From 'Carols' to the 'Grinch,' local theaters offer bevy of holiday treats

By: PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 28, 2007 2:47 PM PST ∞

If your holiday season isn't complete without an evening of live Christmas-themed theater, there are more than two dozen plays and musicals crowding local stages in the coming month. Here's an overview:

"Amahl and the Night Visitors" ---- Lyric Opera San Diego presents Giancarlo Menotti's holiday operetta based on the story of gifts of the Magi and a crippled boy in Bethlehem, starring Del Mar-raised soprano Priti Gandhi; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14-15 and 20; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 16 and 22-23; Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave., San Diego; $30-$50, general; children ages 5 to 17 are half-price; (619) 239-8836.

"An American Christmas" ---- The Hotel del Coronado and Lamb's Players Theatre present their annual holiday feast featuring a turn-of-the-century celebration of music, stories, dance and laughter woven around a gourmet five-course dinner; plays at 6:30 p.m. nightly Dec. 9 through Dec. 30; Crown Ballroom, Hotel del Coronado, Orange Avenue, Coronado; $110 to $125, general; $75-$90, children ages 5 to 12; (619) 437-0600.

"Annie" ----Star Theatre Company presents a return engagement of the classic holiday musical based on the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip, about a Depression-era orphan who wants a family for Christmas; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-8; 2 p.m. Dec. 8; Star Theatre, 402 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside; $15, adults; $12, seniors, students and military; $6, children under 12; (760) 721-9983.

"Babes in Toyland" ---- Premiere for Kids presents a youth-cast musical adaptation of the children's holiday fairy tale; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6-7, 16, 20 and 22; 2 p.m. Dec. 9; Avo Playhouse, 303 Main St., Vista; $12, adults; $10, seniors and students; $7, children under 12; (760) 806-7905.

"A Christmas Carol" ---- Arts Off Broadway youth theater presents Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Okrent's Broadway musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens holiday story about Ebenezer Scrooge and his Christmas Eve redemption; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1; 2 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 2; California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido; $15, adults; $12.25, children under 10; (800) 988-4253.

"A Christmas Carol" ---- North Coast Repertory Theatre presents Jacqueline Goldfinger's new adaptation of Charles Dickens' holiday tale of redemption; previews, 7 p.m. Dec. 12-13; opens Dec. 14 and runs through Dec. 30; showtimes, 2 p.m. Thursdays; 7 p.m. Fridays; 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; plus some additional Dec. 5 and weekend matinees; North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987D Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach; $23-$40; (858) 481-1055.

"A Christmas Carol" ---- Kinney Productions presents Don Winslow's adaptation of Charles Dickens' holiday classic; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 21-23; 2 p.m. Dec. 23; Julian Town Hall, 2129 Main St., Julian; $10, adults; $6, children; (760) 765-1688.

"A Christmas Carol, the Musical" ---- Temecula Valley Players presents the Broadway musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' holiday classic; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 6 and 7; 2 p.m. Dec. 1-2, 8-9; Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula; $17-$20; (866) 653-8696.

"A Christmas Carol: Not-So-Tiny Tim's Great Big Musical" ---- Vox Nova Theatre presents the world premiere of Ruff Yeager's reinterpretation of the Charles Dickens holiday classic told from the perspective of the all-grown-up and miserly Tiny Tim Cratchit; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; 7 p.m. Sundays; through Dec. 23; 6th@Penn Theatre, 3704 Sixth Ave., San Diego; $24, general; $18, seniors, students, military and children; (858) 539-6251.

"Christmas Is Comin' Uptown" ---- Common Ground Theatre presents this soulful new musical loosely based on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"; preview, 8 p.m. Nov. 29; opens Nov. 30 and runs through Dec. 15; showtimes, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 5 p.m. Sundays; WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego; $20, general; $10, students; special dinner-theater package available on Dec. 7; (619) 263-7911.

"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" ---- The Old Globe presents its 10th annual production of the Timothy Mason/Mel Marvin musical, with three new songs, a revised book, a new dance number and a new Grinch costume; showtimes vary; runs through Dec. 30; Old Globe Theatre, Balboa Park, San Diego; $39-$59, general; $19-$31, children ages 3 to 17; (619) 234-5623.

"Holiday Jubilee" ---- Family-friendly holiday show featuring song, dance, comedy and music followed by an outdoor tree-lighting ceremony and community caroling; 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 1; California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido; $7-$27; (800) 988-4253.

"Irving Berlin's White Christmas" ---- The Welk Resort Theatre presents the San Diego premiere of this new musical based on the 1954 Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye film about two soldiers-turned-showmen who put on a holiday show to help their former general; 1:45 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and Saturdays-Sundays; 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; through Dec. 30; Welk Resort Theatre, Lawrence Welk Resort, 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido; $66-$71, includes buffet lunch or dinner; $52-$55, show only; (760) 749-3448.

"It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" ---- Cygnet Theatre reprises this 1940s-radio hour-style version of the Jimmy Stewart holiday film classic about a despondent man who learns the positive effect his life has had on others with the help of a guardian angel; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays; through Dec. 30; Cygnet Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego; $25-$31; (619) 337-1525.

