TDF Stages

With in-person theatre out of commission for the foreseeable future, many companies and performers from Broadway and beyond are showcasing their work online. Below are performances you can watch this Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday, December 17, from the comfort of your couch for free or at low cost.

Wednesday, December 16

Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol
On Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET, yes, there are a lot of virtual Christmas Carols this season. But the one by Manual Cinema, a company acclaimed for combining shadow puppetry and filmic elements, is surely the most original. Performed live from the troupe's Chicago studio, the production uses hundreds of paper puppets, miniatures, silhouettes and a live original score to conjure Dickens' holiday redemption tale. Tickets start at $15.

Irish Repertory Theatre: Meet Me in St. Louis
On Wednesday at 2 and 7 p.m. ET, for the holidays, the intrepid Irish Rep presents Meet Me in St. Louis. Last seen at the theatre in 2007, this old-fashioned musical is based on the cherished MGM movie of the same name about the growing pains of the tight-knit Smith family as they contemplate major changes in life and love at the turn of the 20th century. Charlotte Moore, who appeared in the 1989 Broadway mounting of the show, directs a cast headlined by Tony nominees Melissa Errico and Max Von Essen, and the classic score includes "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Reservations are required to receive the free viewing link but a $25 donation is suggested.

Holidays from the Heart
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. used to be the time when New Yorkers made a joyful noise for frontline workers. Tonight, they're the ones singing (and dancing!) for us in Holidays from the Heart. Organized by the nonprofit Brave Hearts for Broadway, the concert stars The Frontline Choir and Friends, featuring more than 100 talented health care workers from 11 countries. They'll be joined by special guests including Shoshana Bean, Laurie Metcalf, Judy Kuhn, Ann Harada and N'Kenge. Watch for free on Playbill's YouTube channel though donations are encouraged.

New York Theatre Workshop: Holiday Follies
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, Off Broadway's invaluable New York Theatre Workshop presents a starry holiday revue featuring lots of fierce and famous stage folks, including Annaleigh Ashford, Bridget Everett, Peppermint, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Michael Urie and Michael Cerveris. Tickets are $10.

Broadway's Great American Songbook: Lillias White
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, The York Theatre Company continues its Broadway's Great American Songbook cabaret series with Lillias White. A show-stopping diva who won a Tony Award for her delightfully world-weary turn as a prostitute in The Life, White is a veteran of 11 Broadway shows, including Fela!, the original Once on This Island and two different mountings of Dreamgirls. Michael Feinstein hosts this intimate concert. Tickets are $20.

The Metropolitan Opera: Les Troyens
On Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera presents Francesca Zambello's staging of Les Troyens, Berlioz's epic chronicling the aftermath of the Trojan War and the exploits of Aeneas, played by Bryan Hymel. Deborah Voigt, Susan Graham, Karen Cargill, Eric Cutler, Dwayne Croft and Kwangchoul Youn costar in this 2013 production. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Lohengrin, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

Stars in the House: The Cast of Estella Scrooge
On Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley welcome the cast and creative team of the streaming musical Estella Scrooge, a tuneful, modern-day take on the old Christmas chestnut by Charles Dickens. Writers John Caird and Paul Gordon will be joined by stars Betsy Wolfe, Clifton Duncan, Carolee Carmello, Patrick Page and Lauren Patten for stories and songs. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

New Works Virtual Festival: Otherwise Engayged
On Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, the ambitious New Works Virtual Festival is showcasing 20 plays in 20 days, with a debut every evening at 8 p.m. ET through Christmas. Tonight is Hal Katkov's Otherwise Engayged, a romantic comedy starring Mykal Kilgore, Christina Bianco, Bryan Terrell Clark, Madeline Franklin, Kevin Chamberlin and Amir Arison. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

Theater in Quarantine: I am Sending You the Sacred Face
On Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, experimental multihyphenate Joshua William Gelb, known for deconstructing complicated classics like The Jazz Singer, stars in I am Sending You the Sacred Face, a solo one-act musical by Obie winner Heather Christian about Mother Teresa. Gelb performs the piece live in drag from the closet of his East Village apartment, with all music and vocals prerecorded by Christian. Watch for free on Gelb's YouTube channel.

