See the latest performing arts productions and theater happenings opening across Houston from Monday, December 2 to Sunday, December 8, 2024.
The Houston Symphony brings a little swing into the holiday season this week. Briana J. Resa reprises her star turn in a one-woman holiday show at the Alley. Afro-Cuban beats meet Taiwanese heritage in a concert at Asia Society Texas Center.
Plus, a host of other holiday happenings light up performing arts stages this week. Check our lists of holiday theater and arts performances, holiday concerts, everything else to do for the holidays.
Top Performing Arts Openings This Week: December 2 to 8, 2024
Performances and events are not ranked but are listed in chronological order, by start date and time and then by end date and time.
Houston Symphony: Swingin’ Christmas with Houston Jazz Orchestra at Jones Hall | Tuesday – The Houston Jazz Orchestra and Sass vocal trio perform a swinging selection of holiday favorites. Expect a concert of songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Joy To The World,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and more with jazzy arrangements. $48 and up. 7:30pm.
TUTS: The Ugly Christmas Sweater Musical at the Hobby Center| Opens Tuesday – The interactive musical is back after delighting audiences in its 2023 debut. You can help the employees of Regalia Uniform Company save their company from a corporate takeover. The plan is simple: come up with the best ugly Christmas sweater. $36 and up. Showtimes vary.
Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band: Music for the River Jazz Suite at Asia Society Texas Center | Wednesday – Flow into a unique musical journey blending genres and transcending borders, as bassist and composer Vincent Hsu leads the Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band in a captivating fusion of jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms inspired by his Taiwanese roots. $30. 7:30pm.
Fruitcakes at Unity Theatre | Opens Thursday – Head to Brenham for a delightful holiday comedy. You’ll find a town where a batch of fruitcakes, 3 dozen Christmas trees, 10,000 outdoor Christmas lights, a chicken pox epidemic, two southern spinsters, an estranged old man, a lost cat named Tutti Frutti and a Christmas hog named Buster combine for Christmas chaos. $30. Showtimes vary.
The Night Shift Before Christmas at The Alley Theatre | Opens Thursday – Margot’s working all night at a fast-food joint on Christmas Eve. But a strange transformation begins to take place as she encounters a variety of characters. This retelling of A Christmas Carol stars the incredible Briana J. Reza, back for the second consecutive year of this contemporary holiday story. $61. Showtimes vary.
DaCamera Jazz series: Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards at Wortham Center | Friday – The immensely gifted drummer and her bandmates delve into the Grammy-winning “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” New Standards Vol. 01, shining a powerful light on music from great women composers including Carla Bley, Cassandra Wilson, Gretchen Parlato, and more. $46 and up. 8pm.
Houston Bronze Ensemble: Making Spirits Bright at MATCH | Friday | FREE with RSVP – Houston’s premier handbell choir presents holiday fare with virtuosic arrangements in a show for all ages. S.L.E.D. brings their magical vocals in close-harmony arrangements of favorite Christmas songs. RSVP required. 7:30pm.
Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir: Lessons & Carols at Prince of Peace Catholic Community | Friday – The Catholic church in Tomball is the stage for an evening of traditional Christmas hymns and sacred selections, woven with the 9 scripture verses that explore the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Christ. Pay-What-You-Will. 7:30pm.
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Grand 1894 Opera House | Friday & Saturday – The beloved story of miserly Scrooge and his meetings with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future comes to the Island. See how this clutching, grasping, covetous and mean old man confronts his own humanity in this timeless classic. The show coincides with the massively popular Dickens on the Strand Christmas festival. $27 and up. Showtimes vary.
Holiday Follies at Stageworks | Opens Friday – Enjoy a joyful array of songs, dances, and seasonal fun, performed by Houston’s young actors and singers in a show packed with seasonal cheer. $26 and up. Showtimes vary.
Stages: Panto Pinocchio at the Gordy | Opens Friday – Stages’ holiday panto tradition returns, this time with the story of the beloved wooden boy who longs to be real. Only in this outing, he’s a sentient AI boy created by tech-savvy inventor Gill Bates, on a quest to discover his true essence. Expect Panto laughs and high-tech hijinks. $25 and up. Showtimes vary.
The Houston Pride Band: Kringle Kapers at MATCH | Saturday – Hop in your sleight, grab your loved ones and head to Midtown for this jolly performance of merry mischief, featuring familiar favorites in a welcoming, holiday atmosphere. $15. 8pm.
The Shepherd School of Music: Spirit of the Season at Morrison Theater | Saturday – This spirited, 1-hour performance by the vocal and instrumental students in Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music offers selections from opera and musical theater along with holiday favorites. A reception precedes the performance. $35 and up. 7:30pm.
Yuletide with ROCO & Jazz Houston at Houston Botanic Garden | Saturday – Savor a brunch and concert, serving up a menu created by Chef Soren Pedersen and the sounds of your holiday favorites in classic and jazz arrangements. Following brunch, enjoy a guided tour of the garden. $75. 10am.
Mercury: Christmas with Nicole Heaston at the Wortham Center | Saturday – The acclaimed soprano performs a concert of holiday favorites, from Baroque tunes to modern songs. $25 and up. 8pm.
Houston Symphony: A Viennese Waltz Christmas at Jones Hall | Saturday & Sunday – This concert of glittering musical delights by Johann and Josef Strauss includes a host of selections from sprightly polkas to the iconic “Blue Danube” waltz. The performance pays tribute to the famed New Year’s Day concerts offered by the Vienna Philharmonic—a sparkling option for holiday entertainment. $51 and up. Showtimes vary.
Houston Chamber Choir: Glory in the Highest—Christmas at the Villa at the Villa de Matel Chapel | Saturday & Sunday – The choir’s annual holiday feature returns, featuring beautiful seasonal choral arrangements in a stunning surrounding. Paragon Brass and the Treble Choir of Houston at Christ Church Cathedral join the choir for the performances. $45. Showtimes vary.
Final Performances This Week
Don’t miss Catastrophic Theatre’s Love Bomb, a bizarre and funny world premiere play about love and longing, which closes on Saturday.
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