Christmas in Chicago 2009: Theater and Stage Performances
December 4, 2009
By Miriam Y. Cintron
The Silent Theatre Company will present Carnival Nocturne, a mysterious underground world of a traveling carnival. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thurs. to Sat. and 3 p.m. Sun. through Dec. 20 at the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St. General admission tickets cost $20, while tickets for seniors and students cost $10. For more information, call (312) 742-8497 or visit www.dcatheater.org.
The AFTRA/SAG Senior Radio Players will perform classic radio scripts complete with sound effects and live music. The theater company’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life will be held at 7 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 10, in the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. For more information, call (312) 742-8497 or visit www.dcatheater.org.
The Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 E. Grand Ave., will host Snow Much Fun! featuring a winter wonderland in the museum’s Great Hall. The hands-on exhibit runs through Monday, March 1. The seasonal favorite Pretend You’re On Ice returns, allowing kids and adults to skate on an indoor skating rink in their socks. The Snowman Fashionista exhibit gives kids the opportunity to dress up a snowman in traditional winter garb or in their own unique designs.
Other exhibits and events running throughout the holiday season include Dough Sculptures, Holiday Ecology, Little Miss Ann Band and Irish School of Music, and Balloon Art and Science with Willy Chyr. A special Winter Ball with a zany orchestra and snow flurries will be held at 2 p.m. Mon., Dec. 21. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thurs., and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri. to Wed. Admission is $10 for children and adults and $9 for seniors. For more information, call (312) 527-1000 or visit www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org.
Emerald City Theatre presents A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas, a contemporary musical written by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills. The remixing of the classic tale features the story of Fritz, a video-game obsessed boy, and a heroic female as they chase the Mouse King and keep him from ruining Christmas.
Performances are on Tues. at 10:30 a.m. through Dec. 29; Wed. at 10:15 a.m. Dec. 9 and 16 and at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 23 and 30; Thurs. at 10:15 a.m. and noon through Dec. 17; Fri. at Dec. 11 at 10:15 a.m. and noon and Dec. 18 at 10:15 a.m.; Sat. at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. through Dec. 19 and at 1 p.m. on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2; and Sun. at 1 p.m. through Dec. 27. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for kids. Performances take place at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. For tickets and further information, call (773) 935-6100 or visit www.emeraldcitytheatre.com.
More Christmas in Chicago 2009
The theater will also host Gingerbread House Workshops where kids can make their own candy house and participate in A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas theater games. The event will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12, 19, and 26; and Sun., Dec. 6, 13, 20, and 27, at Emerald City Theatre School, 2933 N. Southport Ave. For more information, visit www.emeraldcitytheatre.com or call (773) 529-2690.
The Goodman Theatre will once again delight audiences with the classic A Christmas Carol for the 17th year. This year’s production of the story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge features a new hand-painted backdrop and 12 newcomers. It will run through Thursday, Dec. 31, at the Albert Theatre. Tickets range from $25 to $74 and can be purchased at www.GoodmanTheatre.org, by phone at (312) 443-3800, or at the theater’s box office, 170 N. Dearborn St.
Now in its ninth season, the underground hit The Hipmas Carol from HeadCheese Fat Boss Production’s Patrick Zielinski and Tyler Bohne is becoming a mustsee event. The unique take on A Christmas Carol is performed at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $17 for seniors, children ages 12 and younger, and college student who present a school ID. Call (312) 733-6000 or visit www.theaterland.com.
The Joffrey Ballet’s production of the Tchaikovsky masterpiece The Nutcracker will be presented on a grand scale with local children’s choruses and more than 120 young dancers. Performances are at 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11 and 18; 2 and 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12 and 19; 2 p.m. Sun., Dec. 13, 20, and 27; 7 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 17; 2 and 7 p.m. Tues., Dec. 22; 2 and 7 p.m. Wed., Dec. 23; 2 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 24; and 2 p.m. Sat., Dec. 26. Performances are held at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy. Call (312) 739-0120 or visit www.joffrey.com.
The Victory Gardens’ winter musical The Snow Queen is a different take on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved tale of a boy who is lost in the cold, and the girl who will not give up until she finds him. The magical story is told through puppetry and a beautiful musical score. Performances will run through Sun., Dec. 27, at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets range from $20 to $48. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wed., Thurs., and Fri.; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sat.; and 3 p.m. Sun. Also, performances are at 3 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 24; and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 26. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens box office at (773) 871-3000 or visit www.victorygardens.org.
Redmoon Theater’s 2009 Winter Pageant will run through Sun., Dec. 27. The theatrical experience features masked characters and beautiful landscapes. Performances will be held at 7:30 Thurs. and Fri; and at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors and children younger than ten. In conjunction with the pageant, Redmoon will host a Family Picnic Performance where guests can have lunch with the show’s performers. The event will be held Sat., Dec. 19, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 for a family of four, $30 for adults, and $20 for children. For more information, visit www.redmoon.org or call Red-moon, 1463 W. Hubbard St., at (312) 850-8440.