Thursday, December 17

The Old Vic: A Christmas Carol
On Thursday at 1 p.m. ET, another Christmas Carol? Before you say, "Bah humbug," let me assure you, this is a magical mounting of Dickens' holiday redemption tale. Adapted by Tony-winning playwright Jack Thorne and staged by Tony-winning director Matthew Warchus, the show incorporates beautifully sung Christmas carols and insightful humor into the action. The production originated at London's Old Vic in 2017 and has been a holiday staple ever since—it even crossed the pond to play on Broadway last season. Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln headlines this year's edition, which will be performed live on the Old Vic stage to an empty theatre and streamed to an at-home audience. Tickets start at £20, approximately $27. Closed captions and audio description are available.

Broadway's Great American Songbook: Lillias White
On Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET, The York Theatre Company continues its Broadway's Great American Songbook cabaret series with Lillias White. A show-stopping diva who won a Tony Award for her delightfully world-weary turn as a prostitute in The Life, White is a veteran of 11 Broadway shows, including Fela!, the original Once on This Island and two different mountings of Dreamgirls. Michael Feinstein hosts this intimate concert. Tickets are $20 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount.

The Metropolitan Opera: Hansel and Gretel
On Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, to celebrate the holidays, the Met is hosting a special family stream of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel from Thursday through Monday, complemented by a series of interactive online activities. Starring Alice Coote and Christine Schäfer, this is a wonderful, eye-popping, English-language production with oversize cartoon chefs, singing trees and an unforgettable witch's kitchen. Watch for free until Monday at 5 p.m. ET on the Metropolitan Opera's website.

MCC Theater: Between the Two Humps
On Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET, MCC Theater continues its LiveLabs: One Acts series with Between the Two Humps, a new comedy by Halley Feiffer about Joseph and Mary squabbling on their way to Bethlehem via camel. The playwright's frequent collaborator, Trip Cullman, directs Noah Robbins and Kara Young as the bickering biblical couple, alongside Peppermint and Portia. Tickets are $7.

Irish Repertory Theatre: Meet Me in St. Louis
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, for the holidays, the intrepid Irish Rep presents Meet Me in St. Louis. Last seen at the theatre in 2007, this old-fashioned musical is based on the cherished MGM movie of the same name about the growing pains of the tight-knit Smith family as they contemplate major changes in life and love at the turn of the 20th century. Charlotte Moore, who appeared in the 1989 Broadway mounting of the show, directs a cast headlined by Tony nominees Melissa Errico and Max Von Essen, and the classic score includes "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Reservations are required to receive the free viewing link but a $25 donation is suggested.

Disenchanted! Stay-At-Home Version
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, iconic princesses indulge in naughty behavior in Disenchanted!, Dennis T. Giacino's satirical musical about how Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Sleeping Beauty and their ilk really feel about their royal lives. A hit Off Broadway, this online incarnation is directed by Meg Fofonoff and boasts a starry cast, including Broadway favorites Celia Rose Gooding, Diana DeGarmo, Micaela Diamond and Alysha Umphress. Watch for free on Broadway on Demand though you need to create an account to log in.

Andrea McArdle: A Holiday Concert
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, Broadway's original orphan Annie, Andrea McArdle, performs an intimate holiday concert on New Jersey's Kean Stage. Accompanied by Steve Marzullo on piano, the big-voiced Tony nominee will croon seasonal standards such as "White Christmas" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as well as numbers from her Broadway career, including "Tomorrow." Tickets are $30 but if you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase them at a discount.

