Nutcracker for Kids
Dec. 3. See your children’s eyes light up when the beautiful ballerinas dance and twirl in a holiday classic, The Nutcracker. Brought to you by Pacific Symphony, the concert will bring to life the enchanted world of toy soldiers, waltzing flowers and the Sugar Plum Fairy in a 45-minute version adapted especially for kids. Enjoy a musical carnival before or after the show. Musical Carnival 9 a.m. (for 10 a.m. guests) and 12:15 p.m. (for 11:30 a.m. guests). Showtimes 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. $35-$60. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.755.5799. pacificsymphony.org
A Christmas Carol
Through Dec. 24. Recapture the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with this timeless Dickens classic and all your favorite characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come—and, as always, Hal Landon Jr. as Ebenezer Scrooge. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $55. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.708.5555. scr.org
Sleeping Beauty
Dec. 7-30. Relive a childhood favorite as Sleeping Beauty comes to life on stage. Princess Aurora has a curse put on her by an evil fairy Carabosse—she pricks her finger on a spindle and falls asleep for 100 years. A handsome prince saves the day by defeating the wicked fairy and giving Aurora a true love kiss. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $45. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787. lagunaplayhouse.com
American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
Dec. 9-18. Fulfill a holiday tradition as American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts present Alexei Ratmansky’s production of The Nutcracker. A cast of more than 100 performers will take audiences on a dreamlike adventure amid colorful, larger-than-life scenery, dancing toy soldiers, mischievous mice, sparkling snowflakes and a glittering Christmas tree. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Festival Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
Dec. 10-24. See the cherished classic, The Nutcracker by Festival Ballet Theatre. The breathtaking, family-friendly production features superb colorful scenery and dazzling costumes, which make this age-old tradition sparkle like new. The Sugar Plum Fairy, heroine Clara and a cast of hundreds will take the audience on a magical journey to mystical lands, to the grandeur of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. See website for showtimes. $42-$55. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, 949.854.4646. thebarclay.org
Elf The Musical
Dec. 20-Jan 1. See the modern day Christmas classic Elf, hit the stage, but this time, in the form of a musical. Watch the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
The Roommate
Jan. 3-22. Sharon, a sensible, curious and very, very talkative woman, at age 54 takes in a roommate to make ends meet. Robyn, a new arrival from the Bronx, is hiding a lifetime of secrets. Watch as the story unfolds and Sharon finds the shocking and truth. Tickets start at $48. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.708.5555. scr.org
RENT
Jan. 6-8. Catch the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning masterpiece as it returns to the stage for its 20th anniversary touring production. Follow the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without settling out. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org Map J13
Chapatti
Jan. 11-Feb. 5. Annabella Price and Mark Bramhall star in this humorous and heartwarming tale about two animal lovers in Dublin and their unexpected spark as they re-discover the importance of human companionship. This second-chance comedy celebrates these unforgettable characters who still believe in love. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $65. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787. lagunaplayhouse.com
Matilda The Musical
Jan. 17-29. The Tony Award-winning Matilda The Musical, based on the novel by Roald Dahl, is the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Moby Dick
Jan. 20-Feb. 19. Witness firsthand the power—and the poetry—of Melville’s classic novel, Moby Dick, as it is transformed into a masterwork for the stage. Driven on by a self-destructive madman, larger-than-life characters search for the white whale, pitting themselves against the Seven Seas with a fiery passion in this production by Chicago’s renowned Lookingglass Theatre Company. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $20. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.708.5555. scr.org
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Opening Feb. 28. The Tony Award-winning musical presents the lighter side of murder. Follow the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession by eliminating the eight pesky relatives who stand in his way. All the while, Monty has to juggle his mistress, his fiancée and the constant threat of landing behind bars. See website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org