Set the Stage for Holiday Theater in New Jersey 

Taking your children to a live theater performance helps set the stage for their future (or continuing) appreciation of the performing arts.

Check out this listing of shows this holiday season, including classics like the “Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol,” as well as grand symphonies and celebrations of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Contact the performance venues to verify dates and to find out show times.

12 Miles West Theatre Company at Playwrights Theatre
33 Green Village Rd., Madison
973/259-9187
Merry Christmas, George Bailey!: A Radio Play, Nov. 28–29
The Wizard of Oz, Dec. 12–20

Alexander Hall Richardson Auditorium
Nassau St., Princeton
609/497-0020
PSO POPS! Annual Family Holiday Concert, Dec. 20

Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University
1 Normal Ave., Montclair
973-655-5112
Sounds of the Holiday Season, Dec. 7

Algonquin Arts Center
60 Abe Voorhees Dr., Manasquan
732/528-9211
ALLEGRO! Holiday Melodies and Sugarplum Dream, Dec. 14

Bergen Performing Arts Center
30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood
201/227-1030
Idols in Concert! For the Holidays, Dec. 4
NJ Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 6–7
Jose Feliciano: Feliz Navidad, Dec. 12
Vienna Boys Choir, Dec. 19
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 21

Bickford Theatre at The Morris Museum
6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown
973/971-3706
Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Dec. 27

CDC Theatre
78 Winans Ave., Cranford
908/276-7611
Children’s Theatre: High School Musical, Dec. 5–14

Chatham Community Players
23 N. Passaic Ave., Chatham
973/635-7363
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 4–21

Circle Players
416 Victoria Ave., Piscataway
732/968-7555
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 12–21

Count Basie Theatre
99 Monmouth St., Red Bank
732/842-9000
Beauty and the Beast, Nov. 14–23
Holiday Doo Wop, Dec. 5
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 6
Company of Dance Arts: The Nutcracker, Dec. 13–14
Holiday Express, Dec. 16 and 18
Kenny G Christmas Show, Dec. 17
Handel’s Messiah, Dec. 21

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre at the Baird Community Center Theater
5 Mead St., South Orange
973/378-7754
A Very Special (Holiday) Special, Dec. 5–6

Eatontown Playhouse
3713 Route 35 N., Eatontown
732/888-0339
The Bishop’s Wife, Dec. 5–21
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 6–30

Garage Theatre Group at the Becton Theatre
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck
201/569-7710
High School Musical II, Dec. 5–17

Kean Stage
1000 Morris Ave., Union
908/737-7469
NJ Dance Theatre Ensemble: The Nutcracker, Dec. 13–14

Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College
1200 Old Trenton Rd., West Windsor
609/570-3333
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Dec. 5–7
The Dance Connection: The Nutcracker, Dec. 12–14

Lautenberg Family JCC
901 Route 10 East, Whippany
973/428-9300
Community Hanukkah Concert with Yosi and the Superdads, Dec. 14

McCarter Theatre Center
91 University Pl., Princeton
609/258-6500
American Repertory Ballet: The Nutcracker, Nov. 22–30
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 7–28

Mystic Vision Players at St. George’s Church
417 McCandless St., Linden
908/925-9068
Yuletide Carol, Dec. 6

New Jersey Performing Arts Center
One Center St., Newark
888/GO-NJPAC
The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller by Chip Davis, Dec. 5
Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Dec. 7
Holiday Express Benefit Concert, Dec. 10
A Rockapella Holiday, Dec. 13
Songs of the Season, Dec. 14
The Spirit of Kwanzaa, Dec. 20

Paper Mill Playhouse
Brookside Dr., Millburn
973/376-4343
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Nov. 28–30
The American Boy Choir, Dec. 9
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 13–14
Theatreworks USA: The Nutcracker, Dec. 19–28

Patriots Theater at the Trenton War Memorial
1 Memorial Dr., Trenton
609/984-8400
GTSA New Year’s Eve Concert, Dec. 31

Pax Amicus Castle Theatre
23 Lake Shore Dr., Budd Lake
973/691-2100
Frosty the Snowman, Nov. 28–Dec. 20
It’s a Wonderful Life, Dec. 6–20

Pollak Theatre at Monmouth University
400 Cedar Ave., W. Long Branch
732/571-3400
The Sword and the Stone, Dec. 4 and 15

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
36 Madison Ave., Madison
973/408-5600
The Winter’s Tale, Dec. 3–28

South Orange Performing Arts Center
One SOPAC Way, South Orange
973/275-1114
New York Theatre Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 10

Spring Lake Theatre Company
Third and Madison Aves., Spring Lake
732/449-4530
Scrooge, Dec. 4–20

State Theatre of New Jersey
15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
732/246-7469
The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller by Chip Davis, Dec. 12
Kenny Rogers Christmas, Dec. 14
American Repertory Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 20–21
Salute to Vienna, Dec. 31

Studio Players
14 Alvin Pl., Montclair
973/744-9752
The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, Nov. 15–23

Tatum Park Red Hill Activity Center
Red Hill Rd., Middletown
732/842-4000
One Magic Christmas, Dec. 7

The Center for the Performing Arts at DeBaun Auditorium
5th and Hudson Sts., Hoboken
201/216-8937
Messiah Sing, Dec. 6
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 12–21

The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
100 South St., Morristown
973/539-8008
Ronan Tynan: The Gift of Christmas Song, Nov. 29
American Repertory Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 4–5
Vienna Boys Choir, Dec. 11
A Christmas Celebration with The Drifters and The Marvelettes, Dec. 12
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 13
Franklin’s Family Christmas Concert, Dec. 14

The Growing Stage
Route 183, Netcong
973/347-4946
Frosty, Nov. 28–Dec. 28

The Shrewsbury Chorale
90 Kings Highway, Middletown
732/776-5276
Handel’s Messiah, Dec. 7

The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College
Raritan Valley College Dr., North Branch
908/725-3420
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 5
Christmas Around the World, Dec. 12
Jose Feliciano: Feliz Navidad, Dec. 20
The Snow Queen, Dec. 21

Two River Theater Company
21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank
732/345-1400
A Year with Frog and Toad, Dec. 9–30

Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving St., Rahway
732/499-8226
New Jersey Ballet: Hansel and Gretel, Nov. 9
Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, Dec. 13

Villa Victoria Theater
376 W. Upper Ferry Rd., West Trenton
609/397-7616 x807
Roxey Ballet: The Nutcracker, Nov. 28–Dec. 1

Villagers Theatre
415 DeMott La., Somerset
732/873-2710
Babes in Toyland, Dec. 13–21

Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College
corner of Franklin & Fremont Sts., Bloomfield
973/748-9000 x279
A Christmas Carol, Dec. 12
 

Compiled by Jessica Belmonte from New Jersey.

November 2008