Displaying items by tag: holiday theatre

Tis the season, in spite of today's unseasonable temps, as A Christmas Carol begins rehearsals for The Goodman's 49^th annual production of Charles Dickens' classic favorite. This year, a new Scrooge—Tim Hopper, acclaimed longtime Chicago actor—joins the production, directed by BOLD Artistic Producer Malkia Stampley for her second year. In addition, 11-year-old Sanjana Suraj (City of Lights Theatre's Annie) makes her Goodman debut as Tiny Tim, plus newly cast ghosts—Ghost of Christmas Past Rae Gray (Graveyard Shift), Ghost of Christmas Present Lachrisa Grandberry (The Color Purple) and the Ghost of Jacob Marley Gavin Lawrence (Dartmoor Prison). Other new faces among the 34-member company include Chad Bay (Remy Bumppo's Art), Sunnie Eraso (Lookingglass Theatre's White Rooster), Joryhebel Ginorio (Raven Theatre's Octet), Jyreika Guest (Definition Theatre's Cypress Bayou), Jourdan Lewanda (Steep Theatre's Our Dear Dead Drug Lord) and Amy Vargas Rivera (Wolf at The Door). Young performers Austin Hartung and Rio Lewis make their Goodman debuts, joined by three returning young performers: Ella Boparai—last year's Tiny Tim—Viva Boresi and Henry Lombardo. Rom Barkhordar (Yasmina's Necklace) joins the company as Scrooge for 10 performances. A Christmas Carol runs November 13 through December 31 (opening night is November 23) in the 856-seat Albert Theatre. For tickets ($34 - $188, subject to change), visit the Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Carol. The Goodman is grateful for the support of PNC (Major Corporate Sponsor).

Millions have rediscovered Dickens' classic at The Goodman over the past five decades—and know why it's "the best Christmas story ever told!" (Time Out Chicago). Follow the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Tim Hopper) as ghostly intervention transforms his holiday disdain into delight one fateful Christmas night. This timeless production, long heralded for its "first-rate cast and marvelous staging" (Chicago Sun-Times), is not to be missed.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Tim Hopper (Ebenezer Scrooge) last appeared at The Goodman in 2017 as Vanya in Uncle Vanya. He is a Steppenwolf Theater Company ensemble member and has appeared in many plays there, most recently Catch As Catch Can. He will be appearing in the upcoming A24 film Enemies, and also in Trash Mountain. Other films credits include School of Rock and To Die For. Television credits include Chicago Fire, Amazon's Utopia, Emperor of Ocean Park and Fargo, among others.

Rom Barkhordar's (Alternate Ebenezer Scrooge) Goodman Theatre credits include: Yasmina's Necklace, Ruined. Chicago credits include: A Prayer for the French Republic (Northlight); A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theatre); White Christmas (Marriott Theatre); The Band's Visit, A Distinct Society, Wife of a Salesman (Writer's Theatre); Mosque4Mosque (About Face Theatre); Acts of God, Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre); The Elephant Man, Homebody/Kabul (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Pravda, Halcyon Days, Not About Nightingales (Timeline Theatre). Regional credits include: The Band's Visit (TheatreSquared); The Art of Burning (Huntington).

Sanjana Suraj (Tiny Tim) is thrilled to make her Goodman Theatre debut in A Christmas Carol! Her recent stage credits include Young Fiona in Shrek and Lash in Dragon Jr. (Theater on the Hill); Orphan in Annie (City of Lights Theatre); and Young Krishna in Krishna Dance Ensemble (Samskriti). A dedicated musician and performer, Suraj trains in classical Indian music and dance, sings with her school's Honors Chorus, and is currently learning the flute. Offstage, you'll find her jamming to new tunes or immersed in her latest creative art project.

Malkia Stampley (Director) is a three-time Jeff-nominated director from Milwaukee and The Goodman's BOLD Artistic Producer since 2021. Goodman Theatre directing credits: Covenant, A Christmas Carol, BUST (associate director), Primary Trust, In My Granny's Garden, New Stages' This Part of His Life Blooms and Cephianne's Reflection. Additional directing: Remy Bumppo, Rivendell, Raven, Definition, Congo Square, TimeLine, Court, Chicago Shakespeare, Stage Left, Kansas City Rep, Orlando Shakespeare, Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee Chamber, Skylight Music, Black Arts MKE, Northern Sky, American Players, Farmers Alley, Northwestern, First Stage, Inc. Malkia is a facilitator with Civic Actors Studio at Court Theatre and a teaching artist with Remy Bumppo.

