If there's ever a time to take the family to a show, it's now. Just about every performance hall around the Puget Sound has an enchanting production – be it dance or drama – and the hard part will be narrowing down which one(s) to see!
Get your tickets soon, as some shows will sell out.
THEATER
Seattle's Child's cost key:
$: under $10
$$: $10 to $20
$$$: over $20
SEATTLE AREA
Cirque Dreams Holidaze ($$$): Energetic circus acts in a festive holiday theme. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20-21, 2 p.m. Dec. 21-22. The Paramount Theatre, Downtown Seattle. www.stgpresents.org.
It's Your Wonderful Life ($$): Improv comedy show gives the familiar story of George Bailey a hilarious twist by using audience suggestions. All ages. 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 21. Jet City Improv, Seattle (U District). www.jetcityimprov.com.
A Christmas Carol ($$$): The Charles Dickens classic comes to the stage. Rated G. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. Seattle Musical Theatre, Seattle (Magnuson Park). www.seattlemusicaltheatre.org.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever ($$): The notorious Herdman kids take over the church pageant. All ages. Various dates and times through Dec. 24. Seattle Public Theater at the Bathhouse, Seattle (Green Lake). www.seattlepublictheater.org.
A Child's Christmas in Wales & The Long Christmas Dinner ($$ to $$$): Dylan Thomas' nostalgic childhood Christmas play with youth and adult actors, plus a warm and moving play about several generations of a family and their Christmas dinners. Ages 5 and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 24. Stone Soup Theatre, Seattle (Wallingford). www.stonesouptheatre.org.
A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol ($$): Improvisers from Unexpected Productions use audience suggestions to tell the Charles Dickens tale. All ages. 8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays through Dec. 28. Market Theater, Downtown Seattle. www.unexpectedproductions.org.
A Christmas Carol ($$$): A Seattle tradition, Charles Dickens' classic returns to ACT Theatre. Ages 5 and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 29. ACT's Allen Theatre, Downtown Seattle. 206-292-7676. www.acttheatre.org.
Little Women: The Musical ($$$): Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel comes to the stage. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 29 (no show Dec. 25). ArtsWest, West Seattle. www.artswest.org.
Le Club Noel ($$$): Original play takes place at Christmastime in a 1930s Parisian nightclub. Ages 12 and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 29. Taproot Theatre, Seattle (Greenwood). www.taproottheatre.org.
Oliver! ($$$): Award-winning musical based on Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. Rated PG. Various dates and times through Dec. 31. 5th Avenue Theatre, Downtown Seattle. www.5thavenue.org.
James and the Giant Peach ($$ to $$$): The imaginative story by Roald Dahl comes to the stage. Ages 6 and older. Various dates and times through Jan. 5. Seattle Children's Theatre, Downtown Seattle. www.sct.org.
Dick Whittington and His Cat – A British Panto ($ to $$): The Fremont Players present their unique and hilarious British Panto style play for all ages. 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 4 p.m. Sundays, through Jan. 5. Hale's Palladium, Seattle (Fremont). www.fremontplayers.com.
EASTSIDE
A Christmas Carol Jr. ($ to $$): Hour-long musical adaptation of the Dickens classic, designed to appeal to even the youngest theater-goers. 1 and 3 p.m. weekends through Dec. 22. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. www.secondstoryrep.org.
A Christmas Carol ($$$): Original adaptation of the Dickens classic, full of music and holiday cheer for all ages. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. www.secondstoryrep.org.
Pinkalicous ($$): Musical based on the book by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann stars young actors. Ages 5 and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. Youth Theatre Northwest, Mercer Island. www.youththeatre.org.
Pixie and the Grocer ($): Thistle Theatre tells the story of a pixie who must choose between a comfortable life with a grocer or an exciting life with a poet, using the Bunraku style of puppetry. 2 and 4 p.m. Dec. 21-22. Bellevue Youth Theatre, Bellevue. http://thistletheatre.org.
Owl & Pussycat ($$): All-ages show by theater simple based on the Edward Lear poem. 2 p.m. Dec. 28-29. Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland. www.kpcenter.org.
