- Courtesy photo
- Gallivan Glow
Once the Thanksgiving dishes are cleared, even those who have resisted the "get in the holiday spirit as soon as Halloween ends" expectations are starting to feel ready to celebrate the season. If you're a fan of the arts and special events, that usually means an almost overwhelming array of Christmas-themed options. This by-no-means-comprehensive list will at least allow you to start planning your December activities so you can fill your days with seasonal magic.
GLOW @ Gallivan Plaza: For the fifth season, Gallivan Plaza becomes home to a dazzling sculpture garden of immersive light installations. Created by Emily Nicolosi and In Theory Art Collective, the pieces are designed with viewer participation in mind, creating magical experiences. And, it's free and open to the public. Now – March 1, 2025, 50 E. 200 South, thegallivancenter.com.
Hale Centre Theatre: A Christmas Carol: For 40 years now, Hale Centre Theatre has delighted audiences with its annual presentation of Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic about tight-fisted businessman Ebenezer Scrooge and a Christmas Eve filled with ghosts and important life lessons. This musical version offers a wonderful theatrical spectacle to accompany the always-relevant story, and tickets often sell out—so don't wait and be a humbug. Nov. 29 – Dec. 28, Mountain America Performing Arts Center, 9900 S. Monroe St., Sandy, $27 - $75, hct.org.
Utah Symphony: Messiah Sing-In: One of the most enduring Salt Lake City holiday traditions invites audience members not just to listen to the amazing music of the Utah Symphony, but to become a part of it. The Thanksgiving weekend offers more than Black Friday craziness as the musicians and the artists of the Utah Symphony Chorus perform Handel's 1741 oratorio inspired by the life of Jesus—and attendees are invited to sing along with the famed "Hallelujah" chorus in a celebration of joy and community. Saturday, Nov. 30 & Sunday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, $8 - $45, utahsymphony.org.
Star of Wonder: Concert Version: James Conlee's original musical—built on traditional Christmas carols, and set both during and in the aftermath of the first World War—has been a work in progress for several years now. As the production incorporates new elements, the show is being offered in 2024 as a "concert version" with a reduced production, but the same story and musical elements that audiences have come to adore. Nov. 30 – Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. West Valley Performing Arts Center, 3333 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City, $12.50, starofwonder.com.
Christmas with C.S. Lewis: For more than 30 years—since performing in a production of the C.S. Lewis biographical drama Shadowlands—actor David Payne has become closely associated with playing the celebrated Christian apologist and author of The Chronicles of Narnia, playing Lewis in more than a thousand productions. This show finds Lewis hosting American expatriates in England, as their host shares Yuletide stories and the tale of how Lewis' friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien changed his views on religion forever. Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m. & 6 p.m., Rose Wagner Center Jeanne Wagner Theater (138 W. 300 South), $60 - $80, arttix.org.
- Beau Pearson
- Ballet West Nutcracker
Ballet West: The Nutcracker: Few Utah holiday traditions can match the enthusiasm with which generations have passed down a love for the beloved ballet of Tchaikovsky's music, set to the timeless choreography and production of William Christensen. This 80th annual incarnation of America's first production of The Nutcracker remains as delightful today as when it premiered in 1944, and there's no reason for you not to join the party at Herr Drosselmeyer's—unless, that is, you're too slow on the trigger to grab a ticket. Dec. 6 – 28, J. Q. Lawson Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, $36 - $220, balletwest.org.
Mike Delamont: God is a Scottish Drag Queen Christmas Special: Canadian comedian Mike Delamont has already offered three full-length shows imagining the Almighty as a floral-power-suit-wearing Divine Feminine with a Scottish burr, skewering popular culture and the world around us. This most recent variation takes on a holiday theme, with targets like A Christmas Carol and the way Christmas has been celebrated through the years. Dec. 12 – 13, 7 p.m., Rose Wagner Center Jeanne Wagner Theater, 138 W. 300 South, $25 - $40, arttix.org.
Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays: The Sandy, Utah native and Dancing With the Stars alum always attracts an audience when he comes back home for live performances, and that's unlikely to change with this holiday-themed production. Hough leads a team of dancers in festive interpretations of carols, classic standards and modern pop hits. VIP meet-and-greet experiences are available. Dec. 18 – 19, 7:30 p.m., $50 - $799, Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., arttix.org.