2020 Roasting on an Open Fire
On Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, stage and drag stars aim to raise your spirits in 2020 Roasting on an Open Fire. Organized by Live & In Color and hosted by Broadway vets J. Elaine Marcos and Ryan Duncan, the gleeful lineup includes Honey Davenport from RuPaul's Drag Race sharing tips on surviving the season; a sassy spin on "The Night Before Christmas;" Santa the super-spreader; and original songs crooned by L Morgan Lee, Orville Mendoza, Graham Stevens and other BIPOC performers. Watch for free on Live & In Color's Facebook page though donations are encouraged.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Testament
On Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues its virtual season with Testament, created during quarantine by the troupe's associate artistic director Matthew Rushing, and dancers Clifton Brown and Yusha-Marie Sorzano. Set to music by Damien Sneed, the world-premiere piece is a tribute to Alvin Ailey's Revelations as a community turns pain into empowerment. Watch for free until Thursday, December 24 on Ailey's website though donations are encouraged.

The Metropolitan Opera: Francesca da Rimini
At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Metropolitan Opera shares a gem from its vaults: Piero Faggioni's sumptuous 1984 mounting of Francesca da Rimini, Zandonai's rarely staged adaptation of a section of Dante's Inferno, with Renata Scotto and Plácido Domingo as the passionate lovers Francesca and Paolo. Watch for free for 23 hours after the start time on the Metropolitan Opera's website. You can still stream yesterday's opera, Les Troyens, until 6:30 p.m. ET today.

Stars in the House: The Cast of Homeschool Musical Class of 2020
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley welcome the cast of Homeschool Musical Class of 2020, a brand-new special on HBO Max inspired by Laura Benanti's social media call asking students in cancelled school productions to share videos of them singing. The Tony winner is joined by some of the very talented high school seniors showcased in program. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

Feinstein's/54 Below: Norm Lewis: Christmastime Is Here
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, for years, beloved Broadway baritone Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess, Once on This Island, Les Misérables) has performed an annual Christmas concert at Feinstein's/54 Below, filled with seasonal songs and uplifting stories. He keeps the tradition alive in 2020 with a show recorded at the swanky cabaret venue and streamed to an at-home audience. Backed by a trio, he'll croon songs from his eponymous Christmas album, holiday standards and a few new numbers to inject some cheer into this dreary year. Special guests include Lewis' The Little Mermaid costar, Sierra Boggess, and his cousin, Pastor Bobby Lewis. Tickets are $25 and the recording is viewable until Thursday, December 31.

New Works Virtual Festival: Four Horses
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, the ambitious New Works Virtual Festival is showcasing 20 plays in 20 days, with a debut every evening at 8 p.m. ET through Christmas. Tonight is Four Horses, Mary Beringer's pitch-black comedy about the death of Death and how that upends the world. The cast features Eddie Cooper, Matthew Arkin, Zach Infante, Guy Ray Shell, Lee Curreri and Rodney Hicks. Watch for free on YouTube though donations to The Actors Fund are encouraged.

Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, yes, there are a lot of virtual Christmas Carols this season. But the one by Manual Cinema, a company acclaimed for combining shadow puppetry and filmic elements, is surely the most original. Performed live from the troupe's Chicago studio, the production uses hundreds of paper puppets, miniatures, silhouettes and a live original score to conjure Dickens' holiday redemption tale. Tickets start at $15.

The Acting Company: Rainn's First (and Maybe Only) Holiday Special
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, venerable repertory troupe The Acting Company, founded by John Houseman back in 1972, presents a holiday revue featuring performers who got their start doing classics with the theatre. The Office favorite Rainn Wilson hosts and the lineup includes stage and screen stars Kevin Kline, Harriet Harris, Lorraine Toussaint and Jesse L. Martin. Register to receive the free viewing link though donations are encouraged.

Seize the Show: A Christmas Karen
On Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, interactive theatre company Seize the Show puts a timely spin on Dickens' classic with A Christmas Karen, about a drama-causing harridan whose comeuppance is in your hands. Audience members play Karen's downtrodden assistant and make choices that guide the action and her fate! Tickets start at $13.

