The Scene Is Set - Sparkling Spectacles to Make the Season Merry and Bright!

November 27, 2023
The Crescent City is Sugarplum Central this Holiday Season with festive fan favorites taking center stage, including The Nutcracker, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Holiday Spectacular and A Charlie Brown Christmas, to name a few. But the magic of the season doesn’t end there—catch The Illusionists’ Magic of the Holidays, a mind-blowing evening filled with sleight-of-hand wizardry, and the irreverently witty undie-pop duo The Skivvies. From My Fair Lady to Les Mis, there’s myriad sources of merriment for Broadway buffs, while music fans will delight in legends like Stevie Nicks and Elvis Costello. Cheers!

Le Petit Theatre – lepetittheatre.com

Dec. 20-21: The Skivvies – Best in Snow
Don’t miss the return of The Skivvies, featuring Broadway's Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley, the undie-rock/comedy pop, award-winning duo that perform stripped-down, mashed-up versions of holiday favorites and more. Expect to see ukulele, electric cello and an array of zany instruments at the most outrageous holiday show of the season! Featured in People Magazine’s Hottest Bodies Issue and as Sports Illustrated’s Favorite New Band, The Skivvies’ award-nominated live shows feature celebrity guests, big voices, and crazy harmonies.… But no pants!

Jan. 11-28: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Recipient of the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? brings seduction, drama and despair to the stage as the drinks flow and inhibitions melt away. What are George and Martha hiding from each other, themselves and the outside world?

Mahalia Jackson Theater - mahaliajacksontheater.com

Dec. 9: John Mulaney
The two-time Emmy and WGA award-winning writer/actor/comedian can be seen in his latest Netflix standup special, BABY J. Mulaney, who began writing for Saturday Night Live in 2008, has been invited to host the show five times. He’s also starred on Broadway in the runaway hit Oh, Hello On Broadway. 

Dec. 16-17: Delta Festival Ballet presents The Nutcracker
Founded in 1969, Delta Festival Ballet perform their dazzling Nutcracker again this year. Join in the magic and excellence of these talented dancers as you're swept away by their exquisite performance. The Nutcracker is one of the country's favorite Christmas events and one of the most performed ballets worldwide.

Dec. 30: The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays
It’s the most magical time of the year… ’Tis the season for The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays, an all-new installment of the world-famous, blockbuster touring magic spectacular. The new U.S. tour, based on the smash-hit Broadway production, is headed to 20 cities this holiday season and will bring the mind-blowing, family-friendly show to New Orleans for one show only!

Jan. 20: New Orleans Ballet Association presents Compañía Nacional de Danza
Spain’s premier national dance company returns after 22 years for a rare New Orleans engagement. Led by Artistic Director Joaquín De Luz, the troupe will wow the Crescent City with their North American premiere of mixed repertoire: White Darkness, a lush and virtuosic one-act ballet created as a requiem; the vivacious and satirical Sad Case, which embodies the fiery, syncopated rhythms of Mexican mambo; and Passengers Within, the latest creation by De Luz, set to music by Philip Glass. The company’s repertoire embraces classical to avant-garde and reflects its own identity and history of excellence.

New Marigny Theatre – churchoftheartsandsciences.org

Jan. 3: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Bach
The LPO kicks off the New Year with Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 at the New Marigny Theatre. The program will also include works by Theofanidis, St. George, Tansman and Telemann.

New Orleans Jazz Museum – nolajazzmuseum.org

Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26: Live from The Balcony
Free concerts featuring local bands performing outdoors from the Jazz Museum balcony starting at 5 p.m.

Dec. 5: New Orleans Music Fridays – Meryl Zimmerman Christmas Show
Join the Jazz Museum from 2-3 p.m. to enjoy festive holiday tunes performed by acclaimed jazz singer, Meryl Zimmerman.

Orpheum Theater – orpheumnola.net

Dec. 2: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Holiday Spectacular
The LPO will play all your holiday favorites live on the Orpheum Theater stage. Make this performance a part of your Christmas traditions—it is the perfect concert experience for your entire family!

Dec. 3: A Charlie Brown Christmas
The critically acclaimed holiday celebration that the whole family can enjoy brings Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang together live on stage. The beloved characters uncover the true meaning of Christmas and perform songs from the unforgettable musical score in a tribute to the legendary composer Vince Guaraldi. The Broadway-style production, complete with all-new immersive sets, lighting, choreography and colorful costumes, has sold more than 300,000 tickets.

Dec. 8: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Classic Christmas – Handel Messiah
Handel’s glorious Messiah closes out the holiday season at the Orpheum Theater featuring the LPO. The Hallelujah Chorus caps a performance filled with passion and drama for some of the most inspiring music ever written.

Dec. 10: Dirty Dancing in Concert
Relive the timeless love story of Baby and Johnny with Dirty Dancing in Concert, which celebrates the film favorite on a full-size cinema screen, including a band and singers live on stage. With a soundtrack that defined a generation, Dirty Dancing in Concert promises to bring a new thrilling experience to the 80s classic!

Dec. 15-23: New Orleans Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker
Performed by the professional company with the charming addition of over 120 local children, NOBT will present the beloved two-act ballet. Come see this classic Christmas tale and experience the incredible company of dancers, stunning sets and costumes.

Dec. 17: Samara Joy – A Joyful Holiday
Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Samara Joy is heading to the Orpheum Theater. Her rich and velvety, yet precociously refined voice has already earned her fans like Anita Baker and Regina King, appearances on the TODAY Show, and millions of likes on TikTok—cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star. On her new LP, Linger Awhile, the 22-year-old talent will introduce audiences to a slew of classic standards several times older than she is through her timeless, irresistible sound.

