Holiday theater with laughs and heart
Compiled by Amy Diaz
adiaz@hippopress.com
Get more merriment at these holiday-themed live performances.
• Elf The Musicalcontinues at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St. in Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org, with shows through Sunday, Dec. 21, with times most Wednesdays through Sundays.
• Nuncrackers: A Nunsense Christmas Musical will be on stage at Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St. in Manchester, majestictheatre.net, on Friday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m.
• Ye Merry Gentlemen, a holiday comedy probably geared to grown-ups (see the website), continues at The Players’ Ring, 105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth, playersring.org, with shows on Friday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 30, at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• A New England Christmas presented by Pontine Theatre at Plains School, 1 Plains Ave. in Portsmouth, and featuring Christmas Back Home, A Speakin’ Ghost, fiddle music with Ellen Carlson and the New England Fiddle Ensemble and a post-performance party with homemade cookies, will run Friday, Nov. 28, through Sunday, Dec. 14, according to pontine.org, where you can see the times and purchase tickets.
• Christmas Murder Mystery Dinner Party will be held on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 6:30 p.m. at LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111 in Derry, labellewinery.com, featuring professional actors and a three-course meal, the website said.
• Get a bit of reality TV on stage with Holidays with the Housewives, featuring Dolores Catania of Real Housewives of New Jersey and Sonja Morgan of Real Housewives of New York City, on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, according to palacetheatre.org.
• White Christmas, Irving Berlin’s musical, will be presented by the Ogunquit Playhouse at the Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth, Wednesday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 21, according to themusichall.org, where you can see available showtimes and purchase tickets.
• The Manchester Community Theatre Players will present Tastes Like Christmas, written by Tom Anastasi and directed by Tajoura Davies, on Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. at the MCTP Theatre at North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester. See manchestercommunitytheatre.com.
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will be presented by the Bedford Youth Performing Center performers in grades 1 to 6 on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. at the Derryfield Repertory Theatre, 2108 River Road in Manchester, according to bypc.org, where you can purchase tickets.
• Storytellers: A Country Christmas with the Ayla Brown Band featuring a full band, Christmas classics, holiday stories and original songs at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. p.m., according to tickets.anselm.edu.
• Break at Leg Legally, breakaleglegally.com, presents Two Tales for Christmas, a production of two one-act plays: Scrooge Has Left the Buildingand A Strange For Christmas, according to breakaleglegally.com. Catch the show at The Strand, 20 Third St. in Dover, thestranddover.com, on Fridays, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, and Saturdays, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. and Sundays, Dec. 7 and Dec 14, at 2 p.m.
• Concord Dance Academy presents “A Holiday Spectacular” on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 and 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, according to theaudi.org/events.
• Songs for the Holidays will be presented by the NH School of Ballet at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to tickets.anselm.edu.
• Safe Haven Ballet, safehavenballet.org, will present Charlie Brown Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts, Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com. The “performance is set to both classical music & contemporary holiday music & includes narration so each audience member has a clear understanding of the story & can fully appreciate the artistry of the professional dancers,” according to the website.
• It’s a Wonderful Life, a musical production by the Majestic Theatre, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net, will be on stage on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m., at the Derry Opera House, 29 W Broadway in Derry.
• It’s A Wonderful Life Radio Show will be presented by Epping Community Theatre, eppingtheater.org, Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14, at Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane, Epping. Tickets cost $15 and up at tix.com.
• Frozen Jr.will be presented by the Peacock Players, 14 Court St. in Nashua, peacockplayers.org, on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m.
• Another Very Pittsfield Players Christmas will be presented by the Pittsfield Players, pittsfieldplayers.org, Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14, at Scenic Theater, 6 Depot St., Pittsfield. Tickets will be on sale soon at pittsfieldplayers.org.
• Granite State Dance Center presents “Holiday Spectacular” on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, according to theaudi.org/events.
• Chanukah at the Palace, featuring “America’s Master Mentalist Jon Stetson, Comedy Ventriloquist Marc Rubben, and Musical Cantor Adi Ziv,” will take place Monday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, according to palacetheatre.org.
• Jack and the Beanstalk: A Traditional English Panto will run Friday, Dec. 19, through Thursday, Jan. 1, at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle in Meredith, according to winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org. “What’s a panto? It’s a musical filled with bright lights, big costumes, dynamic dancing, slapstick for the littles, innuendo for the adults, and a double entendre or two (or three),” the website said.
• Noel at LaBelle: Holiday Brunch & Dance Performance by NSquared will take place on Sunday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m. at LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101 in Amherst, labellewinery.com, the website said.
• Christmas Murder Mystery Dinner Party will be held on Sunday, Dec. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101 in Amherst, labellewinery.com, featuring professional actors and a three-course meal, the website said.
Featured Photo: Nuncrackers presented by the Majestic Theatre. Courtesy photo.
