I don’t usually watch Christmas shows, but as opportunities kept stacking up and I kept knowing different people in different productions, by the first week of December I had already seen six Christmas shows and had plans to see three more. Soon, it just made sense to add another three and make it a solid 12 shows of Christmas.
I decided to rate the shows on a few different scales, including the necessity of its Christmas theme, the price for two tickets in decent seats (shows are always more fun with a friend) and if I’d go again, culminating in a score between S and D.
Ultimately, I have a few strong favorites, and I may have even gotten infected with the holiday spirit. I’m actually tempted to see more shows — maybe “Jingle All the Gay” or “Scott Shoemaker’s War on Christmas!” Can’t stop this jingle ball rolling!
1. Seattle Children Theatre’s ‘A Very Electric Christmas,’ seen Nov. 17
Going to a Christmas show a week before Thanksgiving was a little challenging, but Lightwire Theater Production at Seattle Children’s Theatre kept the energy up and made for an enjoyable introduction to the holiday season. The dark stage was transformed by the impressive puppeting and body work of the performers, so soon we saw flying birds, dancing nutcrackers and conniving rats, all created by neon lights. Beginning with light allusions (pun not intended) to “The Nutcracker,” the story developed into that of a lost baby bird trying to find its parents. Weirdly enough, for a show made up of neon, most of the characters were highly gendered, from the nutcrackers’ huge mustaches to the way the baby bird was a little lost son, even though the performer was a woman and my niece read the baby as a girl (but then again, she reads Bilbo as a girl, too, which is wonderful and good). When asked later, my niece said this was one of her favorites; the presentation was incredibly child-friendly, and she was wildly impressed that one of the ushers was around her age.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Nope, just a story about some birds
Price for two tickets: $146
Would I go again?: No
Total rating: D
2. Seattle Rep’s ‘Little Women,’ seen Nov. 22
More than anything else, I walked away from this beautiful production of Kate Hamill’s script “Little Women” with the awareness that it was that: a specific script. I learned a lot about playwriting and storytelling, which seems apt considering how much focus was put on Jo being a storyteller herself. Hamill’s script leaves a lot of the original story out, which threw me so much it was hard to focus on what was included, but that just meant I kept reflecting on the production for days, and now weeks, later. Amelio Garcia as Jo was remarkable and character defining. What made the show sing to me in particular was how queer the cast is; there are five trans and nonbinary actors in the cast, and I specifically applaud the casting of Garcia — and Leah Sainz-Jones as Jo’s understudy. Considering everything trans people are facing in the country today, Seattle Rep’s thoughtful and consistent casting of trans actors says a lot. I have seen a lot of focused growth from the Rep’s season planning and casting recently, and the way that coalesced in this production was really lovely. (Also, not everyone counts “Little Women” as a Christmas show, but I think it’s being marketed that way, and otherwise I wouldn’t have 12 shows.)
Necessity of Christmas theme: Semi-necessary; the subplot about gifts wouldn’t work if there wasn’t a semi-expectation for everyone to get something, but the show also skipped some Christmas scenes from the book
Price for two tickets: $116
Would I go again?: Yes, especially if I got to see Sainz-Jones as Jo
Total rating: A
3. Taproot Theatre’s ‘Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley,’ seen Nov. 24
The energy in “Georgiana & Kitty” was delightful; anyone who has seen a poster or social media post for the show has already fallen in love with Ays Garcia thanks to their infectious smile. The wonderful costume design by Pete Rush doesn’t hurt, either. In fact, snappy dialogue, hilarious physical humor and incredible costuming and stage design have become a staple of Taproot’s productions, especially period ones (“A Woman of No Importance” and “Jeeves Takes a Bow,” anyone?). The transformation of the set during intermission was graceful and complete, and Claire Marx as Georgiana made me ache for her from the first awkward letter she wrote for her beau. However, Jeremy Steckler as Kitty’s beau stole the show for me; I have a soft spot for goofballs, and the chemistry between Steckler and Garcia combined with the good-natured, heart-on-his-sleeve attitude he carried throughout the show helped even the most painful and most awkward of drama beats skip by.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Nope; the exchange of gifts was cute, but character development can happen other ways
Price for two tickets: $124
Would I go again?: Yes; it was just too delightful
Total rating: A
4. Fifth Avenue’s ‘White Christmas,’ seen Dec. 1
The musical version of “White Christmas” debuted in 2000 and is based on the 1954 film; both shows can sometimes be jarring in their lack of irony but ultimately seem harmless. I think. The plot weirdly centers on two ex-military men trying their hardest to help their old commander get a rundown inn off the ground, all because they “love him, we love him, especially when he keeps us on the ball!” There’s romance in the way there always is in the 1950s — she was there, so was he, so they kissed. Like at Taproot, I ended up charmed by the goofy sidekick more than anything else; “I Love a Piano” was adorable, especially as Phillip Attmore embraced the Schroder-sized piano with, again, absolute sincerity. In terms of set, I kept being astounded by not only the beautiful midcentury-style illustrations that would flood the back wall, but notably the barn — the barn! It’s stunning, and I just wanted to stare at the rafters for hours. I don’t know how scenic designer Anna Louizos managed it — if the angles looked right no matter where you were sitting or if I was just in the perfect spot — but some clean simple lines, great design and tempting ladders moved us right out of a downtown Seattle stage and into a picturesque barn in small-town Maine. My personal highlight, however, was my niece leaning over to me at the end of the show and whispering, “I can’t wait to see the product of all their work!”
