The North Pole is in trouble. Santa and all the North Pole power players are indicted for fraud and it's up to the women to try and save their families from financial ruin. But how? Years of wealth and privilege have left them with a lot of designer clothes and jewelry, but little else. Luckily, Andy Cohen and the Bravo network swoop in to save the day with the perfect showcase for those with no talent or skills - reality television! Join Mrs. Ruth Claus, Mrs. Frosty The Snowman, Suzy Snowflake, Gladys Dasher, and others as they claw their way to instant fame.

George Bailey, the Everyman from small town Bedford Falls whose dreams of escape and adventure were stopped by family obligation and civic duty, has fallen onto desperate times. Only a miracle can save him from despair. Filled with original music and classic holiday carols, this critically acclaimed, warm "holiday favorite makes the bell ring every time." (Chicago Tribune) For 20 years, American Blues has treated audiences to a live retelling of the Frank Capra classic in a 1940s radio broadcast tradition, making It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! the second longest-running holiday play in Chicago!

An adult pantomime by Tom Whalley, author of last season’s SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY. Many years ago, the King and Queen of a far off kingdom were blessed with a baby girl with long, magical, downstairs hair. One day the jealous witch Mother F**ker kidnapped the child and locked her in a tower, selfishly squandering her merkin magic for herself. With the help of local hairdresser Dame Fanny Pigtail, her thick as s**t son Pascal, the dashing Prince Ride-her and the Hairy Fairy, will Rapunzel ever come out? Recommended for ages 18+

The Chicago Tribune hails JEFF ARCURI as "a joke machine," but he's much more than that--he's a person! Jeff has showcased his talent on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Laughs! on Fox, SiriusXM, and numerous comedy festivals nationwide. His subreddit, r/JeffArcuri, ranks in the top 1% of all subreddits, boasting over 235,000 active members. This makes him one of the pioneering comedians on the platform, frequently landing on the front page.

A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS , the ultimate holiday variety show will mesmerize, twist, flip, and jingle all the way to Chicago this holiday season. Showcasing the world's top cirque talent, the cast of world-class acrobats, contortionists, and aerialists will push the boundaries of imagination where gravity is defied and human potential knows no limits-taking audiences on a dazzling, winter wonderland journey where the performers are supported by a captivating musical score that will tug at your heartstrings, elevate your spirit and have you tapping your foot and singing along to hit Christmas songs in the ultimate variety extravaganza. This festive show entertains audiences of all ages making it a perfect date night, fun family adventure, or group outing.

Set in Victorian-era London, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol tells the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts that visit him one fateful Christmas Eve hoping to change his miserly ways. Continue your tradition or start a new one by gathering the whole family for the 30th anniversary of Drury Lane Theatre's heartwarming production. Complete with falling snow and magical illusions, the play is a visually-stunning experience and, at one hour long, perfect for children of all ages.

Who's Holiday! is a wildly funny and heartfelt adults-only comedy that tells the story of Cindy Lou Who as she recalls that Christmas Eve she first met the Grinch and the twisted turn of events her life has now taken.

1 actor. 19 characters. 90 minutes of rousing good cheer! In Dickens' Christmas Carol, Scrooge gets a chance to amend his ways, but what happened to his partner Jacob Marley? Find out in Lifeline Theatre's production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, a one-man show written by Goodman Theatre's own Scrooge, Tom Mula, featuring a Jeff-nominated performance by longtime Chicago actor and Lifeline ensemble member, Phil Timberlake.

In this turn-of-the-century Victorian mystery, strange things start to happen as the seemingly perfect marriage of Jack and Bella devolves into something sinister. Why is the attic door locked? Whose footsteps wander the halls at night? And is that light really flickering... or not? Bella's reality is twisted into an indistinguishable tangle of truth, manipulation, and her husband's intentions, where certainty is uncertain for characters and audience alike.

Frog and Toad share seasons of adventures in a jazzy, upbeat, Tony-nominated musical. Get ready for some hopping good holiday fun when Arnold Lobel's beloved amphibians jump from page to stage in a family holiday show the NY Times called "bright, bouncy and altogether lovable!" Whether baking cookies, planting a garden, flying kites or celebrating the holidays in style, Frog and Toad discover that life is more fun when it's shared with a friend!

ELF THE MUSICAL, inspired by the hit film, is the hilarious and heartwarming tale of Buddy, a young orphan child whose life is changed forever when he mistakenly crawls into Santa's sack of toys one Christmas Eve. When he discovers he is human, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and, in turn, helps the Big Apple rediscover the true meaning of Christmas. This all-new tour, based on the acclaimed 2024 Broadway production, was hailed by The New York Times, which said, "The show has CRACKED THE CODE OF ALL-AGES COMEDY, the kind that will leave children and grown-ups equally helpless with laughter," and celebrated in The New Yorker, "It's enough to MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS." This modern-day holiday classic, says The Daily Beast, "is a gift for kids and adults, and a very 'sparklejollytwinklejingley' night out!"

In SIX, the queens of Henry VIII take the mic to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse-remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of twenty-first-century girl power. The all-woman cast, backed by an all-woman band known as the "Ladies in Waiting," traverses the spectrum of modern-day pop with a soundtrack that has stormed up the UK charts.

It's almost Christmas, and Santa's list is missing! Join Mrs. Claus and the Elf Class of 2024 as they try to find it in time to save Christmas. Who stole the list? How will they get it back? Will Mrs. Claus save the day? Chicago Kids Company's biggest and most colorful show will put you in the Holiday Spirit in no time!

Prepare to be captivated by the incomparable John C. Reilly in Mister Romantic, a vaudeville show that has already garnered critical acclaim and captured the public’s imagination. Backed by a cracker jack band of multi Grammy winners Davíd Garza, Charles De Castro, David Piltch and Gabe Witcher, the New York Times calls the show "wryly funny, sometimes tender and sad, but always sincere" and Vanity Fair describes it as “fiercely funny” and says "John C. Reilly is one hell of a singer." Mister Romantic asks you to open your heart to the love all around you and marks a new chapter in Reilly’s acclaimed career.

Salt Creek Ballet's The Nutcracker marches back onto the North Shore Center stage with an affordable full-length holiday production performed in the grand tradition by a professional company with exceptional guest soloists! For a holiday production that first delighted audiences way back in 1892, Salt Creek Ballet's The Nutcracker demonstrates how to make this historic ballet and holiday tradition just as accessible and relevant today. The Nutcracker is the perfect way to introduce young children to the power and beauty of classical dance.

All aboard the magic train! Where should we go? Who shall we visit? The conductors are on a search for treasure in this play specifically designed for very young children. Join the conductors as they explore community and connection along the railroad lines! Featuring live music and playful audience participation, The Conductors is a silly, joyful, and engaging first theatre experience for children ages 2-6 and their families.

Award-winning comedy icons, writers, actors, and drag queen powerhouses BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon are coming back to town with the wildly successful, internationally acclaimed, "The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show." Throughout the show's history Jinkx and DeLa have met sentient Christmas treats, twisted space-time with Dickensian Ghosts, escaped the meta clutches of their own holiday traditions, and led a harrowing rescue mission in the Nutcracker's Land of Sweets - You never know what wild and unexpected sleigh ride these queens have in store.