Holiday Arts & Culture: Special Shows for the Season
Gather friends and family to spend a night discovering the magic of the theater, as special holiday productions, musicals and concerts illuminate the splendor of the season. From The Nutcracker to A Christmas Carol and everything in between, there’s a lot going on this holiday season in the performing arts for New Jersey.
Be sure to add these events to your calendar, with modern and traditional classics presented by multiple venues listed first in date order, based on the earliest opening for each. Be sure to scroll to the end of the page to explore all holiday performances:
The Nutcracker
November 14, 2022 | Shea Center For Performing Arts at William Paterson University, Wayne
November 25 – 27, 2022 | American Repertory Ballet at McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton
November 26 – December 4, 2022 | Roxey Ballet at the Villa Victoria Theater, Ewing
November 30, 2022 | Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
December 3 – 4, 2022 | New Jersey Ballet at the Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood
December 9 – 11, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
December 9, 2022 | Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg
December 11, 2022 | American Repertory Ballet at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, Trenton
December 16 – 18, 2022 |American Repertory Ballet at the State Theatre, New Brunswick
December 16 – 27, 2022 |New Jersey Ballet with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
December 16 – 18, 2022 |New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet at Centenary Stage Company’s Sitnik Theatre, Hackettstown
December 17 – 18, 2022 | Vineland Regional Dance Company, Vineland
December 18, 2022 | The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark
A Christmas Carol
November 25 – December 11, 2022 | Music Mountain Theatre, Lambertville
December 7 – 24, 2022 | McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton
December 9 – 11, 2022 |Passage Theatre Company, Trenton
December 18, 2022 | Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood
December 18 – 20, 2022 | Phoenix Productions, Red Bank
A Charlie Brown Christmas
November 25, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
December 3 -17, 2022 | Music Mountain Theatre, Lambertville
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
November 27, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
December 1, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
A Christmas Story, The Musical
December 3 – 18, 2022 | Algonquin Arts Theatre, Manasquan
December 9 – 18, 2022 | Broadway Theatre of Pitman, Pitman
Or Find a New Holiday Favorite With These Festive Shows!
The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays
November 11 – 12, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Frosty & Rudolph
November 12 – 26, 2022 | Music Mountain Theatre, Lambertville
One Christmas Carol
November 16 – December 30, 2022 | Cape May Stage, Cape May
Darlene Love: Love For The Holidays
November 26, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
December 9, 2022 | Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood
December 22, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
The Land of Forgotten Toys – A Christmas Musical
December 2 – 18, 2022 | The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, Netcong
The Nutcracker Rocks
December 2 – 11, 2022 | Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, Deal Park
An Olde English Christmas with Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone
December 2, 2022 | Shea Center For Performing Arts at William Paterson University, Wayne
A Wicked Christmas Carol
December 2 – 18, 2022 | Somerset Valley Players, Hillsborough
Christmas with the Celts
December 3, 2022 | The Newton Theatre, Newton
Holiday Doo-Wop
December 3, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
December 17, 2022 | Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Musical
December 3 – 18, 2022 | Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven
Manheim Steamroller Christmas By Chip Davis
December 3, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
December 4, 2022 | Shea Center For Performing Arts at William Paterson University, Wayne
Top of The World: A Carpenters Tribute Christmas Show
December 4, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Michael Bolton: Greatest Hits and Holiday Favorites
December 7, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Lindsey Stirling: Snow Waltz Tour
December 7, 2022 | New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark
Celtic Angels Christmas
December 9, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Shining Stars: Christmas Spectacular
December 9, 2022 | Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea
December 10, 2022 | Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
A John Denver Christmas Starring Ted Vigil
December 11, 2022 | The Newton Theatre, Newton
NJ Youth Symphony: Danzon, Tango and Bugler’s Holiday!
December 11, 2022
Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
A Very Darren Crissmas With Darren Criss
December 11, 2022 | Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Lightwire Theater Presents A Very Electric Christmas
December 13, 2022 | New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark
A Magical Cirque Christmas
December 13, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
A Very Postmodern Christmas
December 15, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
Big Band Holiday Concert
December 16 – 18 | Music Mountain Theatre, Lambertville
Christmas With Chris Ruggiero
December 16, 2022 | Brook Arts Center, Bound Brook
Brian Kirk & The Jirks: Santa for Lunch Break
December 17, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
December 17, 2022 | New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark
Glenn Miller Orchestra Big Band Holiday Show
December 18, 2022 | The Newton Theatre, Newton
Holiday Express
December 19 & 20, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
A Bluegrass Christmas
December 21, 2022 | Algonquin Arts Theatre, Manasquan
Celtic Woman: A Christmas Symphony
December 21, 2022 | Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank
A Very Lambertville Holiday Celebration
December 21, 2022 | Roxey Ballet at the Music Mountain Theatre, Lambertville
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
December 26, 2022 | New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark
Your First Act: Before you head to the performance, tickets in hand, check the hosting venue’s official website to read all the latest details on admission policies. Then enjoy the show!
Find even more holiday events in New Jersey with the online events calendar. Care to extend your night at the theater into an overnight getaway? Download our free Travel Guide for ideas worthy of an encore.