Company of A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Tom Creamer
Directed by Malkia Stampley

Rom Barkhordar...Alternate Ebenezer Scrooge
Ella Boparai...Emily Cratchit/Ignorance
Viva Boresi...Belinda Cratchit
Tatiana Bustamante...Belle/Ensemble
Amira Danan...Frida
Elleon Dobias...Musician/Felicity
Arash Fakhrabadi...Young Scrooge/Ensemble
Sól Fuller...Martha Cratchit/Fan
Joryhebel Ginorio...Ensemble
Brian Goodwin...Musician
Lachrisa Grandberry...Ghost of Christmas Present/Charwoman
Rae Gray...Ghost of Christmas Past
Jyreika Guest...Maxine Fezziwig/Abigail
Austin Hartung...Gregory Cratchit/Turkey Child
Benjamin Heppner...Musician
Gregory Hirte...Musician/Topper
Tim Hopper...Ebenezer Scrooge
Anthony Irons...Ortle/School Official/Old Joe
Chris Khoshaba...Dick Wilkins/Ensemble
Gavin Lawrence...Young Marley/Ghost of Marley
Helen Joo Lee...Mrs. Cratchit
Henry Lombardo...Peter Cratchit/Boy Scrooge
Jon Hudson Odom...Bob Cratchit
Robert Schleifer...Mr. Fezziwig
Anne Sheridan Smith...Ensemble
Sanjana Suraj...Tiny Tim/Want
Austin Tichenor...Crumb
Penelope Walker...Mrs. Fezziwig/Ensemble 

Understudies include Chad Bay, Sunnie Eraso, Jordan Golding, Jourdan Lewanda, Rio Lewis and Amy Vargas Rivera.

Creative Team

Choreographer and Associate Director...Breon Arzell
Composer...Andy Hansen 
Music Director...Gregory Hirte
Fly Director...Andrea Gentry 
Voice & Dialect Coach...Shadana Patterson
Costume Designer...Heidi Sue McMath 
Lighting Designer...Keith Parham 
Set Designer...Todd Rosenthal 
Sound Designer...Pornchanok "Nok" Kanchanabanca 
Associate Lighting Designer...Brian Elston
Assistant Director/Choreographer...Christopher Michael Richardson
Assistant Sound Designer...Daniella Brown
Young Performer Supervisors...Nihan Baysal and Habby Olusesi
Line Producer...Lena Romano
Second Line Producer...Sarah Slight

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA. Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager. Beth Koehler and Duncan McMillan are the Stage Managers.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman's accessibility efforts. 

ASL-Interpreted...December 4 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.
Audio-Described...December 5 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:00pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset.
Open-Captioned...December 6 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.
Spanish-Subtitled...December 6 at 7pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Sensory-Friendly...December 27 at 2pm – Softer lighting and sound; sensory items available for use.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been a theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for Chicagoland, where bold stories spark connection, conversation and change. Now, as it enters its second century, The Goodman builds on that legacy with an eye toward the future. Under the leadership of Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater continues to champion new work—following hundreds of plays developed and a national reputation for commissioning and premiering original stories by living writers—while reimagining classics and produce large-scale musicals.

But The Goodman's reach today extends beyond its home in the heart of the Loop. From the intimate magic of The Magic Parlour, now in its third year, to the boundary-pushing world of Theater of the Mind—an immersive experience that blurs the lines between science, storytelling and sensation—and from citywide initiatives like 100 Free Acts of Theater to partnerships with artists and companies across Chicago and around the world, The Goodman is expanding what theater can be, and where it can live.

At its core, The Goodman is driven by a belief that a more empathetic, more connected city is built one story at a time. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime—from babies and young children to teens, adults and seniors—including Theater for the Very Young (ages 0–5) and the beloved annual A Christmas Carol, which has welcomed audiences for five decades. Education and Engagement programs, led by Clifford Director Jared Bellot and based in the Alice Rapoport Center, use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging—reaching thousands each year, the majority from underserved communities.

With nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman remains a defining force in American theater—and the first to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's American Century Cycle. The theater also frequently serves as a production partner—from national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify a wide range of theatrical voices.