Necessity of Christmas theme: Again, nope, could just be about generic winter or even just season/event-agnostic, other than the “magic” of achieving what the title and song say is a necessary component of the holiday
Price for two tickets: $198
Would I go again?: No, it was too long and a bit too corporate for me
Total rating: C
5. Seattle Public Theater and Habit Comedy’s ‘A Very Die Hard Christmas,’ seen Dec. 2 (and 23)
A show so good I’m seeing it twice this year, after still laughing about last year’s performance, “A Very Die Hard Christmas” celebrates the absurdity that is the classic film with spot-on impressions and, honestly, necessary musical numbers. Even the set design has tricks up its sleeve, and the script handles the movie’s dated assumptions with aplomb. “You can kill again,” indeed. Shows like this remind non-theatergoers that they can have fun, too, and that shows aren’t for just their parents or even rich people; Seattle Public Theater has some good pricing policies to ensure accessibility, such as providing eight $10 tickets per show.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Obviously yes
Price for two tickets: $70
Would I go again?: Catch me at closing
Total rating: S (OK, these are NOT objective ratings.)
6. Taproot’s ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ seen Dec. 7
My niece decided "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was probably her favorite of the ones we saw, and I’m not surprised. Everything about this sweet, charming show was ideal for kids and families. We went on a Thursday night, and it was packed. My niece said her favorite character was Snoopy — also not surprising, as Keola Kapulani Holt’s performance was not only precise to the classic character but also uniquely endearing. Honestly, that’s the best way to describe the show: extremely endearing. From the first time the characters held hands and began to sway to that characteristically slow beat to Karin Terry’s cackle as Lucy as she took advantage of Brad Lo Walker’s Charlie Brown yet again: endearing. The show hit every necessary story beat in a way that brought kids along for a new ride, and the cast was super sweet throughout. My niece also said she really appreciated that Linus wasn’t afraid to be Christian, which leads into my rating in terms of Christmas-necessity: “Charlie Brown Christmas” is definitely not for the agnostic or atheist crowd, as Linus does spend a fair amount of time just reciting the Bible as the other kids gaze at him in wonder. Felt a bit absurd to me, but then again, my niece loved it.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Yes, this one literally reads from the Bible
Price of two tickets: $64
Would I go again?: With my niece, yes
Total rating: B
7. 14/48 Project’s ‘Theater Anonymous: It’s a Wonderful Life,’ seen Dec. 9
This one-night-only performance was, by my estimation, the theater event of the year. 14/48 Project creates theater for theater-creators, and that’s who was there. The audience was packed full of actors not only because we wanted to watch the show but also because we were in it. Theater Anonymous is an extremely exciting production, where the cast is anonymous until the performance starts and they stand up from where they were sitting and deliver their first line. The tension lasts the whole run, because characters show up throughout the story. I somehow ended up sitting by not one but four people in the show, and I knew even more — Mike Lion as Clarence was a special surprise and delight. The performance this year was extraordinary, as it featured bilingual actors and included 10 languages: Japanese, Russian, English, Spanish, French, Korean, Hindi, Mandarin, Italian and Farsi. I do think this meant the specific story beats were sometimes lost, and there may have been an assumption of more familiarity with the story than the audience actually had, but it was still an extremely successful night.
