4 Seasonal Plays and Musicals to Put on Your Calendar
add some magic to the holiday season with these local shows
The Chippewa Valley offers plays and musicals galore, many of which are fit for the whole family! Take a look at the shows happening from Chippewa Falls to Eau Claire this season ...
1. Ole and Lena‘s “Family Christmas”
Dec. 12-13 at 1:30pm, Dec. 14 at 7:30pm | Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls | $17-$36+
Beloved characters Ole and Lena return with a seasonal show, whisking audiences along with them as Lena's favorite time of the year – Christmastime – is in full swing, even if, as Ole says, “it makes her more than a little crazy.” This year, Lena has invited the whole family over, even her snooty cousin Mildred from Edina, Minnesota. Ole really doesn’t want anything to do with the shindig, especially the part where Lena has him dress up in an old Santa Claus suit. Will the duo be able to keep it together as they prepare for family Christmas?! Find out for yourself at this hilarious comedy show centered on family. Tickets are available online, as well as the option to see the show with an Italian-themed lunch catered by Sweet Clarisse.
2. Madeline’s Christmas
Dec. 6, 16 at 7:30pm, Dec. 9-10, 16-17 at 1:30pm | The Oxford Theatre, Eau Claire | $12-$18+
Bring the whole family along to watch how Madeline and 11 other little girls fare during the holiday season at their old house in Paris. One day, disaster strikes as everyone, except Madison, gets the flu! Going home for Christmas seems like an impossible task, until a visit from a rug merchant reminds Madeline that Christmas is a time for miracles too. Buy your tickets online.
3. Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild: Holiday Double Feature
Dec. 1-3,8-10 at 1:30pm and/or 7:30pm | The Grand Theatre, Eau Claire | $12-$25+
Offering eight opportunities across six separate dates for folks to catch this incredible double feature, the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild is bringing Ken Ludwigs’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas and Frosty the Snow Man to life! Enjoyable for all ages, Ludwig’s story follows the holiday adventure of a mouse, an elf, and a spunky little girl on a quest to find out why Santa missed their house last year. The classic favorite, Frosty the Snow Man, tells the tale of a snowman who comes to life one day and enjoys many funny escapades before melting away. Snag your tickets online today!
4. Church Basement Ladies
Dec. 10 at 1:30pm | Pablo Center, Eau Claire | $35+
A celebration of the classic church basement kitchen that provides the setting for the show, Church Basement Ladies follows the women who work there. Featuring four distinct characters and their relationships, the show follows the gals as they organize the food at the rural Minnesota church. From the elderly matriarch of the kitchen to the young bride-to-be, the audience will watch as they handle a record-breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, an Easter fundraiser, and more, accompanied by music.
Check out Volume One’s full event calendar for more events throughout the holiday season.