Founded by William O. Goodman and his family in memory of playwright Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, the theater carries forward a legacy of artistic ambition and civic generosity. With the help of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—that spirit continues to shape its future as The Goodman expands its impact across Chicago and beyond. Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

Oil Lamp Theater is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production and the final production in its 2026 season, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, November 20 - December 27, adapted by Joe Landry and directed by Becca Holloway at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes preview performances Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. with the opening performance Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances on Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be an understudy performance on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

This heartwarming production is the perfect way to embrace the spirit of the Christmas season. Experience unmatched holiday cheer with Frank Capra's beloved classic, It's a Wonderful Life, reimagined as a captivating Live Radio Play, complete with foley sound effects and set in Oil Lamp Theater’s WBFR radio studio.

Audiences are invited to journey to Bedford Falls, where George Bailey's troubles lead him to wish he was never born. Clarence, an angel sent to intervene, steps in to make his wishes come true and George quickly learns just how blessed he is and how many lives he has touched.

The cast of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play includes Ethan Smith (he/him, Jake Laurents); India Huy (she/her, Sally Applewhite); Adam Schulmerich (he/him, Freddie Filmore); Baxter Konstans (he/him, Harry “Jazzbo” Haywood); Julia Hope Budd (she/her, Lana Sherwood); Anthony Augustine  (he/him, Foley Artist); Christopher Ratliff (he/him, U/S Jake Laurents); Aly Mackenzie (she/her, U/S Sally Applewhite); Neil Figuracion (any, U/S Freddie Filmore); Payton Nesci (he/him, U/S Harry “Jazzbo” Haywood); Katherine Abel (she/her, U/S Lana Sherwood) and John N Williams (he/him, U/S Foley Artist).  

The production team includes Becca Holloway (she/her, director); Anthony Doyle (he/him, stage manager); Trenton Jones (he/him, scenic designer); Rachel D. Hemm (she/her, lighting designer); Taylor Pfenning (she/her, costume designer); Elly Burke (she/her, props designer); Conner Nicoson (they/them, technical director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager and sound designer) and Rose Leisner (she/her, company manager). 

ABOUT JOE LANDRY, playwright

Joe Landry's plays have been produced across the country and internationally and include It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (named one of the top-ten most produced plays by American Theatre Magazine). His other Live Radio Play adaptations include Vintage Hitchcock, Meet Me in St. Louis, War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast and A Christmas Carol, published through Playscripts/Broadway Licensing and Concord. Other plays include The Wicked Stage, Reefer Madness, Numb and Hitchcocked!. He attended Playwrights Horizons/NYU and has taught playwriting at Sacred Heart University.

ABOUT BECCA HOLLOWAY, director

Becca Holloway is a director/choreographer based in Chicago. She’s thrilled to return to Oil Lamp Theater, where she made her directorial debut 10 years ago! Favorite directing credits include Curious Circumstances of Louis Le Prince, Wise Guys, Die Hard 4 Your Luv (The Factory Theater), Muted (Red Theater) and Wanderlust and The Muses (Chicago Music Theater Festival). As an associate director: Godspell (Music Theater Works) and the upcoming Sunday in the Park with George (Paramount Theatre). Holloway has also worked extensively as a casting director for more than 30 productions including work with Wicked and The Lion King. 

Christmas Day is in our grasp. Why the vodka? Glad you asked! 

Who's Holiday! brings R-rated Cindy-Lou Who back to Theater Wit for her sixth consecutive year of adults-only holiday fun. 

Step inside Chicago’s #1 holiday bedazzled mobile home to meet Cindy Lou-Who, now 40, as she reveals the shocking true story of all the crazy things that happened after her Christmas Eve encounter with the Grinch. Veronica Garza, who earned a Jeff nomination for originating the role in Chicago, and recently won a 2026 Jeff Award for Best Performer in a Supporting Role in Marriott Theatre’s A Little Night Music, is back as Cindy Lou-Who – funny, flirty and foul-mouthed as ever.

First Cindy-Lou welcomes audiences into her mobile home at the base of Mount Crumpit for a festive holiday party. After plying her guests with party snacks and Malort, she spills the green tea about the twisted turns her life took after her Christmas Eve encounter with the Grinch.

The Chicago Reader called Wit’s annual holiday bon bon “a hell of a lot of fun…Garza’s performance offers surprises for her audience at every nook and cranny.” “Raunchy, hilarious, and shatteringly honest, you won’t even care that a tear sneaked out," raved Third Coast Review. Chicago Theater Review wrote Who’s Holiday! is “a very funny, often poignant production guided with panache by an excellent director.”