"It's a Wonderful Life, the Musical" ---- Village Players presents a musical based on the Jimmy Stewart holiday film classic about a despondent man who learns the positive effect his life has had on others with the help of a guardian angel; 7 p.m. Dec. 8; 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 9; Village Community Presbyterian Church, 6225 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe; free; (858) 756-2441.

"Lamb's Players Festival of Christmas" ---- Lamb's Players Theatre presents Kerry Meads' all-new musical about the redemptive spirit of the holiday season; opens Nov. 30 and runs through Dec. 29; showtimes, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 6 p.m. Sundays; Lamb's Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado; $28-$44; (619) 437-0600.

"La Posada Magica: The Magical Journey" ---- Hispanic Arts Theatre presents the San Diego premiere of Octavio Solis and Marcos Loya's family-themed play with music about a young girl who joins her neighborhood's Posada, a festive march that re-creates Joseph and Mary's journey to the manger in Bethlehem, and meets all sorts of characters; 8 p.m. Dec. 21-22; 3 p.m. Dec. 22-23; Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, San Diego; $15, general; $12, children 13 and under; (619) 544-1000.

"The Man Who Came to Dinner" ---- Patio Playhouse presents Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's classic Christmastime farce about a Midwestern family forced to take in an overbearing celebrity houseguest while he recuperates from a fall ; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; through Dec. 16; Patio Playhouse, 201 E. Grand Ave., Escondido; $14, general; $12, seniors and students with ID; $7, youth under 16; (760) 746-6669.

"1940s Radio Christmas Carol" ---- Carlsbad Playreaders presents its third annual reading of this radio-hour-style comedy set in a WWII-era radio station where a reading of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" takes on a decidedly superhero vein; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3; Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad; $5, general; $1, students; (760) 602-2012.

"Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical" ---- Premiere Productions presents a holiday sequel to the off-Broadway smash "Nunsense" about a group of enterprising nuns who are singing for their supper, this time with a holiday twist; showtimes, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; performances through Dec. 9 and Dec. 20-23 are at the Broadway Theater, 340B E. Broadway, Vista; performances Dec. 13-16 are at the Avo Playhouse, 303 Main St., Vista; $16.50; (760) 806-7905.

"Off the Ground" ---- New Village Arts Theatre presents the world premiere of Amy Chini and Tom Zohar's dysfunctional family holiday comedy about a family dealing with loss and piecing things back together again; opens Dec. 1 and runs through Dec. 23; showtimes, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; New Village Arts Theatre, 2787B State St., Carlsbad; $26, general; $22, seniors, students and military; (760) 433-3245.

"One Bethlehem Night" ---- Bethel Baptist Church of Escondido presents a Broadway-style musical that re-creates the town of Bethlehem on the night of Jesus' birth, featuring a two-story set, costumes, choir and full orchestra; 7 p.m. Dec. 7-8, 14-15; Bethel Baptist Church, 855 Brotherton Road, Escondido; www.bbcesc.org.

"Radio City Christmas Spectacular" ---- The world-famous Rockettes star in this national touring production of the Radio City Music Hall holiday stage spectacular; opens Dec. 13 and runs through Dec. 30; Segerstrom Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; $25-$75; for showtimes, call (714) 556-2787.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" ---- Theatre West and Premiere Productions for Kids present a youth-cast musical based on the holiday classic; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 through Dec. 1; 2 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 2; San Marcos Community Recreation Center, 3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos; $6; (760) 744-9000.

"Scrooge, the Musical" ---- CAST Productions presents its 12th annual production of this Leslie Bricusse musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"; opens Nov. 30 and runs through Dec. 16; showtimes, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays (no performance on Dec. 1); Mission Theatre, 231 N. Main Ave., Fallbrook; $10, adults; $8, seniors and children under 12; (760) 731-2278.

"Sister's Christmas Catechism" ---- Donovan Entertainment Inc. presents Maripat Donovan's stand-up-style comedy about a stern nun trying to solve the mystery of the missing Magi's gold in a church Nativity scene; 7 p.m. Dec. 7; Serra Center, Mission San Luis Rey, 4070 Mission Ave., Oceanside; (760) 757-3250.

"A Small Town Christmas" ---- Premiere Productions presents Randall Hickman's original musical about an orphan who helps bring the Christmas spirit to a small town; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8-9, 12, 19 and 21; 2 p.m. Dec. 22; Avo Playhouse, 303 Main St., Vista; $12, adults; $10, seniors and students; $7, children under 12; (760) 806-7905.

"The Sounds of Christmas" ---- Premiere Productions presents a one-hour holiday musical revue featuring Broadway Theater performers from the past four years; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13-15; 2 p.m. Dec. 15-16; Broadway Theater, 340B E. Broadway, Vista; $16.50; (760) 806-7905.

"Traditions of Christmas" ---- Christian Community Theatre presents its 15th annual holiday music revue, with more than 100 singers and dancers, a Rockette-style kickline and a Nativity pageant with live animals; 7 p.m. Dec. 6-8, 14-15, 20-22; 6 p.m. Dec. 9 and 16; 2 p.m. Dec. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23; East County Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon; $22-$33, general; $20-$30, seniors and military; $15, children 12 and under; (800) 696-1929.