Holiday music and dances bring the Christmas spirit to the stage this week in CT arts
The holiday shows keep on rolling in, from Mannheim Steamroller to a “Nutcracker” that hasn’t played Hartford before to two events with “Cirque” in their titles —neither of which should be confused with Cirque du Soleil, which is visiting the XL Center later this month.
There are also two unpredictable comical takes on “A Christmas Carol” and the uncategorizable dancer/violinist/pop star Lindsey Stirling’s latest holiday tour.
It’s still only the first full week of December, so not everything is about holiday cheer: Charles Fuller’s masterful military drama “A Soldier’s Play” is on tour and a couple of cool folksingers to note at Cafe Nine.
Here are some of the top things to do and see this week in Connecticut arts.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
Decades ago, a new genre of Christmas-themed progressive rock was perfected, with two acts rising to the top and still touring every holiday season: Trans Siberian Orchestra, which visited Mohegan Sun a couple of weeks ago, and Chip Davis’ Mannheim Steamroller, which created its distinctive style of orchestral pop in the 1970s but became a behemoth when it started releasing Christmas-themed albums in the 1980s and ‘90s. Mannheim Steamroller performs at The Bushnell on Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. bushnell.org.
Vance Gilbert and Anne Marie Menta
Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
Two acclaimed folk acts, Vance Gilbert and Connecticut’s own Anne Marie Menta, are at Cafe Nine on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. $20. Gilbert’s distinction is that he’s warm, soulful, folksy and funny. He was a longtime opening act for George Carlin. The show is part of the ongoing East Rock Concert Series. cafenine.com.
‘A Soldier’s Play’
Shubert Theater, 347 College St., New Haven
“A Soldier’s Play” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Black drama about race, the military and the American South. It’s also an enthralling murder mystery. A national tour of the recent Broadway revival of Charles Fuller’s 1981 play, starring Norm Lewis and Eugene Lee, is at the Shubert Theater in New Haven Dec. 8-11. Performances are Dec. 8 and 9 at 8 p.m., Dec. 10 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. $49-$94. shubert.com.
An Improvised Christmas Carol
Sea Tea Comedy Theater, 15 Asylum St., Hartford
It’s an annual holiday tradition that changes with every performance. Dickens’ familiar tale is told in unfamiliar styles, with locations and moods and its iconic characters’ dispositions all determined by suggestions from the audience. The cast has barely changed from previous years, with Kevin MacDermott still featured as Scrooge. The spirits visit Dec. 8-18 at Sea Tea’s own Comedy Theater space on Asylum Street. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with special toned-down “family shows” Sundays at 2 p.m. $18, $10 under 16. seateaimprov.com.
Lindsey Stirling
Foxwoods, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
The dancing pop violinist Lindsey Stirling, who first hit it big as a contestant on “America’s Got Talent,” is on a holiday-themed “Snow Waltz” tour, stopping Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater. “Snow Waltz” is also the name of her new album. This year she also made a Hallmark romance movie, “A Fabled Holiday.” $35-$65. foxwoods.com.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Oakdale Theater, 95 S. Turnpike Road, Wallingford
Cirque Dreams Holidaze is back on tour, but the circus-styled spectacular has always reinvented itself on a regular basis, so expect some fresh acrobatic holiday spirit. The aerialists, balancing acts, clown, toy soldiers and more fill the Oakdale Theater with cheer Dec. 9-10. $19-$152.50. livenation.com.
Holiday Cirque!
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
Hartford Symphony Orchestra, which usually performs in The Bushnell’s smaller Belding Theater, shifts to the grander Mortensen Hall for the return of its special Holiday Cirque! show, where aerialists, contortionists, and gymnasts from the touring troupe Cirque de la Symphonie perform while the orchestra plays familiar holiday melodies, classical and otherwise. There are two performances on Dec. 10 at 2 and 7 p.m. $27-$79. hartfordsymphony.org.
Connecticut Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
Connecticut Ballet has been doing its “Nutcracker” for years in Stamford, but this is the first time the company is bringing it to The Bushnell for four performances Dec. 10 and 11 at both 1 and 5 p.m. in The Bushnell’s Belding Theater. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier are being danced by guest artists from American Ballet Theater and New York City Ballet. $58-$76. bushnell.org.
‘A Charles Dickens Christmas’
Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Rd., West Hartford
Playhouse on Park has a holiday show for kids, “A Charles Dickens Christmas,” performed by the playhouse’s Theatre for Young Audiences Dec. 10-30. It’s about Dickens writing “A Christmas Carol” and being a little Scroogey himself until the Christmas spirit catches him. There are 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 10, 11, 17 and 18, evening shows at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10, 16, 17 and 23, two 3:30 p.m. shows on Dec. 14 and 21, and a sensory-friendly performance at 10 a.m. on Dec. 11. playhouseonpark.org.
Reach reporter Christopher Arnott at carnott@courant.com.