Director Christopher Pazdernik returns to direct Wit’s sixth outing of this hilarious, heartfelt holiday comedy by Matthew Lombardo. Also back is Angela Weber Miller’s Jeff Award-winning, Seuss-inspired set. Designers include Shelley Strasser, lights; Uriel Gomez, costumes; Lonnae Hickman, props, and Matthew R. Chase, sound and production manager.

Opening Night is Friday, November 27 at 7 p.m. Performances run through December 27: Saturday, November 28 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, November 29 at 3 p.m.; Monday, November 30 at 7 p.m. (Industry Night); Thursday and Friday, December 3 and 4 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 5 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December 6 at 3 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, December 10 and 11 at
7 p.m.; Saturday, December 12 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December 13 at 3 p.m.; Thursday, December 17 at 7 p.m., Friday, December 18 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Saturday, December 19 at
7 p.m.; Sunday, December 20 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Tuesday, December 22 at 7 p.m., Wednesday, December 23 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 26 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.: and Sunday, December 27 at 3 p.m. Run time is 70 minutes, no intermission. Tickets are $42-$70. Who’s Holiday! is for adults only. Tickets for children 12 and under are $500. Purchase tickets at theaterwit.org or call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150.

Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Convenient parking is available for $10 across the street in the lot behind Kubo restaurant (pay at the Theater Wit box office.) Neighborhood street parking is available, as are private paid lots (tip: book ahead and at a discount with Spothero). Theater Wit is also accessible via the CTA 77 Belmont bus, and is three blocks west of the CTA Belmont Red/Brown/Purple line stop. 

To learn more, visit theaterwit.org  or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.

“God bless us, everyone,” because there’s a fresh, new, reimagined version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale A Christmas Carol debuting in Chicago this holiday season.

Downtown Aurora’s award-winning Paramount Theatre is conjuring up an elegant and innovative new spectacle version of A Christmas Carol, based on the novella by Charles Dickens. Performances are November 11, 2026–January 3, 2027. Opening Night is Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m.

Paramount’s refreshing new take on A Christmas Carol is adapted and directed by Trent Stork, the two-time, Jeff Award-winning director of Paramount’s Come From Away and Kinky Boots. For A Christmas Carol, Stork has adapted Dickens' classic holiday tale specifically for the Paramount stage, replete with laughter, redemption, the most memorable characters in literature, elegant dance numbers, and live music throughout.

Reintroduce your family to Ebenezer Scrooge, the bitter and lonely miser, who is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts who take him on a journey through his past, present, and future. Along the way, Scrooge learns how to reexperience joy, compassion, and the power of generosity. Whether seeing Scrooge’s transformation for the first time or reliving the magic of the classic story, Paramount’s A Christmas Carol will leave audiences filled with hope and holiday cheer. Per tradition, a two-story Christmas tree in Paramount’s Grand Gallery welcomes audiences as the perfect backdrop for holiday photos before and after the show.

Rediscover the magic of the season at Chicago’s newest holiday production, ideal for friends and friends alike. A Christmas Carol begins previews Wednesday, November 11. Opening Night is Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m. Performances run through January 3: Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Exceptions: No matinee Wednesday, November 11, and no shows Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, or Christmas, Friday, December 25. There’s an added Thanksgiving weekend holiday matinee Friday, November 27 at 2 p.m.

Single tickets to A Christmas Carol are $34-$107 when purchased in-person. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders. Of course, tickets to A Christmas Carol make excellent holiday gifts.

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For tickets or subscriptions, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (630) 723-2461.

A Christmas Carol is sponsored by Jake’s Inc. and Rush Copley Medical Center.

Paramount’s cast for A Christmas Carol is led by (top, from left) Michael Moreland Milligan in his Paramount debut as Ebenezer Scrooge, with Scott Westerman as Jacob Marley, Shawn Pfautsch as Bob Cratchit, Aja Alcazar as Mrs. Cratchit, Isabel Arianna Romero-Rodriguez as The Ghost of Christmas Past, Jared David Michael Grant as The Ghost of Christmas Present, Ben Dow as The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, Schyler Vargas as Fred, (bottom) Russell Konstans as Mr. Fezziwig, Michelle Duffy as Mrs. Fezziwig, Will Lidke as Young Scrooge, Angel Alzeidan as Belle, Teddy Gales as Dick Wilkins, and Morgan Michelle Barber as Martha Cratchit and others. Youth performers Seamus Flynn and Julian Totleben alternate in the role of Tiny Tim.

