Mark Cofta’s theater picks: Holiday 2015 edition

The holiday season always bursts with theater, especially for the family. Some shows specifically concern Christmas — you know, that holiday that “the holidays” are really all about, the one that some say we’re warring against by not mentioning it explicitly or by occasionally acknowledging other holidays — but for many theatergoers, something uplifting for the family is enough. Every year also brings a few Christmas-themed shows for adults only (in maturity more than naughtiness, not that there’s anything wrong with something naughty).

Christmas Carols (of course) and more

The granddaddy of them all is, of course, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which adapts superbly for the stage. Three annual productions grace area stages this year, but one has changed, and another will after this season.

Hedgerow Theatre's A Christmas Carol (Through December 27), their 23rd annual staging, is newly adapted and directed by Jared Reed, who used to (and hopefully will again) perform his own solo version. His will hew more to Dickens and can be performed with a smaller cast for touring. McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ announced that it is retiring an annual production after 16 years, replacing it next year with a "reimagined" version — so now's the time to see their large-scale production (through December 27). The Walnut Street Theatre's annual production for kids, penned by Bill Van Horn (through Dec. 20, all morning matinees), is just an hour long.

Also playing at the Walnut is A Christmas Story, The Musical (here’s Naomi Orwin's review), the Broadway version of the 1983 film based on Jean Shepherd's memories of an Indiana Christmas in the 1940s, through January 10. Theatre Horizon's Black Nativity, a rousing musical written by Langston Hughes (here’s my review), continues through December 13.

Classic family stories

The holiday season's secular celebration of family makes it the perfect time for ambitious productions. Consider People's Light's annual musical panto, The Three Musketeers (The Later Years) (here’s my review), continuing through January 10, a rollicking two hours of audience participation silliness with positive themes. The Arden Theatre Company's annual children's play is a new adaptation of Mary Mapes Dodge's Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (through Jan. 31), directed by the Arden's children's theater specialist Whit MacLaughlin. Both companies devote their first-rate resources to these lavish mainstage shows.

Other professional holiday plays include Quintessence Theatre Group's contemporary retelling of Hansel & Gretel (December 9-January 3); Enchantment Theatre Company's dance and puppet imagining of Peter Rabbit Tales, based on the books by Beatrix Potter (December 11-January 3) at the Arts Bank; and Storybook Musical Theatre's original adaptation of The Wizard of Oz by Patricia Goldberg and Kevin Arruda plays at Gratz College December 19-30 and at St. Joseph's University January 12-16.

Christmas, adults only

Surprisingly, we only have one local production of David Sedaris's naughty memoir of working as a Macy's elf, The Santaland Diaries, at Theatre Horizon December 18-20, featuring Keith Conallen. It was produced for many years by Flashpoint Theatre Company, which, sadly, just folded.

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical plays through December 20 at the Montgomery Theater in Souderton, which is well worth a quick trip up the turnpike's Northeast extension. It's the raunchy holiday sequel to a musical about lovable North Florida white trash.

Tribe of Fools's annual Holiday Burlesque (December 19) features Meghann Williams as Nasty Frosty. The evening includes drinks, a raffle, and all-new burlesque acts featuring songs, dance, comedy, and a little skin.

In addition to all this — and we didn't even include the area's many iterations of The Nutcracker! — there are plenty of plays that don't reference the holiday season at all: Check out my other December roundup.