Dec. 7).
Fans of Bing Crosby’s iconic song “White Christmas” should check out the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts’ production of Holiday Inn (Dec. 4-28), a stage adaptation of the 1942 film where the song first appeared (the White Christmas film was released in 1954 to capitalize on the popularity of the song). Another film-to-stage production is It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Play (Dec. 9-10), featuring University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) students at The Carnegie. Theatergoers who prefer more music with fewer words can get their traditional jam on with Cincinnati Ballet’s The Nutcracker (Dec. 18-28).
If you love all the traditional shows but are so busy you can only pick one, perhaps Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of Every Christmas Story Ever Told (Dec. 10-28) will do the trick. It’s irreverent, but it covers everything from Dickens to the Grinch, with Rudolph, Charlie Brown and George Bailey thrown in for good measure.
Silencing years of silly debate, Die Hard is a Christmas Movie (Nov. 28-Dec. 21) at the Know Theatre definitively puts the argument to rest. Die Hard is, indeed, a Christmas movie. Perhaps not traditional, but still a Christmas movie. When Gen X is finally in charge, it will be officially added to the canon.
Another new, less divisive addition to the Christmas canon is Elf, the 2003 film starring Will Ferrell, which will be screened by the Cindependent Film Festival during Snowtime Cinema (Dec. 6). To quote Buddy the Elf, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati takes that to heart with Elf, the Musical (Dec. 5-21) in its new space at the Emery Theatre.
Cincinnati stages ring with the sound of music this holiday season. Cincinnati Arts Association presents a seasonal musical and two holiday concerts. In ‘Twas A Girls Night Before Christmas: The Musical (Nov. 29), a sequel to Girls Night: The Musical, the girls take a break from visiting in-laws and holiday stress for a night on the town. Christmas Together (Dec. 5) features Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and CeCe Winans performing holiday favorites, followed by Jim Brickman’s concert The Gift of Christmas (Dec. 13). Cincinnati Arts Association is also hosting an unexpected blend of genres with ABBA Holly Jolly Christmas (Dec. 7), a revue mixing ABBA classics and Christmas carols.
If you’re looking for inspiration to work off all those Christmas cookie calories, Exhale Dance Tribe celebrates with Hollapolooza (Dec. 5). Cincinnati Arts Association has two performances that’ll get you moving: Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico (Dec. 2) features musicians and dancers from Mexico sharing their Christmas traditions, and the variety show A Magical Cirque Christmas (Dec. 12) includes acrobats, jugglers and more.
For those looking to make new traditions or have a not-for-children holiday outing, make the drive up the road to The Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton. Seasonal Shorts (Dec. 10-21) features six short plays of holiday humor for grown-ups, including one by Cincinnatian Torie Wiggins.
By the time the holidays roll around, it’s easy to be already over it, after all, the decorations have been in stores since July. Luckily, for those looking to escape the Christmas chaos, there are plenty of options where the holiday is not part of the story.
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati presents It’s Fritz (Dec. 3-31). Fiona might be the most famous hippo in the world, but her little brother is still figuring out his place in Hippo Cove. His journey of discovery is the heart of this musical for all ages.
Because You’re Mine (Dec. 3-23) brings country music to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in a revue that showcases famous pairings. The music features songs by Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, John Prine and Iris DeMent and more.
Emerging talent on stage and behind the scenes enters the spotlight over the holiday season. Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative presents An Evening of Short Plays (Nov. 18) featuring staged readings of four plays. NKU highlights student talent with the First Year Showcase (Nov. 7-8) and Emerging Choreographers’ Showcase (Nov. 23-24). CCM’s The World Goes ‘Round (Dec. 4-6) is a revue featuring music by Tony Award-winning duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, known for Chicago and Cabaret.
Broadway in Cincinnati brings Hamilton (Dec. 16-Jan. 4) back to Cincinnati, so you can avoid the holidays and get a jump on your 2026 United States Semiquincentennial celebrations.
Give yourself the gift of theater this holiday season. Get more information on holiday shows and tickets by visiting theater websites.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s Nov. 12 print edition.
This article appears in Nov. 12-25.