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce Blue Man Group will bring its first-ever holiday production, "A NEW HOLIDAY SURPRISE," on the road this season. Chicago audiences will be among the first in the country to experience the all-new production. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 21. BLUE MAN GROUP’S A NEW HOLIDAY SURPRISE will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited three-week engagement, November 24 – December 13.

“Bringing Blue Man Group's first-ever holiday production to Chicago is an exciting milestone and a natural evolution of the iconic Blue Man experience,” said Marie-Josée Adam, President and CEO of Blue Man Group. “The holidays are about creating unforgettable memories, and we're thrilled to offer audiences a fresh, immersive celebration that blends the music, humor, creativity and joyful unpredictability that have defined Blue Man Group for decades.”

The brand-new production will feature classic holiday music performed on Blue Man Group's iconic custom instruments, while following the Blue Men as they discover the traditions, rituals and joyful absurdities of the holidays while exploring timeless themes of generosity, presence, creativity and human connection. Equal parts hilarious, heartwarming and visually unforgettable, “A NEW HOLIDAY SURPRISE,” offers audiences a unique holiday tradition that celebrates what brings us together.

Blue Man Group is a vibrant, interactive experience that has captivated audiences from all around the world. The non-verbal group communicates through music, art, and comedy, creating powerful connections without saying a word. As the Blue Men navigate our world with curiosity, audiences are invited into a captivating, communal experience that sparks creativity and ignites the imagination.

ABOUT BLUE MAN GROUP
Blue Man Group is a global entertainment phenomenon, known for its award-winning theatrical productions, iconic characters and multiple creative explorations. Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies playing in Las Vegas, Orlando and multiple tours, reaching more than 50 million people worldwide. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and continually injected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and sensory stimulating graphics. Blue Man Group is owned and operated by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
 

For more information, please visit BLUEMAN.com.
Follow @BlueManGroup on
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PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, November 24 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 25 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 26 – No Shows (Thanksgiving)
Friday, November 27 – 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 28 – 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 29 – 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 1 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 2 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 3 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 4 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 5 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 6 – 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 8 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 10 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 12 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 13 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of August 17, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for BLUE MAN GROUP’S A NEW HOLIDAY SURPRISE go on sale Friday, August 21 and range from $39.00 - $120.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
 

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
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#broadwayinchicago

The holiday season in Chicagoland brings with it many things: snowstorms, festive markets, twinkling lights, and cozy traditions that warm the soul on bitterly cold evenings. Holiday traditions also abound in the Chicago theatre scene with familiar favorites, comforting stories, and guilty pleasures easy to come by. If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that what we choose matters; where we spend our money, where we focus on energies, and how we spend our money and, more importantly, our time. It’s a question at the heart of one of the most beloved holiday shows, A Christmas Carol, now playing at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center.

Charles Dickens’ enchanting tale of redemption, generosity, and hope comes to life in Arlington Heights’ favorite holiday tradition. On a snowy Christmas Eve brimming with memorable characters, ghostly apparitions, and festive holiday music, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge visits the past, present, and future and discovers the true meaning of Christmas. A Christmas Carol is adapted and directed by Metropolis Artistic Director Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Cory Goodrich.

Despite the snowy weather on opening night and the lack of proper heating in the theatre itself, there was something distinctly cold about Metropolis’s staging of A Christmas Carol this year. The performance leaned heavily on Dickens’ traditional storyline, offering no room for modernization. The simple storyline was nearly impossible to follow, many voices hardly carrying past the first few rows of the chilly theatre. When the dialogue did reach audiences in the back rows, the speech was heavy-handed, garbled, and lacking any emotional substance behind it. Even Steve Connell’s brilliant and iconic performance of Scrooge felt unsupported by the ensemble cast. Actors around Connell had difficulty delivering their lines in forced English accents that came and went as swiftly as the fog dispersed, utterly devoid of conviction for such an emotional holiday piece. The performance was simply cold, distant, and clinical.

