You might need some help from Rudolph to plow through the blizzard of holiday shows opening on local stages in the coming weeks. From professional companies to revue-style holiday happenings, there’s fun aplenty to be seen and experienced.
And that doesn’t even count “The Nutcracker,” with productions that will be filling your head with visions of sugarplums and rodent royalty.
So here’s a list, checked twice, of what’s coming from community and professional companies in the coming weeks. Watch for information on some of the latter productions in the near future, including “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at the Orpheum Theater on Dec. 3; “A Christmas Carol” by Crescent City Stage at Loyola’s Marquette Theater on Dec. 7-21; Harry Shearer and Judith Owen’s “Christmas Without Tears” at the Orpheum on Dec. 19; and “The Skivvies: Best in Snow” at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré Dec. 20-21.
Heaux, heaux, heaux.
Joyeux Noël on the bayou, cher
From the pen of local entertainment package Ricky Graham comes a show filled with local references and a hefty bit of holiday cheer at BB’s Stage Door Canteen in The National WWII Museum.
“Louisiana Christmas Day” features the Victory Belles, the singers reminiscent of the “gal groups” that entertained during the war years. The talented trio brings the audience along on a fanciful seasonal twirl through the bayous, Jackson Square and all sorts of spots in between.
It’s filled with singable holiday hits like “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” and “White Christmas,” and the Louis Armstrong hit “Christmastime in New Orleans.”
The show also features the talents of Skylend Roussell, Kat Gulotta and Keyara Milliner as the vocal group. There’s a holiday-themed buffet. Tickets start at $60. Visit nationalww2museum.org.
A duo of holiday hilarity
Two local theatrical groups will be mounting stage versions of a much-loved seasonal film.
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” is the song-filled stage version of the 1983 film about a 1940s-era kid who wants a BB gun for Christmas. The film looks at the Parker family (an odd assortment indeed), the season and life during that time.
Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts in Kenner will be staging the show Dec. 1-17 with Graham as the director. Taking the role of Ralphie is Beau Coddou with James Peuler, Cayden Pecoraro, Luke DeRoche, Andrew Eastland, Porter Gallagher, Anna Kramer, Caitlin Picone, Eliza Self, Sylvia Revon, Beau Daigle, Zoe Morris, Avery Drago, Cecilia Wanko, Sarah Cambre, Annalise Perez, Merah Benoit, Benjamin White, Ava Noel Benoit, Mia Long, Chloe St. Pierre and Lily Gamand. Also taking roles are Mike Smith, Laurie Reinagel, David Haydel, Allee Peck, Mike Meadows, Kelly Amstutz, Luke Sirinides, Beau Moss, Jayla Jackson, Catherine Frolich, Sherri Montz and Abbey Murrel.
The show, opening Dec. 1 at 325 Minor St. in Kenner, runs at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays plus Dec. 14, 2 p.m. Sundays, plus 1 p.m. Dec. 9. Tickets start at $39. rivertowntheaters.com.
Playmakers Theater in Covington is also staging the show, with Naomi Lee-Shawn O’Donnell directing the production at this St. Tammany theater.
Reed Melton is Ralphie, joined by James Michel, Billy Davis, Stephanie Smith, Brooke Wortmann, Kathy Latapie, Allie Taylor, George Schafer, Maddie Markezich, Sophia Bryant, Reese Davis, Walter Gilbert, Frank Gilbert, Carter Zeller and Ava Taylor.
The show opens Dec. 2-17 at 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at the stage at 19106 Playmakers Road. Tickets start at $15. Visit playmakersinc.com.
Setting sail in Slidell
The story of a Great Lakes vessel dubbed “the Christmas tree ship” is the basis for the show opening Dec. 1-17 at Slidell Little Theatre.
“The Christmas Schooner” tells the story of the Rouse Simmonsi and her captain who brought in fir trees from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the German immigrant population of Chicago during the late 19th century. The voyages were treacherous but helped the homesick German Americans.
Fred Martinez, left, plays Gustav Stossel and Lukas Jepson plays his grandson Karl Stossel in ‘The Christmas Schooner’ opening at Slidell Little Theatre Dec. 1.
Filled with original music and timeless yuletide tunes, the show is about love, loss and tradition. Marcello Barbaro directs.
Taking roles in the show are Lise Harbom, Kevin McCormack, Lukas Jepson, Jeffery “Jack” Ethlinger, Daniel Hartley, Casey Jones, Sawyer Smith, Fred Martinez, Scarlet Kingman, Lexi Bean, Sarah Gonzalez, Liz Bean, Danny Jepson and Katie-Rose Bean.
Tickets start at $25 for the show at 2024 Nellie Drive. The show, opening Dec. 1, runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Visit slidelllittletheatre.org.
A light in the west
The electric and illuminated stage production of Lightwire Theater’s “A Very Electric Christmas” will happen twice Dec. 2 at the Lafon Performing Arts Center in Luling.
The luminary New Orleans-based company, a semifinalist on “America’s Got Talent,” uses art, theater and technology for unique storytelling.
The holiday show features young Max, a bird migrating south with his family, who gets blown off course and heads to the North Pole. With a soundtrack that includes Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey and Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Max had plenty of seasonal adventures with the likes of toy soldiers, caroling worms and even performing poinsettias.
The show will run at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $20 at the theater at 275 Judge E. Dufresne Parkway, Luling. Visit lafonartscenter.org.
Opening this week
Celia Hottenstein as Glinda, left, and Olivia Valli as Elphaba in the national tour of ‘Wicked’ coming to the Saenger Theatre later this month.
“WICKED”: Opening 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, running 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays, plus Nov. 30. The musical celebrates 20 years of telling the alternative origin story for L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 children’s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” In 1995, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire told the story from a different point of view, far more sympathetic toward Elphaba. Tickets start at $59. saengernola.com.