SOUTH SOUND
The Christmas Revels® ($$ to $$$): Experience an old-fashioned Appalachian Christmas with music, dancing and storytelling. Remaining shows: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17-18. Rialto Theater, Tacoma. www.broadwaycenter.org.
Lyle the Crocodile ($$): Olympia Family Theater brings to life Bernard Waber's classic story about a city-dwelling crocodile. Ages 4 and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia. http://olyft.org.
Aladdin ($$ to $$$): Holiday production by Centerstage Theatre, done in the 'English Holiday Pantomime' style. Ages 5 to adult. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. Knutzen Family Theatre, Federal Way. www.centerstagetheatre.com.
Annie ($$ to $$$): Beloved musical about an orphan who never gives up hope. Rated G. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22. Tacoma Musical Playhouse, Tacoma. www.tmp.org.
The Chronicles of Narnia ($$): The imaginative tales of C.S. Lewis come to the stage. Various dates and times through Dec. 22. Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood. www.lakewoodplayhouse.org.
Scrooge ($ to $$): Popular musical based on the Charles Dickens tale presented by the Heavier Than Air Family Theatre Company. Ages 6 and older, no babes in arms. 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22. Green River Community College, Performing Arts Bldg., Auburn. www.heavierthanair.com.
FARTHER AFIELD
It's a Wonderful Life Live Radio Play ($$): Five actors perform dozens of characters and sound effects on stage in this all-ages show. 7:30 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 21. Bainbridge Performing Arts, Bainbridge Island. http://bainbridgeperformingarts.org.
Another Letter to Father Christmas and Holiday Sing-Along ($$): Charming play about kids asking Santa for their lost items for Christmas, plus holiday sing-along. 3 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 22. Bainbridge Performing Arts, Bainbridge Island. http://bainbridgeperformingarts.org.
DANCE
SEATTLE AREA
Nutcracker ($$$): Holiday tradition from Pacific Northwest Ballet. Wondrous sets and costumes by the late children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. School age and older. Various dates and times through Dec. 29. McCaw Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.pnb.org.
The Nutcracker by Evergreen City Ballet ($$): Period production of the classic ballet. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20-21 1:30 p.m. Dec. 21-22. IKEA Performing Arts Center, Renton. 425-228-6800. www.evergreencityballet.org.
The Nutcracker by Cornish Preparatory Dance Company ($$): See young dancers bring the story to life using strong classical technique. 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 21, 3 p.m. Dec. 22. Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, Downtown Seattle. www.cornish.edu/calendar/event/the_nutcracker1.
EASTSIDE
The Nutcracker by International Ballet Theatre ($$$): See the ballet performed in the traditional Russian style. Various dates and times through Dec. 23. Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue. www.ibtbellevue.org.
Excerpts from The Nutcracker ($$$): Classic holiday ballet performed by dancers from Island Youth Ballet. Remaining shows: 7 p.m. Dec. 20, 1 and 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Youth Theatre Northwest, Mercer Island. www.iybnutcracker.com.
NORTH SOUND
The Nutcracker by Olympic Ballet Theatre ($$ to $$$): Annual production of the traditional favorite. 7 p.m. Dec. 20-21, 2 p.m. Dec. 21, 5 p.m. Dec. 22. Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds. www.olympicballet.com.
SOUTH SOUND
The Nutcracker and The Tale of the Hard Nut by Tacoma City Ballet ($$ to $$$): The familiar tale plus the prequel story, performed with music from The Northwest Sinfonietta. 3 p.m. weekends through Dec. 22. Pantages Theater, Tacoma. www.broadwaycenter.org.
The Nutcracker by Ballet Northwest ($$ to $$$): Annual production of the holiday classic. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22. Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Olympia. www.balletnorthwest.org.
The Nutcracker by Tacoma Performing Dance Company ($$ to $$$): New choreography and staging of the classic. 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 21, 2 and 6 p.m. Dec. 22. Stadium High School Performing Arts Center, Tacoma. www.tacomaperformingdance.org.
Photos courtesy of the Seattle Theatre Group, Taproot Theatre/Erik Stuhaug, Kirkland Performance Center and Pacific Northwest Ballet websites.
Barb Kittell is the calendar editor for Seattle’s Child and mom of two young kids who are starting to realize that the best shows of all are not on TV.