There is something to be said for traditions, but this calendar year has made us question if the traditions we uphold are worthy of such repetition. Do we do these things because we genuinely want to or simply due to muscle memory? Are these traditions worthy of putting on, or is it merely a bygone expectation? A Christmas Carol seems particularly scrutinizing in a year wrought with conversations of greed, corruption, and overconsumption. Dickens’ classic tale now skews towards sci-fi and fantasy with a moody and selfish protagonist whose sudden change of heart warms and delights. A wealthy businessman with disdain for the poor has a sudden awakening and gives back to his community? In what world? Certainly not this one. This year, the play feels farcical, sardonic, and more than a little tone-deaf. 2025 has challenged many preconceived ideas and traditions, and that same energy should be utilized when viewing Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Before we call it cynical, we should ask ourselves if this piece of Christmas tradition should be shelved with the likes of Hello, Dolly, and Annie, beautiful pieces for their time that need to step away to make room for new perspectives, new voices, new stories. Is A Christmas Carol a beloved classic or merely a ghost of Christmas past (pun intended) that has nothing left to teach us?

A Christmas Carol is now playing at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (111 W Campbell St., Arlington Heights) through December 24. Tickets are now on sale for $25-$49 at MetropolisArts.com.

It’s a truth universally known that the holidays aren’t always a great time for everyone. Holiday traditions and expectations can often leave us feeling emotionally void or overwhelmed, particularly with how bleak 2023 has been for so many. But in every darkness there is joy to be sparked and light to be found, if one is willing to look for it. This holiday season I discovered a shining light in the The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at Auditorium Theatre. 

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is an internationally acclaimed holiday variety show returning to Chicago following the massive success of their previous holiday tours. Co-written, co-created, and starring global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, fans braved the winter cold to witness a fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, and creative song parodies embodying and cleverly critiquing holiday traditions. 

The holiday show harkens back to classic comedy variety shows that used to dominate television and stage. Jinkx and DeLa are an iconic and dynamic duo, with quick and witty banter and humor that is conflict free, a rarity in today’s comedic world. Even more impressive is that the show is entirely helmed by the queens themselves, with BenDeLaCreme in the producer and director’s chairs.  Too often, queer and drag stories are written and produced by people outside of the community. The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show and BenDeLaCreme Presents are reminders why authentic queer storytelling is not only necessary but should be widely celebrated. BenDeLaCreme says, “With all the hatred, darkness, and misinformation flying around our world today, it is an honor and a privilege to spend the holidays with tens of thousands of audience members each year, creating joyous community spaces where we can gather strength through laughter and celebration. Whether you consider it the most wonderful time of year or the most troubling, we’re here to tell you… you’re right! So let’s make it our own.” Monsoon adds, “It’s been a wild year, so let’s end it wildly. DeLa and I strive to entertain while we enlighten and enliven. The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is not only a moment of respite, but also of community, at a time where we need our chosen family and community most of all. So add us to your holiday plans, or let us BE your holiday plans— either way, you’re welcome to join us.”

The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is a shining light within the darkness, and truly a magnificent experience. The Auditorium Theatre audience were loyal followers of Jinkx and DeLa, many having seen their 2023 show in multiple cities on their tour, while others were back for their yearly tradition of seeing the iconic duo perform. In talking with Jinkx and DeLa, we learned this year’s holiday show changed the formula of the variety show, pairing the usual sweet vs. spicy duo as a united front, emphasizing the core message of togetherness and unity amidst an ever divisive and polarizing world. At the end of the show, the stars beseeched the audience to carry the joy, laughter, and love exuded and felt throughout the show out into the dark world; to spark that light within others and be the light so needed in the darkness. With everything that has happened in 2023, and the last few years,  Jinkx and DeLa have channeled their worry, frustration, and anxiety into a beautifully crafted show filled with lightness, and have created an enduring and worthwhile holiday tradition sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Though the tour only visited Chicago for one night, this show is sure to become a staple in Chicagoland, only growing and getting better with time. One of the prevailing themes of this year’s variety show was that while our traditions anchor us to the holiday season, we can consistently look within ourselves and our communities to create new traditions or adapt and grow our old traditions. And most importantly, if we cannot find a light within the darkness, we ourselves can be the light for those around us. I cannot wait to add The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show a must-see holiday tradition and I’ll see you all there in 2024.

This year’s tour will run through December 30 across the US, UK, and Canada with the show that proves they’re still the reigning “queens of Christmas'' (Entertainment Weekly). Tickets are available at JinkxandDeLa.com.