This Weekend’s Highlights:
Friday Dec. 12
All Out: Comedy About Ambition, by Simon Rich, directed by Alex Timbers, featuring a rotating cast: Eric Andre, Mike Birbiglia, Wayne Brady, Nicholas Braun, Jim Gaffigan, Heidi Gardner, Abbi Jacobson, Jaxon Mantzoukas, Ashley Park, Graig Robinson, Ray Romano, Ben Schwartz, Sarah Silberman, Jon Stewart, Cecily Strong, and more, opens at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre.
Ben Platt: Live at the Ahmanson, with a star-studded set of special guests intentionally not listed, opens at LA’s Ahmanson Theatre.
A Sleighful of Songs! concert, directed by Victoria Lavan, featuring Victoria Lavan, John A. Goux, Constance Mellors, Scottie Neville, Meg Ling, David Mingrino, Anibal Silveyra, Michael Van Cuzer, Cody Kelpolo, Auriana Chisholm, Vertreace Sanders, Preson Simon, Aaron Gillis, Michael Babiano, Jordan Elliot, and Lulu Francis, opens t LA’s Theatre West.
Melissa Errico: The Secet Diary of Mrs. Santa concert, at 6 PM at PA’s Bucks County Playhouse.
5 Star Theatricals‘ The Wonderful World of Oz panto, by Kris Lythgoe, directed by Becky Lythgoe, featuring John O’Hurley (The Wizard), Tamyra Gray (Glinda), Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Dorothy), with Kevin Ivins, Douglas Ladnier (Tin Man), and John Shar Tzer Scarecrow). with Sydney Kinney,Jocelyn Mastro, Brandon Maxwell, and Jules McKelvey, previews at CA’s Thousand Oaks’ Bank of America Performing Arts Center.
“American Masters” documentary, with special guest Dick Van Dyke, airs at 9 PM on PBS.
Saturday, Dec. 13
Broadway Dreams gala 2025, honoring Jerry Mitchell, directed by Alex Newell & Spencer Liff, featuring special guests not announced, at 6 PM at Plaza New York.
A Musical Christmas Carol, by Lynn Ahrens & aMike Ockrent, directed by Scott Evans, featuring Denis O’Hare (Ebenezer Scrooge), Theo Allyn (Mrs. Fezziwig, Mrs. Dilber), Christian Clausntizer ( Melessie Clark), Christian Clausnitzer (Dick Wilkins, Peter Cratchit), and Allison Dorsey (Martha Cratchit), Justin Bortunato (Fred), Aaron Galligan-Stierle (Bob Cratchit), Lisa Ann Goldsmith (Mrs. Bratchit), Kat Harkins (Chost of Christmas Past), Tim Hartman (Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, Businessman, Charity Worker), Lara Hayhurst (Peg), Daniel Krell (Marly, Marley’s Ghost, businessman), with Connor Bahr, J. Alex Noble, Brady D. Patsy), Benjamin Ken Pimental, Jason Shavers, Alex Sheffield, Saige Smith, Erika Strasburg, and Hallie Camach. opens at Pittsburgh CLO.
York Theatre presents Gotta Dance, written & directed by Nikki Feirt Atkins, featuring Jessica Lee Goldyn, Brandon Burks, Anthony Cannarella, Barton Cowperthwaite, Deanna Doyle, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Afra Hines, Jess LeProtto, Kendall Leshanti, Drew Minard, Georgina Pazcoguin, Samantha Siegel, Taylor Stanley, and Blake Zelesnikar, opens at Off Broadway’s Theatre at St. Jeans.
The Long Beach Nutcracker opens at CA’s Long Beach Ballet.
5 Star Theatricals‘ The Wonderful World of Oz panto, by Kris Lythgoe, directed by Becky Lythgoe, featuring John O’Hurley (The Wizard), Tamyra Gray (Glinda), Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Dorothy), with Kevin Ivins, Douglas Ladnier (Tin Man), and John Shar Tzer Scarecrow). with Sydney Kinney,Jocelyn Mastro, Brandon Maxwell, and Jules McKelvey, opens at CA’s Thousand Oaks’ Bank of America Performing Arts Center.
The Los Angeles Master Corale’s English Cathedral Christmas Corale concert at 7:30 PM at LA’s Broad Stage.
London’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession screening, directed by Dominic Cooke, featuring Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter, at 3 PM at UCLA’s James Bridges Theatre.
Sunday, Dec. 14
The Phil Crosby Jazz Trio concert at 7 PM at CA’s Pacific Resident Theatre.
“Song Sung Blue” screening & conversation, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, at 7:30 PM at NYC’s 92NY.
