The holidays are all about traditions. San Diego has many of its own with musicals and plays coming back year after year and beloved by local audiences. Here’s a roundup of the holiday-themed shows playing throughout San Diego County this fall, listed in alphabetical order.
Tony-winning actor Jefferson Mays, seen here in the Old Globes 2013 world premiere musical A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder, returns to the Globe in Dec. with his one-man show A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story told by Jefferson Mays. (Henry DiRocco)
‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story Told by Jefferson Mays’
The Old Globe presents Tony-winning actor and UC San Diego graduate Jefferson Mays in a new adaptation of his acclaimed solo show where he plays more than 50 characters in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Old Globe artistic director Barry Edelstein directs. Dec. 12 through Dec. 22. 7 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $64-$96. 619-234-5623. theoldglobe.org
A scene from Cygnet Theatres A Christmas Carol. (Karli Cadel)
‘A Christmas Carol’
Cygnet Theatre will present its annual production of Dickens’ redemptive holiday tale, once again starring Cygnet artistic director Sean Murray as the miserly Victorian money-lender Ebenezer Scrooge. It was adapted for the stage and directed by Murray, with lyrics by Murray and original music by Billy Thompson. It features sing-along Christmas carols, puppetry, humor, dancing and special effects. The 2024 staging will feature an expanded storyline, fresh original music and a revitalized script. Runs Nov. 29 through Dec. 24. 7 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Cygnet’s Old Town Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town San Diego. $73. (619) 337-1525. cygnettheatre.com
Bob Himlin, left, and Ed Howell in Scripps Ranch Theatres A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play, playing Dec. 13-15. (Ted Leib)
‘A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play’
Scripps Ranch Theatre presents a retro radio-style adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with five actors and sound and visual effects. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14; 2 p.m. Dec. 14-15. Legler Benbough Theatre, Alliant International University, 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego. $30. scrippsranchtheatre.org/a-christmas-carol
‘A Christmas Story’
Community Actors Theatre presents its annual holiday children’s program. Written and directed by Marvell Bryant and Kimberly Coburn, it’s a drama featuring actors ages 7 to 15 learning how the spirit of Christmas season is about honesty, faith and teamwork. 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and 14. 3 p.m. Dec. 15. $10. Children 5 and under are free. 2957 54th St., San Diego. 619-581-2634. communityactorstheatre.com
‘A Drag Queen Christmas’
Murray & Peter present this 10th anniversary tour hosted by Nina West. Some of the rotating cast members takin gpart in this holiday spectacular are Angeria, Jimbo, Lady Campen, Manila, Miz Cracker, Plane Jane, Plasma, Q, Roxxxy Andrews and many more. 8 p.m. Dec. 6. San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown. $62 and up. sandiegotheatres.org
A scene from A Magical Holiday Celebration, playing Dec. 19-22 at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido. (Kristi Townsend)
A Magical Holiday Celebration!
Carlos Mendoza presents this holiday song and dance show for all ages at Theatre at the Welk. It will feature performances of Christmas classics like All I Want for Christmas is You, Feliz Navidad, Rockin Around the Christmas Tree and more. The cast includes singers Ryan Fahey, Richard Bermudez, Alexis Grenier and Stephanie Burkett Gerson, and dancers Kristel Nichols, Danielle Bressler, Tamara Rodriguez, and Ashley Chavarria. 1 p.m. Dec. 15 and 22; 7 p.m. Dec. 19 and 21; Theatre at the Welk, 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido. $23-$47. tickets.thewelksandiego.com
‘A Tree Lot Christmas: Joining Jesus’ Family Tree’
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School presents this family-friendly musical about a group of children selling Christmas trees outside a toy store to raise money for children in need. It focuses on the faith roots of the Christmas season. 6 p.m. Dec. 12. Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown. sandiegotheatres.org/event/2024/12/tree-lot-christmas
‘Black Nativity: A Soulful Celebration of Joy’
Common Ground Theatre presents Langston Hughes’ holiday musical that tells the Christmas story through gospel, soul, jazz and spoken, word with guest appearances by local clergy. Dec. 6 through 13. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m. Dec. 8; 2 p.m. Dec. 15. ECC MainStage, 4343 OceanView Blvd., San Diego. $20-$35. commongroundtheatre.org
Arden Elise Johnson as Cindy-Lou Who and Andrew Polec as The Grinch in the Old Globes 2023 production of Dr. Seusss How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Jim Cox)
‘Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’
The Old Globe’s 27th annual production of this holiday classic will once again star Andrew Polec, who returns for his fourth year in the title role. Based on a 1957 children’s book by the late La Jolla author Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, the musical by Timothy Mason and Mel Marvin premiered in 1994 at a children’s theater in Minneapolis. In 1998, it moved to the Old Globe, where artistic director Jack O’Brien worked with Geisel’s widow, Audrey Geisel, to add music from the famous 1966 animated TV version and a storybook-come-to-life scenic and costume design. It’s been an annual tradition ever since. Now playing through Dec. 31. Showtimes vary, but mostly evenings Tuesdays-Fridays and multiple shows on weekend days. The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $74 and up. 619-234-5623. theoldglobe.org
‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)’
Patio Playhouse Community Theatre presents this fast-paced holiday comedy featuring three actors attempting to perform every Christmas tale, plus every holiday tradition in 90 minutes. Now playing through Dec. 15. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. 116 Kalmia St., Escondido. $13.60-$22. 760-746-6669, patioplayhouse.com
Hope Springs, Eternal
North County Players presents an in-the-round production of Charles Carrs redemptive radio hour-style holiday play about a mysterious man, possibly an angel or the devil, who wanders into a small town in 1940s America and offers residents an impossible choice. 7 p.m. Dec. 12-14 and 19-21; 2 p.m. Dec. 15 and 22. Studio Theatre, California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. $25-$30. artanimateslife.org
Its a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Southwestern College Theatre Arts presents Joe Landrys radio studio-style adaptation of the 1939 Jimmy Stewart holiday film about a despondent man who discovers what his family and towns life would be like if hed never been born. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4-7 and 9-11. 2 p.m. Dec. 7. Studio Theatre, Southwestern College, park in Lot O at H Street and Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista. $15. swctheatre.com
‘Manny and the Wise Queens’
Oceanside Theatre Company presents the first full staging of Idris Goodwin’s contemporary, hip-hop-infused adaptation of the nativity story, where a depressed young man, isolating in his family’s attic during the COVID-19 pandemic on Christmas Eve 2020, is visited by two gift-bearing travelers who bring him holiday cheer and unexpected gifts. Dec. 6 through Dec. 22. 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Brooks Theatre, 217 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. $35. 760-433-8900, oceansidetheatre.org
Tyler C. Jiles, left, Olivia Pence, Lena Palke and Durwood Murray co-star in New Village Arts Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play. (Kali Boston)
‘Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play’
New Village Arts Theatre presents Lance Arthur Smith’s stage adaptation of the classic holiday film about a real-life Kris Kringle who teaches a little girl and her skeptical mother to believe in Santa Claus. Features original music and radio-style foley effects. Previews Nov. 22-29. Opens Nov. 30 and runs through Dec. 24. 2 p.m. Wednesdays; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $25-$60. 2787 State St., Carlsbad. newvillagearts.org/miracle-34-street
The ‘Nice” and ‘Naughty’ Holiday Cabarets
Coronado Playhouse will present two weekend events in December. “The Nice Holiday Cabaret” is the annual holiday sing-along program for all ages at 7 p.m. Dec. 13; 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 14; 2 p.m. Dec. 15. “The Naughty Holiday Cabaret” is a cheeky, one-night-only, adults-only holiday sing-along at 9:30 p.m. Dec. 14. 1835 Strand Way, Coronado. $20 for all shows. 619-435-4856, coronadoplayhouse.org
‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T-F-U-L-L-Y Christmas’
Lamb’s Players Theatre presents the return of this popular 2023 holiday show of Christmas songs and carols featuring cast members from two past Lamb’s hit shows: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” and “Million Dollar Quartet.” Runs Nov. 26 through Dec. 29. 7 p.m. Tuesdays- Saturdays. 2 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. $38-$96. 619-437-6000, lambsplayers.org
San Diego Musical Theatre presents Roger Beans holiday comedy musical The Winter Wonderettes, opening Nov. 29 in Kearny Mesa. (Julie Licari)
‘Winter Wonderettes’
San Diego Musical Theatre presents this holiday adaptation of Roger Bean’s all-female comedy “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” In this version, the women’s quartet are pressed into service to create a holiday show after Santa turns up missing. Opens Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 29. 7 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. SDMT Stage, 4650 Mercury St., San Diego. $30 and up. 858-560-5740, sdmt.org
Juliet Brett and Miles G. Jackson in La Jolla Playhouses world premiere play Your Local Theater Presents a Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again. (Rich Soublet II)
‘Your Local Theater Presents …’
La Jolla Playhouse presents this world premiere play by Anna Ouyang Moench (Netflix’s “Beef” and Apple TV+’s “Severance), which is subtitled “A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again.” It’s the story of an ambitious young Juilliard-trained actor who takes a bit role in a regional “Christmas Carol” production and, as the years pass, he reluctantly finds his way back to the same show every holiday season, working his way up from a bit role as a young man to the elderly Scrooge in his later years. Now in previews through Saturday. Opens Nov. 24 and runs through Dec. 15. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays. 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Potiker Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, UCSD, La Jolla. $30-$91. 858-550-1010, lajollaplayhouse.org