14 Merry Live Performances | The New England Holiday Bucket List

Enjoy the thrill of a festive live performance this season, and for more New England holiday essentials, check out the Yankee’s 2021 feature “The New England Holiday Bucket List.”

THEATER

GREAT GIFT: Typically running from November into the new year, Trinity Rep’s annual production of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’s ghostly tale of holiday curmudgeonry, will provide a holiday boost all season long. Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI; trinityrep.com

FAVORITE THINGS: Maine’s Broadway-caliber Ogunquit Playhouse and New Hampshire’s oldest theater combine forces to bring The Sound of Music, a heartwarming tale of love family and resilience that was the final collaboration of songwriters Rodgers and Hammerstein and Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, to the stage. From late November through mid-December. The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH; themusichall.org

CLASSIC COMEBACK: The magic of a heartwarming classic returns with former Hartford Stage artistic director Michael Wilson at the helm. Come see Connecticut’s favorite family holiday tradition and spend some time with Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future as they bring A Christmas Carol to life on stage during the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hartford Stage, Hartford, CT; hartfordstage.org

SEE-WORTHY: Horse bells jingle, bonfires sizzle, and costumed performers entertain strollers-by during Lantern Light Village evenings on select December nights at Mystic Seaport. It’s drama with a seafaring twist, thanks to the softly lit backdrop of shimmering water and ships. Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT; mysticseaport.org

ORGAN-IC SPECTACLE: While opportunities abound to see A Christmas Carol at this time of year, Hanover Theatre’s adaptation, which is revised each year and features the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, is a spectacle not to be missed, with timeless timeless music, lavish costumes, and spine-tingling special effects. There’s a Sensory Friendly performance for neurodiverse audiences as well. thehanovertheatre.org

DANCE

BEDAZZLED BALLET: Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker, aka New England’s biggest wow-factor take on this holiday classic, takes audiences on a captivating journey filled with athletic feats and special effects. The wildly bedecked Christmas tree, which grows to more than 40 feet before wondering eyes, is outsparkled only by the smiles of the dancers themselves. Typically runs from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston; bostonballet.org

CRACKING ON: Maine State Ballet’s The Nutcracker mixes Balanchine’s beloved choreography with homegrown touches: e.g., artistic director Linda MacArthur Miele was mowing her lawn when inspiration struck for reindeer-suited youngsters to whisk Clara’s sleigh offstage. Typically runs for two weekends only, in late November/early December. Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME; mainestateballet.org

COSTUME PARTY:The Nutcracker is a tried and true holiday spectacular, and Ballet RI’s awe-inspiring production features spectacular sets and costumes, charming Nutcracker & Mouse King characters, stunning magic tricks, and dozens of delightful young dancers performing alongside the company’s world-class resident artists. Mid-December. The VETS, Providence, RI; festivalballetprovidence.org

ONLY IN VERMONT: Can you picture Tchaikovsky in flannel? Then you’ll love the bluegrass rearrangements of Tchaikovsky’s party dances, the appearance of the Maple Sugar Fairy, and the twirling apples and autumn leaves that make Moving Light Dance’s Green Mountain Nutcracker a delectably local confection. Two nights only in mid-December. Barre Opera House, Barre, VT; barreoperahouse.org

CITY BEATS:Urban Nutcracker, Anthony Williams’s ever-evolving revamp of the classic ballet, boldly sashays off in diverse dance directions: hip-hop and street tap, flamenco and swing. And no tutu troupe gets audiences grooving like City Ballet of Boston’s colorfully costumed, multicultural cast. Includes an LGBTQ+-inclusive performance, which challenges typical gender stereotypes in dance. Mid-December. Shubert Theatre, Boston; urbannutcracker.com

SUGARPLUM SPLENDOR:Take part in Rhode Island’s most unique holiday tradition and you’ll follow the show from room to room in the spectacular Rosecliff Mansion, where the grand ballroom is transformed into the magical Land of Sweets! Island Moving Company’s Newport Nutcracker is unforgettable. Late November. Newport, RI; islandmovingco.org

MUSIC

TIMELESS CLASSIC: First performed by the Handel and Haydn Society in 1818, and presented yearly since 1854, Handel’s Messiah is among Boston’s longest running holiday traditions. See for yourself why this epic masterpieces has been referred to as the greatest story ever told in song. Late November. Symphony Hall, Boston; handelandhaydn.org

HOLIDAY WIZARDRY: Under the direction of maestro Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops and its choral collaborators offer up heartwarming, funny-bone-tickling tonics for the spirit during the annual Holiday Pops. And when it’s time for the traditional sing-along, it’s magic to hear untrained, unrehearsed voices in an anthem of human connectedness. Throughout December. Symphony Hall, Boston; bostonpops.org

LIFT EVERY VOICE: A tradition since 1909, Candlelight Carols celebrates the birth of Christ through Scripture readings and carols and anthems offered by the Trinity choirs and instrumentalists. See for yourself why it has been described in the pages of Yankee as being “…as close to heaven as human hands and voices have ever crafted. To be amid people in a room so full and so fully at peace. This is the Christmas of dreams.” Mid-December. Trinity Church, Boston, MA; trinitychurchboston.org

See More:
17 Magical Christmas Light Displays