Everybody has their favorite holiday traditions — whether it’s watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as a family or going out and cutting down your own tree.
For many, the holiday traditions include having everyone leave the house and go to a performing arts venue for a special show — the one without which Christmas wouldn’t be the same.
In Utah, that tradition might be Ballet West’s production of “The Nutcracker,” or Kurt Bestor’s annual Christmas extravaganza, or one of the Christmas concerts the Utah Symphony performs.
For those making their December plans, or seeking a new tradition to add to the mix, here’s a rundown of the major holiday performing-arts events playing along the Wasatch Front between now and the end of the year.
(courtesy photo) Violinist Caroline Campbell will perform with Utah musician/composer Kurt Bestor during his annual Christmas shows, Dec. 5-7, 2024, at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City.
The Eccles concerts
One of the busiest venues in December is the Eccles Theater, at 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City — which has amassed an impressive lineup of holiday concerts, along with a touring Broadway production. Go to live-at-the-eccles.com for concert tickets.
Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30 • Gentri, singing trio, performing Christmas music.
Sunday, December 1 • “Avatar: The Last Airbender” in concert.
Monday, December 2 • Violinist Jenny Oaks Baker and family, performing Christmas music.
Thursday-Saturday, December 5-7 • “A Kurt Bestor Christmas,” with the Utah composer and guests performing holiday music. Guest musicians are violinist Caroline Campbell and soprano Lillian Breeze Manning.
Sunday, December 8 • Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr., performing a Christmas-themed show.
Tuesday through Sunday, December 10-15 • The coming-of-age musical (and 2021 Tony winner) “Kimberly Akimbo.” (Go to saltlakecity.broadway.com for theater tickets.)
Monday and Tuesday, December 16 and 17 • Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, instrumental rock with a holiday theme.
Wednesday and Thursday, December 18 and 19 • Dancer Derek Hough performs a holiday-themed show.
Friday, December 20 • Father-daughter music duo Mat & Savanna Shaw perform Christmas music.
Thursday, December 26 • “A Magical Cirque Christmas,” variety show.
Friday through Sunday, December 27-29 • The touring production of “Shrek: The Musical,” for five performances.
(Steven Senne | Associated Press file photo) Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, seen here in 2014, is scheduled to perform Dvořák's Cello Concerto with the Utah Symphony on Dec. 11, 2024. The show is sold out.
Utah Symphony’s holiday shows
If your family’s musical tastes are more orchestral, the Utah Symphony does up the holidays quite fiercely. Show are at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at UtahSymphony.org.
Saturday and Sunday, November 30-December 1 • The annual “Messiah” sing-in.
Tuesday, December 3 • The Irish group Celtic Woman.
Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7 • Tchaikovsky’s “The Tempest” is featured, along with Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” (from “Peter Grimes”), Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Korngold’s “The Sea Hawk Suite.” Pianist Changyong Shin and conductor Fabien Gabel.
Wednesday, December 11 • Cellist Yo-Yo Ma plays Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. The program also features Anna Clyne’s “Masquerade” and Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis in Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.” Eric Jacobsen conducts. The show is sold out.
Friday and Saturday, December 13 and 14 • Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” is featured, with Utah Symphony’s concertmaster Madeline Adkins as soloist. Also on the program: Angel Lam’s “Please let there be a paradise…” and Glazunov’s “The Seasons.” Jessica Rivero Altarriba conducts.
Friday and Saturday, December 20 and 21 • The annual “Holiday Pops Extravaganza,” with a selection of favorite tunes of the season, with vocalists Shayna Steele and Chester Gregory. (The same show will be performed Thursday, December 19, at the Val A. Browning Center, 1901 University Circle, Ogden.)
Saturday, December 21 • The family-friendly “Here Comes Santa Claus!” concerts, with matinees at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The story will be performed by Kaitlin Mills (as Nöel the elf), Ellesse Hargreaves (as Carol) and Lucas Proctor (as Santa). Jessica Rivero Altarriba conducts.
(Jason Quigley) Members of the Portland Cello Project — from left: Karen Schulz-Harmon, Farnell Newton, Skip vonKuske, Sage Coy, Gideon Freudmann, Tyrone Hendrix, Kevin Jackson, Collin Oldham, JP Downer, Lauren McShane, Julian Kosanovic and Diane Chaplin — which is scheduled to perform Dec. 14, 2024, at The State Room in Salt Lake City.
More concerts
Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7 • Country singer Zach Bryan is on tour, with Matt Maeson and Levi Turner supporting, at the Delta Center, 301 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at deltacenter.com.
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, December 11, 13-14 • The Lower Lights, the gospel-folk collective, puts on its annual Christmas concerts, at Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at UtahPresents.org.
Thursday and Friday, December 12-13 • “God Is a Scottish Drag Queen,” comedian Mike Delamont’s one-person performance (with a Christmas theme), at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at live-at-the-eccles.com.
Saturday, December 14 • The Portland Cello Project puts its classical-meets-pop stamp on Christmas — touring with drummer Tyrone Hendrix, trumpeter Farnell Newton and young multi-instrumentalist Maiah Wynne — at The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City. Tickets at thestateroompresents.com. (Must be 21 or older.)
Saturday and Sunday, December 14-15 • PAW Patrol Live! “Heroes Unite,” a children’s show, at Maverik Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City. For tickets and information, go to maverikcenter.com.
Tuesday, December 17 • The annual Christmas Carol Sing Along, presented by the Larry H. and Gail Miller family and The Larry H. Miller Company. Donny Gilbert and the West Valley Symphony perform familiar Christmas songs, with special guest conductor Sterling Poulson. Calvary Baptist Church Choir is the special musical guest; and the guest emcee is Jon Schmidt (of The Piano Guys). Also on the bill: Starts at 7 p.m., free admission.
(BW Productions) Linda Mugleston, left, and Bob Walton have been cast to star in "Souvenir," Stephen Temberley's play about the infamously bad singer Florence Foster Jenkins, scheduled to be performed by Pioneer Theatre Company, Dec. 6-21, 2024.
Theater and dance
Ballet West • December 6-28, Ballet West performs its Christmas tradition, “The Nutcracker,” celebrating its 80th anniversary. Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at BalletWest.org.
Hale Center Theatre • Utah’s durable community theater organization plays Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in the Centre Stage, now through Jan. 25; and the 39th annual staging of “A Christmas Carol” in the Jewel Box, Nov. 29 to Dec. 28. Mountain America Performing Arts Centre, 9900 S. Monroe St., Sandy. Tickets available at hct.org.
Odyssey Dance Theatre • December 19-23, ODT puts on its “Christmas Spectacular,” which excerpts several Christmas classics — “A Christmas Carol,” “A Christmas Story,” “Elf,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Nutcracker,” “White Christmas” and even the Rockettes — in one show. Guest star: Singer David Osmond. The Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College South City Campus, 1575 S. State St., Salt Lake City. Go to odysseydance.com for tickets.
Pioneer Theatre Company • December 6-21, PTC delivers an intimate comedy in the Meldrum Theatre, playwright Stephen Temperley’s “Souvenir,” based on the life of infamous socialite and bad singer Florence Foster Jenkins. Pioneer Memorial Theatre, University of Utah campus, 300 S. 1400 East, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at PioneerTheatre.org.
Salt Lake Acting Company • December 6-30, SLAC will put on its annual children’s show, a musical based on Mo Willems’ book “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.” SLAC, 168 W. 500 North, Salt Lake City. Tickets available at SaltLakeActingCompany.org.