IAMA Theatre Company: Making Friends
All day Thursday, Los Angeles' IAMA Theatre Company presents Tom DeTrinis in his outrageous solo comedy Making Friends, in which he channels his anger about a variety of eclectic topics, including cheese, NYC, queer culture and the oys of being dramatic. Fellow furious funnyman Drew Droege directs. Tickets are $15 and the recording is viewable until Monday, January 11, 2021.

Available to Watch Both Days

Home for the Holidays
Ain't Too Proud's Jelani Remy hosts this starry benefit concert for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, featuring Alan Cumming, André De Shields, Lena Hall, Heather Headley, Ramin Karimloo, Karen Olivo and other Broadway vets singing seasonal favorites and sharing holiday traditions directly from their homes. Watch for free until Saturday on Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' YouTube channel though donations are encouraged.

PBS: All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
A powerful work of docutheatre, All Is Calm commemorates the Christmas Truce of 1914, an unofficial ceasefire that brought troops from opposing sides of World War I together on December 24 for a night of caroling and companionship. Created by Minneapolis' Theater Latté Da, the show interweaves excerpts from letters and journals of soldiers who were there with trench songs and Christmas tunes performed a cappella. I saw this emotional piece at the Sheen Center two years ago and I get misty just thinking about it. It perfectly captures the spirit of the season: peace on earth and good will toward men. Watch for free until Thursday, December 31 on PBS' website.

92nd Street Y: Lyrics & Lyricists: The Theme From…: Songs Written for Film
The 92nd Street Y's virtual edition of its popular Lyrics & Lyricists concert series concludes with a program dedicated to songs from movies, including classics such as "The Man That Got Away" from A Star Is Born with Judy Garland and "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Musical theatre vets Farah Alvin, Nikki Renée Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon, Katherine Henly, Jeff Kready, Kara Lindsay, Julia Murney, Zachary Noah Piser, Zachary Prince and Pearl Sun croon these cinematic tunes. Tickets are $15 and the recording is viewable until Thursday, December 31.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: A Jam Session for Troubling Times
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues its virtual season with A Jam Session for Troubling Times, a world-premiere piece by the troupe's resident choreographer Jamar Roberts, set to music by jazz greats Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Created specifically for digital consumption, the work uses the uplifting sounds of bebop to raise our spirits during this challenging moment. Watch for free until Monday, December 21 on Ailey's website though donations are encouraged.

Bristol Old Vic: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
The UK's Bristol Old Vic presents Daniel Jamieson's The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, a play with music about the romance between fantastical painter Marc Chagall and his wife, Bella, who faced pogroms and the Russian Revolution as a young couple. The always innovative Emma Rice staged the show earlier this month at the theatre with Marc Antolin and Audrey Brisson as the lovers, and a recording is available to watch with proceeds going to various regional stages, including NYC's Skirball Center. Tickets are £16, approximately $21, and the recording is viewable until Saturday. Audio described and closed captioned versions are also available.

New York City Ballet: George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
New York City Ballet presents The Nutcracker choreographed by George Balanchine. This legendary version of Tchaikovsky's Christmas ballet was recorded last year during its annual holiday engagement at Lincoln Center and stars NYCB principal dancers Maria Kowroski as the Sugarplum Fairy, Tyler Angle as her Cavalier and Megan Fairchild as Dewdrop. Tickets are $25 and the recording is viewable until Sunday, January 3, 2021.

San Francisco Playhouse: Songs for a New World
San Francisco Playhouse presents Songs for a New World, Tony winner Jason Robert Brown's breakthrough musical revue, a series of insightful numbers featuring a wide array of characters grappling with pivotal moments in life and love. Filmed live on stage at the theatre during quarantine, the production stars John Paul Gonzalez, Cate Hayman, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. and Katrina Lauren McGraw. Tickets start at $15.

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Raven Snook is the Editor of TDF Stages. Follow her at @RavenSnook. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

Top image: New York City Ballet in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Photo by Erin Baiano.