La Bohème, conducted by Lina González-Granados, featuring Janai Brugger (Mimì), Oreste Cosimo (Rodolfo), Erica Petrocelli (Musetta), Gihoon Kim (Marcello), Emmett O’Hanlon (Scharnard), William Guanbo Su (Colline), Rod Gilfry (Benoit/Alcindoro), and Nathan Bowles (Parpignol), closes at LA’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Fun Home, directed by Logan Ellis, featuring Sara Bockel (Alison), Maya Jacobson (Medium Alison), Lyla Randall (Small Alison), Nick Duckart (Bruce Bechdel), Jennifer Ellis (Helen Bechdel), Odin Vega Christian Bechdel), Caleb (John Bechdel), Wyatt Anton (Roy/Mark/Pete/Bobby Jereny), and Sushma Saha (Joan), with Maren Phifer, Maya Bea Scott-Luib, Ryan Spry, and Nick Sulfaro, closes at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.
Bipolar & The English Channel, written & performed by Julie Ridge, closes at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row.
Resplendent Joy: Christmas Traditions from Spain and Portugal, by Robert Eisenstein & Christopher Kendall, featuring Robert Eisenstein (viol, recorder), Amy Domingues (viol), Elizabeth Hardy (dulcian, recorder), Paula Maust (organ), Daniel Meyers (trombone, recorder, percussion), and Hideki Yamaya (vihuela), and six guest vocalists: sopranos Crossley Hawn and Susan Lewis Kavinski, alto Hannah Baslee, tenors Oliver Mercer and John Logan Wood, and baritone Corbin Phillips closes at DC’s Folger Shakespeare Library.
Come From Away, directed by Mark Clements, featuring Karen Ziemba (Diane), Grace Bobber ( Janice), Michael Doherty ( Oz), Kelley Faulkner (Beverley/Annette), Gavin Gregory (Bob), Richard Ruiz Henry (Claude), Steven Koehler ( Nick/Doug), Megan Loomis (Bonnie), Dayna Jarae Dantzler (Hannah), Joy Hermalyn (Beaulah), Adam Rennie (Kevin T/Garth, and Levin Valayil (Kevin J/Ali, closes at Milwaukee Rep.
A Sleighful of Songs! concert, directed by Victoria Lavan, featuring Victoria Lavan, John A. Goux, Constance Mellors, Scottie Neville, Meg Ling, David Mingrino, Anibal Silveyra, Michael Van Cuzer, Cody Kelpolo, Auriana Chisholm, Vertreace Sanders, Preson Simon, Aaron Gillis, Michael Babiano, Jordan Elliot, and Lulu Francis, closes at LA’s Theatre West.
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Mark Shanahan’ Sherlock Carol continues through Dec. 21 at Boston’s Lyric Stage Boston, directed by Ilyse Robbins.
christopher Chew (Ebenezer Scrooge), Paul Melendy (Sherlock Holmes), with Leigh Barrett (Martha Cratchit, Mary Morstan, Mrs. Dilber), Mark Linehan (Dr. Watson, Irene Adler, Old Joe), Michelle Moran (Emma Wiggins, Inspector Lestrade, Mrs. Windigate), and Jon Vellante (Dr. Timothy Cratchit, Mr. Topper, Constable Bradstree).
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Making a Show of Myself, written & performed by Mary Kate O’ Flanagan, will run Feb. 4 -Mar. 1 (opening Feb. 8) at Irish Rep, directed by Will O’Connell.
A modern twist on the essential act of storytelling. Deceptively funny, unexpectedly moving, and ultimately uplifting, Making a Show of Myself celebrates seanchas—the ancient Irish art of storytelling—carrying audiences from laughter through darkness and back into light.
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A Musical Christmas Carol continues through Dec. 23 at Pittsburg CLO, directed by Scott Evan.
Dennis O’Hare (Ebenezer Scrooge), Tim Hartman (Mr. Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas), Kat Harkins (Ghost of Crhristmas Past), Lisa Ann Goldsmith (Mrs. Cratchit), Aron Galligan-Stierle (Bob Cratchit), Justin fortunato (Fred), Allison Dorsey (Martha Cratchit.Fan.Aslice), Daniel Krell Marley’s Ghost/Young Scrooge), and Addison Smith (Belinda Cratchit).
CLO takes the spirit of the season, wraps it in your favorite yuletide melodies, and ties it up with all the holiday magic and wonder of your childhood. Join Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and many colorful characters.
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Ian Shaw & Joeph Nixon’s The Shark is Broken will run Mar. 4 – 22 (opening Mar. 8) at Laguna Playhouse, directed by TBA.
TBA.
The first summer blockbuster movie is being filmed – but no one working on the film would know it. Dive deep into the tumultuous, murky waters of the making of a major motion picture with testy, feuding costars, unpredictable weather, and a shark prop whose constant breakdowns are looking like an omen for the future of the movie. In this comedy co-written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, the short tempers of Jaws stars Robert Shaw (father of co-writer Ian Shaw), Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider take center stage as they bond, argue, drink, gamble, and pray for an end to the shoot, not knowing it will change their lives forever.