Necessity of Christmas theme: No, angels can happen year-round
Price of two tickets: $60
Would I go again?: Absolutely yes
Total rating: S
8. Intiman’s ‘Black Nativity,’ seen Dec. 13
More than any other show on the list so far, “Black Nativity” put me in the Christmas mood. As the friend I went with said, “Christians go hard with their holiday music,” and when delivered by talented gospel singers in conjunction with fluid, striking and emotive dancing, there’s no way to stay unmoved. The production is returning after a 10-year hiatus, and while this was my introduction to it, it’s going to be hard to imagine a future Christmas season without “Black Nativity.” It truly felt like the performers were welcoming us into their Christmas experience in a way that was invigorating and healing. There’s something special about singing as a group, and when the choir hushed, so it was suddenly just the audience, I was filled with the feeling that we could carry ourselves onward.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Completely necessary
Price of two tickets: $100
Would I go again?: Yes please
Total rating: A
9. Emmett Montgomery’s ‘Sugar Plum Gary,’ seen Dec. 15
Wondering what happened to the titular “Sugar Plum” Gary — played by Emmett Montgomery in a bright red onesie with attached Santa feeties — when he was a child to convince him Santa was real? Well, I don’t know if I can explain adequately, but he’s available to answer questions. Should you dare to raise your hand as you sit among other nervous theatergoers in a small brick room, you’ll remember the feeling of his bright eyes staring deep into your soul as he enumerates disturbingly detailed twists on familiar Christmas motifs and myths. I asked about how the reindeers fly, and Montgomery, as his friend Gary, spoke with such a sense of terrifying truth that my understanding of the world shifted a little. This show was definitely the most nontraditional and strangest performance on my list, and I’m so glad I made time to have a conversation with Sugar Plum Gary during this marathon. Keep Seattle weird in one of the weirdest holiday traditions I’ve ever heard of.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Yes, in its own way
Price of two tickets: $30 to $100 (choose-your-own pricing)
Would I go again?: With someone else
Total rating: B
10. Latitude Theater’s ‘Victorian Christmas Cards,’ seen Dec. 16
If I hadn’t spent the previous night amid Christmas nightmares, Latitude’s original and creative take on a Christmas show would have easily won the top spot for kookiest concept. Six playwrights each received an authentic Victorian Christmas card to inspire a short play starring up to four actors of a revolving cast. Latitude offers a free Monday night fight club at Seattle Center, and every performance by the group I’ve seen has featured impressive fight choreography; the swordwork in “Merry Christmas, Lt. Payne” was especially impressive, as was the safety around the live blades — I didn’t even notice Privates Mondal (Ashutosh Borkar) and Murphy (Chelsey Sheppard) putting on gloves to safely handle the blades during the climatic exchange. Considering all the other shows I’ve seen so far, I also appreciated what playwright Henry S. Brown, Jr., called “an extended parody [of] ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas.’”
Necessity of Christmas theme: In a way, yes
Price of two tickets: $54
Would I go again?: Yes, I love weird theater
Total rating: B
11. ACT’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ seen Dec. 16
I had never seen ACT’s production of “A Christmas Carol” before, which seems absurd considering this is the 48th anniversary. The friend I went with told me they think it’s a similar staging every year, but the use of a fly system to drop in minimalistic set pieces combined with multiple trap doors in the stage kept the whole production airy and fresh. We particularly enjoyed the lighting effects showing windows being opened, as well as of course the performance of our friend Morgan Gwilym Tso as the hilariously named Middle Scrooge (and the Ghost of Christmas Future!). It was a classic production of a classic show, and I only wish I had written down my thoughts before seeing the following show, because I admit it did overshadow this one a bit.
Necessity of Christmas theme: Yes, of a secular Christmas
Price of two tickets: $148
Would I go again?: No
Total rating: C
12. Strawberry Theatre Workshop’s ‘Fellow Passengers,’ seen Dec. 17
My favorite theater usually hits at least one of three notes: It continues a dialogue with a classic text in some way, the actors get to play multiple characters or roles or it has striking images and technical effects. I feel so lucky that I ended my 12 shows of Christmas with a piece of theater that accomplished all three. As I saw so many different stories about Christmas, I was struggling to find a throughline or feel the season. “Black Nativity” brought me joy, but it wasn’t something I could easily tap into once the show was over. It’s only been a short time since “Fellow Passengers,” but the artistry and mastery on display, I feel, will impact me for a while. The program has an essay by Greg Carter, who adapted Charles Dickens’ text for the show, and his thesis of what a secular Christmas is has given me a clearer retrospective of the shows I’ve seen over the past few weeks. Carter writes that Christmas is about where to “put faith when our personal Christmas is no longer about magic, or reindeer, or the Star of Bethlehem. Our faith is in redemption. … Our faith is in reflection and seeing the layers of life.” The faith and love that was presented on stage by the three actors Shermona Mitchell, Galen Joseph Osier and Amy Thone — and Ayako Okano, who provided literally haunting music throughout — shaped what could be a trite, oft-presented, much-glanced-over story into something that not only celebrated the beautiful language Dickens crafted but also each character, each story beat and each human moment of connection. “Fellow Passengers” reminded me that even when I feel alone, I am surrounded by my fellow passengers, and connection is never wrong.
Necessity of Christmas theme: It taught me the meaning of Christmas
Price of two tickets: $90 (but it’s also buy two get one free, so you might as well get three for $90 instead)
Would I go again?: Obviously
Total rating: S
Henry Behrens is the arts editor of Real Change. They handle the arts coverage and design the weekly print paper. Contact them at [email protected].
Read more of the Dec. 20–26, 2023 issue.