November 28, 2024
Jeremy Daniel/Courtesy of Ensemble Arts Philly
Nick Fradiani (center, top) stars as Neil Diamond in "A Beautiful Noise," a jukebox musical about the singer's rise to fame. The touring cast makes a stop in Philly from Dec. 10-22.
If you've heard about the new TKTS rush ticket booth coming to town and you're wondering what Philly theater shows to see, we've got you covered.
This month is filled with odes to hitmakers and quirky takes on pop-culture phenomenons including "The Nutcracker" and "Harry Potter." There's also kid-friendly shows like "Anastasia: The Musical," the Arden Theatre's production of "Peter Pan" and a musical version of the 2003 Christmas movie, "Elf."
While we refrained from overloading our main list with holiday-themed shows, there are plenty in December including classics like "A Christmas Carol" at Lantern Theater Co., a singing performance with Bristol Riverside Theatre's "An American Christmas Songbook" and the more wacky "The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show" featuring alumni from "RuPaul's Drag Race."
Here are 10 more shows at theaters in and around Philly this December:
Now-Jan. 5 | Bucks County Playhouse | New Hope, Bucks County
This stage version of the 1997 animated film is a fictionalized tale about the daughter of the last tsar of Russia. After her family was assassinated, Anastasia loses her memory and lives her life as Anya, traveling to 1920s Paris as she attempts to find herself. Tickets start at $32.
Now-Jan. 19 | Arden Theatre | 40 N. 2nd St.
The children's theater program at the Arden presents a stage performance of J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan." Join Wendy, John and Michael Darling in Neverland with pirates, fairies, Lost Boys and a hungry crocodile. Best for ages 6 and up. Tickets start at $25.
Now-Dec. 29 | Walnut Street Theatre | 825 Walnut St.
Buddy the elf, the main character in “ELF The Broadway Musical” hits the street of Philadelphia for the Walnut Street Theatre's production. Photo by Ashley Smith.
Ashley Smith/Courtesy of Walnut Street Theatre
After Buddy accidentally crawls into Santa's sack as a baby, he spends his young life being raised as an elf. When he learns the truth about his heritage, he goes on an adventure to New York City to find his family in this musical version of the 2003 film. Tickets start at $107.
If you're into more classic holiday stories, the Walnut is also doing a production of Charles' Dickens "A Christmas Carol" from Dec. 6-21.
Nov. 29-Dec. 29 | Hedgerow Theatre Company | Media, Delaware County
Hedgerow is putting on an immersive, live radio broadcast of the 1946 Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life." Actors will portray multiple roles and create live sound effects on stage. Tickets start at $35.
Dec. 5 | Theatre of the Living Arts | 334 South St.
Comedy writers Zach Reino and Jessica McKenna, who have worked on musical sketches in "Ricky and Morty" and Funny Or Die, bring a completely improvised musical to the Philadelphia stage for one night only. The goal? Buck the idea that musicals should be "carefully crafted" or "thought out at all." Tickets start at $41.75.
Dec. 6-Jan. 5 | Quintessence Theatre at the Sedgwick | 7137 Germantown Ave.
This classic show inside a show, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, comes to the Mount Airy stage. The cast puts on a musical retelling on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" starring the director's ex-wife. Tickets start at $65.
Dec. 10-22 | Forrest Theatre | 1114 Walnut St.
Ensemble Arts' Broadway series continues with this musical based on the life of — and made in collaboration with — singer Neil Diamond. The show follows his start in Brooklyn all the way to his chart-topping success. Tickets start at $48.
Dec. 10-29 | The Louis Bluver Theatre | 302 S. Hicks St.
Philadelphia actor and writer Chris Davis condenses the two-hour Christmas classic into one and slices a cast as large as 150 dancers into a one-man, comical performance. Davis does it all, from the mice to Clara to the Sugar Plum Fairy. Tickets start at $15.
Dec. 20-23 | Theatre Exile | 1340 S. 13th St.
This show uses storytelling, puppetry, electric cello and movement to tell the real story of Kea Tawana, who built a three-story-high ship in Newark, New Jersey, in the 1980s to protest displacement. Tickets start at $25.
Dec. 26-Jan. 5 | Penn Live Arts | 3680 Walnut St.
Actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner squash all seven books from J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series into 70 minutes. From house sorting to the Deathly Hallows, it's all there — just don't blink or you'll miss something. Tickets start at $34.99.