Dec. 19: Harry Shearer and Judith Owen’s Christmas Without Tears
Get ready for the Christmas party of the year! For the 18th consecutive year, enjoy an intimate evening of music, laughter and special guests with critically acclaimed vocalist Judith Owen and her husband, actor/humorist Harry Shearer spreading their unique brand of yuletide cheer. The humorous and heartfelt show includes both invited and surprise performers who drop into Harry and Judith’s onstage living room to share a song or a joke. All proceeds benefit Innocence Project New Orleans.

Jan. 11: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Presented in partnership with The Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, Thomas Wilkins returns to the Orpheum stage to lead the LPO in works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Duke Ellington, and Johannes Brahms. New Orleans International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Elia Cecino performs the Brahms masterpiece to close the program.

Jan. 13: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Rhapsody In Blue
The LPO is proud to present a concert in honor of Edgar “Dooky” Jr. & Leah Chase and their work as catalysts for social change.

Jan. 16: Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton
Iconic musician Elvis Costello and his band The Imposters make a highly-anticipated return to New Orleans, marking their first theater show in Louisiana since 2016. The 7-0-7 Tour promises to be a unique opportunity for New Orleanians to experience the magic of Elvis Costello and The Imposters in an intimate theater setting. Renowned guitarist Charlie Sexton, celebrated for his tenure in Bob Dylan’s band, joins Costello on tour.

Jan. 25: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Birth Of A Culture
Big Chief Juan Pardo joins the LPO for a world premiere piece by Maxim Samarov, which tells the story of the Mardi Gras Indians and celebrates the unique, distinct and remarkable culture found only in New Orleans. The performance will also include a new work by Arlene Sierra and a preview of Wynton Marsalis’ Concerto For Orchestra.

Feb. 17-18: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Classical Mystery Tour – A Tribute to the Beatles
The four musicians in Classical Mystery Tour look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The full show presents some two dozen Beatles tunes sung, played, and performed exactly as they were written. From early Beatles music on through the solo years, Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you’ve never heard them.

Feb. 22: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Sibelius’ fifth symphony, led by Jeri Lynne Johnson in her return to New Orleans (New Orleans Opera’s Josephine), will leave the audience enchanted.

Saenger Theatre – saengernola.com

Nov. 29-Dec. 17: Wicked
Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another girl, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships, until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, the untold true story of the Witches of Oz transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story.

Dec. 20: An Evening with Gregory Porter Holiday Tour
With his rich baritone voice and his mastery of the deepest traditions of soul, jazz and gospel, Gregory Porter has established himself as one of America's most versatile and acclaimed vocalists. The show will feature a sampling of Gregory's fan favorites, along with forthcoming album tracks to highlight the festive holiday period.

Dec. 22-23: Elf in Concert with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in search of his real father. This holiday season, relive this heartwarming holiday classic on a giant screen as every note of John Debney’s wonderful score is played live by the LPO.

Dec. 27: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Once again Mannheim Steamroller will be crisscrossing the country with its annual Christmas Tour. America’s favorite holiday tradition, Mannheim Steamroller will excite audiences with their unique Neoclassical New Age music. The number-one selling Christmas music artist of all time, selling over 31+ million albums, rolls into New Orleans for one magical night only.

Dec. 30: Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
Gather your loved ones for the warm glow nostalgia of America’s favorite Christmas celebration. Experience the extraordinary international cast and Ukrainian principal artists performing at the peak of classical European ballet. Be transported by the magic of jaw-dropping acrobatics, larger-than-life puppets, and stunning handcrafted sets and costumes.

Jan. 9-14: My Fair Lady
From Lincoln Center Theater comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly). Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (New York Times). Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “On the Street Where You Live,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?

Jan. 24: The Life and Music of George Michael
The Life and Music of George Michael captures the performance and sound with concert style staging and lighting while audiences listen to early hits from Wham! and his illustrious solo career. The show will have fans on their feet dancing and singing along to blockbuster hits including “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Father Figure” and many more.

Jan. 30-Feb. 4: Les Miserables
Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21st Century” (Huffington Post), and “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune). Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, the show tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Feb. 27-Mar. 3: Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations
Don’t miss the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. Nominated for 12 Tony Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, Ain’t Too Proud tells the story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal during a decade of civil unrest.

Smoothie King Center – smoothiekingcenter.com
Dec. 13: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The American rock band, founded in 1996 by producer/composer/lyricist Paul O’Neill, has sold more than 10 million albums and 10 million concert tickets. TSO are legendary for its elaborate live shows, which feature lights, lasers and fog machines. Prepare for a musical spectacle like no other with their annual holiday tour!

Feb. 3-4: Jurassic World Live Tour
Bring the entire family to feel the roar during this heart-pounding adventure! The action-packed, live show takes you on an unexpected and terrifying trip to Isla Nublar, where Indominus Rex escapes and causes chaos in the park. Join forces with a team of scientists to unravel a corrupt plan, along the way encountering some of Jurassic World’s most iconic dinosaurs.

Feb. 28: Stevie Nicks
For more than four decades, “The Queen of Rock and Roll” has captivated audiences around the world with her unforgettable music—bewitching classics like “Landslide,” “Rhiannon,” and “Edge of Seventeen.” The iconic performer is one of the most prolific songwriters of her generation. Stevie has the distinction of having enormous commercial and critical success with both the legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac and her solo career, collectively selling more than 150 million albums worldwide.