If getting the entire family together for the holidays isn’t enough of a production, then perhaps Portland’s wide offering of theater and musicals will meet your needs. Place the curtain call on your holiday blues and venture out to applaud some bravo-worthy performances with this list of Portland holiday theater:
If getting the entire family together for the holidays isn’t enough of a production, then perhaps Portland’s wide offering of theater and musicals will meet your needs. Place the curtain call on your holiday blues and venture out to applaud some bravo-worthy performances with this list of Portland holiday theater:
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol
Nov. 15 to Dec. 24
Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St.
$20 and up
Season’s greetings are afoot with a new take on two old tales, as Seattle playwright John Longenbaugh has melded together Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with the world of Sherlock Holmes. In this new tale about the infamous detective, Holmes possessed by the crotchety spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge and must crack his own self-reflective case, as he’s visited by three ghosts who force him to solve one of the biggest mysteries of his life—past, present and future. Through it all, Holmes’ dear friend Watson is of course by his side, trying to help bring holiday cheer into the hardened heart of the now retired crime-solver.
Longenbaugh’s Sherlock Holmes play premiered to rave reviews and showed to sold-out houses at Seattle’s Taproot Theatre Company last winter. This will only be the second production of the play, and the Artist Repertory Theatre provides an intimate environment for audiences at their Alder Stage. Misha Berson, from The Seattle Times, called the blending of traditional literature and modern novelty a “smart, witty and fun” show.
Singing Christmas Tree
Dec. 1–4
Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay
$12 and up
Help keep Portland weird and celebrate a nearly 50-year-old Rose City tradition by enjoying holiday carols from a massive human Christmas tree choir. Starting in 1962, a small local church hosted the first event at the Benson High School Auditorium and raised $515 from ticket sales, which was used to cover the cost of the show. The show has gone through many adaptations and different venues through the years, but is now performed at the Keller Auditorium and has raised over $93,000 in donations for local charities. This year’s choir is made up of 265 adults, 40 children and a 40-piece orchestra. Special guests include Katie Harman, Timothy Greenidge and The Jefferson Dancers
The Power of Light
Dec. 18 at the Miracle Theater,
525 SE Stark
Dec. 19 at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy.
$10 and up
Celebrate Hanukkah with an intimate and interactive 45-minute performance of Eric Kimmel and Patricia Polacco’s classic tales. The show is performed by long-time Portland thespians Darrell Salk and Sarah Fay Goldman and offers a visual charm involving wonderful story-telling, essential learnings about Hanukkah, humor and audience involvement. The event’s website describes the show as “Fun for all ages…celebrating the human qualities that bring light into the darkness of winter.”
A Christmas Story
Nov 20 to Dec 24
Portland Center Stage
128 NW 11th Ave.
$20 and up
Based on the classic Christmas movie, get ready for plenty of holiday laughs and adventures as little Ralphie Parker hopes to find his dream gift of a Daisy Brand Red Ryder BB gun under the tree. A fun affair for the whole family—provided nobody shoots their eye out.
Winter’s Voice
Dec. 2 at PSU’s Lincoln Hall, room 75
Cost: $5 and up
Portland State’s chamber, men and women’s choirs put on a unique performance of seasonal music. The show will focus on compositions from Russia that accentuate the winter season and will also include music by J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy, Edward Elgar, Estonian master Veljo Tormis and Randall Thompson
