Artful Holiday Traditions, Old and New
The holidays bring new opportunities to revisit musical and theatrical traditions we enjoyed as children and to share them with new generations. Here are some of the traditional choral, dance and theater productions waiting to be experienced across our state during the holiday season.
The Nutcracker
A flying walnut shell, a growing Christmas tree, 165 costumes, 200 pounds of “snow” and 250 pounds of dry ice are some of the ingredients that go into North Carolina Dance Theatre’s rendition of The Nutcracker, Friday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 26, in Charlotte. Choreographed by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and performed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, The Nutcracker cast includes the professional dancers of North Carolina Dance Theatre, NC Dance Theatre 2 and more than one hundred students from the community, many from NC Dance Theatre School of Dance. For tickets or more information, visit http://www.ncdance.org/ or call (704) 372-1000.
Built in 1858 and undergoing the latest in a series of renovations earlier this year, historic Thalian Hall hosts the Wilmington Ballet on its main stage in a full-length performance of The Nutcracker Friday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 21. For tickets or more information, visit http://thalianhall.com/. Carolina Ballet artistic director Robert Weiss presents The Nutcracker at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium Friday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 26. For tickets or more information, visit http://www.carolinaballet.com/ or call (919) 719-0900 or (800) 982-2787.
Handel’s Messiah
For the first time this year, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Singers of Charlotte move their annual production of Handel’s Messiah to the intimate setting of the new Knight Theater, part of the Levine Center for the Arts. Scott Allen Jarrett will conduct the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte featuring Marie-Eve Munger, soprano, Krista River, mezzo-soprano, Aaron Sheehan, tenor, and Jesse Blumberg, baritone. Performances take place Thursday, Dec. 16, through Tuesday, Dec. 21. For more information or tickets, call (704) 972-2000 or visit http://www.charlottesymphony.org/.
For the fourth year, Robert Moody conducts Winston-Salem Symphony’s annual presentation of Messiah at the Twin City’s Centenary United Methodist Church. The Messiah Festival Chorus features soloists Sari Gruber, soprano, Mary Gale Greene, mezzo-soprano, John McVeigh, tenor, and Troy Cook, bass. Performances take place Tuesday, Dec. 14, and Wednesday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Visit http://www.wssymphony.org/ or call (336) 725-1035 for more information.
In the Triangle, the Duke Chapel Choir and Orchestra with conductor Rodney Wynkoop holds its traditional performance of Messiah Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m. Children must be 12 or older for admission. For more information or to order tickets, visit www.tickets.duke.edu. At UNC-Chapel Hill, Wesley Campus Ministry hosts its 45th Annual Messiah Open Sing on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. For more information, visit http://studentorgs.unc.edu/wesley/index.php/home or call (919) 942-2152.
Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity
Written by Langston Hughes and premiering on Broadway in 1961, Black Nativity retells the traditional Nativity story with gospel music, percussion and dance. The North Carolina Black Repertory Company in Winston-Salem presents its 10th annual production of the play, directed and choreographed by Broadway veteran Mabel Robinson, Friday, Dec. 10, through Sunday, Dec. 12, and Friday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 19. For more information or tickets, visit http://www.nbtf.org or call (336) 723-2266. North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro also brings Black Nativity to Harrison Auditorium on campus, Thursday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 5. For more information or to order tickets, visit http://cas.ncat.edu/cas/or call (336) 334.7749.
In the Triangle, Hillside High School Theatre in Durham stages its annual production of Black Nativity Friday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 19. For more information, visit http://www.blacknativitydurham.com/ or call (919) 906-0840 or (919) 451-4753.
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol lights up stages across N.C. in November and December. Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park presented Ira David Wood III’s original musical comedy adaptation of the story for the first time in 1974, and this year Ira David Wood IV stars in the play at two venues in the Triangle: the Durham Performing Arts Center, Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 5, and at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts Memorial Auditorium in downtown Raleigh, Wednesday, Dec. 8, through Wednesday, Dec. 15. For information and tickets, visit http://www.theatreinthepark.com/ or call (919) 831-6936.
Artistic director Preston Lane adapts and directs A Christmas Carol for the first time at Triad Stage in Greensboro, Friday, Nov. 26, through Friday, Dec. 24. Visit http://www.triadstage.org/ or call (336) 272-0160 or (866) 579-8499 for more information.
The historic Temple Theatre in Sanford, built in 1925 and refurbished and reopened in 1984, presents A Christmas Carol with traditional Christmas songs as well as original songs written for the production. Performances take place Thursday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 19. For tickets and more information, visit http://www.templeshows.com/ or call (919) 774-4155. North Carolina Shakespeare Festival makes a departure from the Bard for its annual production of A Christmas Carol, taking place at the High Point Theatre Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 19. Visit http://www.ncshakes.org/ or call (336) 841-2273 for more information.
Contemporary Comedies and New Traditions
The misadventures of Crumpet the elf at Macy’s department store are revisited in The Santaland Diaries, Joe Mantello’s stage adaptation of the popular story by Raleigh native David Sedaris. See it at Triad Stage’s Uptown Cabaret Tuesday, Dec. 7, through Thursday, Dec. 23. Visit http://www.triadstage.org/ or call (336) 272-0160 or (866) 579-8499 for more information. Automatic Vaudeville and Theatre In The Park bring the play to the Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre in Raleigh, Thursday, Dec. 9, through Sunday, Dec. 12. For information and tickets, visit http://www.theatreinthepark.com/ or call (919) 831-6936. The Santaland Diaries is recommended for adult audiences only.
Based on the writings of storyteller Jean Shepherd, made into a popular movie in 1983 and adapted for the stage by Philip Grecian, A Christmas Story recounts the holiday memories of Ralphie Parker and his quest for a Red Ryder air rifle. North Carolina Theatre brings the comedy to A.J. Fletcher Theater in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday, Dec. 7, through Friday, Dec. 24. For tickets or more information, visit http://www.nctheatre.com/theatre/index.html or call (919) 831-6941, ext. 6944.
Now in its 45th season, A Gallery Christmas recalls holiday variety shows of days gone by with traditional music and scenes of the season. Staged at the historic Gallery Theatre in Ahoskie, the production has been enhanced and extended with an extra weekend of performances this year. See it Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 5, and Friday, Dec. 10, through Sunday, Dec. 12. For tickets or more information, visit http://www.gallerytheatre.org/ or call (252) 332-2976.
Live From WVL Radio Theatre: It’s a Wonderful Life recreates a snowbound Christmas Eve in 1945 when a handful of radio actors brave the storm to present the classic holiday tale for their listeners. Flat Rock Playhouse presents the story in association with North Carolina Stage Company, Friday, Nov. 19, through Thursday, Dec. 23. For more information, visit http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org/ or call (828) 693-0731.
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