Timely treats: Holiday shows dominate suburban and city stages
“A Christmas Carol,” “The Nutcracker” and “It's a Wonderful Life” typically dominate Chicago-area stages this time of year, but 2018 also heralds several new, more ecumenical holiday productions.
Classic 'Carols' and assorted variations
When it comes to spectacle, few companies can match the grandeur of Goodman Theatre's annual production of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol,” now in its 41st year. It runs through Dec. 30 at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre emphasizes the father-son relationship in its warmhearted, family-friendly production through Dec. 24 at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.
Drury Lane Theatre's 60-minute adaptation for young audiences offers theatergoers opportunities to dine with Santa on select dates through Dec. 22 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. (630) 530-8300 or drurylanetheatre.com.
Oak Park Festival Theatre re-imagines the tale from Dickens' perspective as a writer dealing with a failing marriage, waning popularity and financial challenges in “A Dickens Carol.” Performances run Dec. 14-30 at the Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. (708) 300-9396 or oakparkfestival.com.
The Q Brothers return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater with the hip-hop “ad-rap-tation” of Ebenezer Scrooge's story. It runs through Dec. 30 at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.
Radio days
What Goodman is to “A Christmas Carol,” American Blues Theater is to “It's a Wonderful Life.” The company premiered “It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” - a 1940s-style radio play adaptation of Frank Capra's 1946 classic - as a reading in 2002. In addition to Foley sound effects, carols and an original score, performances include cookies and milk for the audience. It runs through Jan. 5 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 654-3103 or americanbluestheater.com.
Improv Playhouse's radio play runs Dec. 8-15 at 735 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. (847) 968-4529 or improvplayhouse.com.
Oil Lamp Theater's production runs through Dec. 30 at 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview. (847) 834-0738 or oillamptheater.org.
Steel Beam Theatre presents a staged radio play adaptation of the 1947 film “Miracle on 34th Street,” about a replacement department store Santa who may be the real Kris Kringle. It runs through Dec. 23 at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com.
The Artistic Home's radio play version of “Miracle on 34th Street” runs Dec. 8-22 at 1376 W. Grand Ave., Chicago. (866) 811-4111 or theartistichome.org.
Scrooge-free stagings
Strawdog Theatre presents its premiere adaptation of the children's book “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins,” about a traveler who defeats goblins terrorizing a town over Hanukkah. It runs through Jan. 5 at 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago. See strawdog.org.
Silk Road Rising, the company formed by Mount Prospect native Jamil Khoury and former Bloomingdale resident Malik Gillani, premieres “Christmas Mubarak,” a collaboration with the First United Methodist Church that combines Muslim stories and Christian music to celebrate Jesus' birth and life. It runs through Dec. 11 at the Historic Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St., Chicago. (312) 857-1234 or silkroadrising.org.
Lookingglass Theatre's premiere of “The Steadfast Tin Soldier: A Christmas Pantomime,” a family show inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's tale of a toy soldier in love with a paper ballerina, runs through Jan. 13 at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.
Otherworld Theatre premieres the holiday fable “The Winter Wolf,” about a young girl who pursues a wolf that stalks people in the winter of their lives, such as her beloved grandfather. Performances run Dec. 8 through Jan. 6 at The Alchemists Lab, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago. See otherworldtheatre.org.
Lastly, there's Marriott Theatre's regional premiere of “Holiday Inn,” based on the 1942 film about a crooner who establishes a showplace open only on holidays. It celebrates other holidays, but this cheery tuner bookended by Christmas boasts a taptastic yuletide number choreographed by Denis Jones. It runs through Jan. 6 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.
Second City satire
Count on The Second City to deliver tasty sendups of traditions in various adult-only holiday revues.
“Holidazed and Confused” runs through Dec. 23 at the Copley Theater, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.
“The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Sweater” runs through Dec. 31 at the Up Comedy Club, Piper's Alley, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.
“Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue” runs Dec. 21-31 at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.
Family-friendly
The House Theatre of Chicago remounts its original, ballet-free version of E.T.A. Hoffman's “The Nutcracker,” about Clara's efforts to heal family members grieving the loss of her soldier brother. It runs through Dec. 30 at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. (773) 769-3832 or thehousetheatre.com.
Emerald City Theatre presents “Ken Ludwig's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,” about two pals' search for Santa's missing naughty-and-nice list, through Dec. 30 at the Broadway Playhouse, Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.
Filament Theatre brings to the stage Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” about Gerda's journey to the North Pole palace to rescue her best friend from an evil monarch. It runs through Dec. 23 at 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See filamenttheatre.org.
The Annoyance Theatre's annual Christmas pageant pairing stage adaptations of animated favorites “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” runs through Dec. 23 at 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.
“Cirque Dreams Holidaze,” a spectacle that pairs circus performers and holiday pageantry, runs Dec. 12-16 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. (800) 745-3000 or cirqueproductions.com.
Adult fare
The deliciously irreverent “The Santaland Diaries,” based on David Sedaris' recollections of his time working as a Macy's elf, runs through Dec. 30 at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.
The Agency Theater remounts a Chicago favorite, “Hellcab,” about a cabbie enduring a Christmas Eve shift. It runs through Dec. 30 at The Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 680-4596 or wearetheagency.org.
A New York City cop's efforts to reunite with his wife on Christmas Eve are thwarted by a German terrorist in “Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas: A Die Hard Musical Parody.” It runs through Jan. 12 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 697-3830 or yippeethemusical.com or thedentheatre.com.
“Burning Bluebeard,” the haunting tale of six clowns who emerge from the ashes of Chicago's Iroquois Theatre to resume a play cut short by a tragic fire, returns Dec. 26 for six performances at The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. See neofuturists.org.