Stage

Holiday Theater Roundup

’tis the season for Christmas Carols and Nutcrackers

Andrew Christianson |

 
The Fabulous Ghost of Christmas Awesome.

The proverbial “holiday season” is upon the Chippewa Valley. If you or your family is looking for some entertainment to get into the mood, there are loads of shows to see. For starters, there’s the Heyde Center for the Arts’ Nutcracker Ballet. Director Deborah Lang’s dance students will perform four popular movements (one apparently involving Sugarplums) from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker Suite. If instead you want to get your “Scrooge on,” the Heyde also has Charles Dickens Presents: A Christmas Carol. Local actor Nate Plummer performs as Charles Dickens telling the story as a one-man show. The Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild takes a different point of view with Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. It’s Marley’s humorous version of Scrooge’s life. Family is also celebrated during the holidays, as showcased twice during this season. The Eau Claire Children’s Theatre presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a family comedy following the Herdmans. Fanny Hill Dinner Theatre will be following the Poznarski clan in Rudy’s Holidaze Reunion. Rudy tries to help his wife plan the big holiday party, but will complicate matters to a frustrating, but entertaining, result. Finally, the Menomonie Theatre Guild has A Hometown Christmas, a variety show with both sacred and secular music. Created by Executive Director Blaine Halverson and area physician, Dr. Steve Rosas, the show will have youth and adult performers in sketches, monologues, and sing-alongs. Like all shows in the Chippewa Valley this season, this performance should help bring out that always needed holiday cheer.

    Holiday stage productions • throughout December • see listings for specific times, dates, and locations