Lexington holiday show guide: ‘White Christmas,’ ‘Messiah’ and all the ‘Nutcrackers’

The Lexington Theatre Company is leaning on an old holiday tradition to start what could be a new one.

Local theater fans know The Lex as the troupe that brings a pair of musicals to the Lexington Opera House stage in the steamy days of summer, leaning heavily on the talents of student performers out of school and looking for work in casts topped by Broadway professionals.

“We realized that we wanted to be more of a year-round presence,” artistic director Lyndy Franklin Smith says. “We were just having so much fun, and it felt like we were waiting forever for the next show to come around.”

This year, The Lex isn’t waiting with its entrée into the holiday arts lineup: A production of the film and stage classic “White Christmas,” this weekend at the Opera House. Franklin sees similarities between the Irving Berlin musical and the theatre’s summer hit: “The Sound of Music.”

“It’s a very similar nostalgia to when you mention ‘The Sound of Music,’” Franklin Smith says. “People start to tell you their memories of seeing the film. When you bring up ‘White Christmas,’ I think the same thing happens, even within the cast. People say, ‘Oh, I love that movie,’ or ‘I always watch that with my grandmother’ or ‘this is our holiday tradition.’”

There’s a Kentucky connection in the movie the stage musical is based on, as Maysville native Rosemary Clooney is part of the ensemble cast along with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen. That is not lost on actor Desi Oakley, who is playing Clooney’s role of Betty Haynes in The Lex production. Franklin Smith says Oakley said part of the thrill of this production is doing it in Clooney’s home state.

Coming the weekend before Thanksgiving, “White Christmas” also ushers in the holiday arts and entertainment season in the Lexington area. Visit lexingtontheatrecompany.org for more information and to buy tickets for the show, which has six performances between Nov. 16 and 19. You can also call 859-233-3535 for tickets.

Here is a guide, list and calendar of other holiday arts and entertainment events in the area to look forward to.

Calendar: Lexington Christmas, Hanukkah events, music, plays, holiday shows

• The Lexington Chamber Chorale welcomes the holiday season with “Sing Noel” at 5 p.m. Nov. 26 at Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington. lexingtonchamberchorale.org.

• Luminate Lexington features the lighting of the city’s Christmas Tree and Hanukkah Menorah at an event with all the trimmings, including an appearance by Santa Claus, from 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 26 at Triangle Park. downtownlex.com/signature-events/luminate-lexington/

• Here’s something new: A Kentucky twist on “A Christmas Carol.” Bluegrass Community and Technical College Theatre presents the world premiere of Treyton Blackburn’s “A Bluegrass Christmas Carol” at the Thoroughbred Center on Paris Pike, Nov. 30-Dec. 2. Tickets are available through the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center Ticket Office: lexingtonky.gov/about-downtown-arts-center, 859-425-2550.

• Christ Church Cathedral continues its traditional performance of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 with the Cathedral Choir and the Lexington Baroque Ensemble. ccclex.org/messiah, 859-254-4497, ext. 1011

• Downtown Lexington’s Christmas Parade is at 11 a.m. Dec. 2, processing down Main Street starting at Midland Avenue and ending at Mill Street. downtownlex.com

• The University of Kentucky Choirs close out the fall semester and welcome the holidays with their 26th Annual “Collage: A Holiday Spectacular,” featuring numerous special guest soloists, ensembles, and choirs. Performances are Dec. 2 and 3 at UK’s Singletary Center for the Arts. finearts.uky.edu/music/events/collage-holiday-spectacular-2023, 859-257-4929

• The “Celtic Woman Christmas Symphony Tour” comes to Centre College’s Norton Center for the Arts in Danville at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2. nortoncenter.com, 859-236-4692.

• “A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage” comes to the EKU Center for the Arts in Richmond at 6 p.m. Dec. 6. ekucenter.com, 859-622-7469.

• The Woodford Theatre in Versailles’ Falling Springs Arts and Recreation presents “Miracle on 34th Street,” the classic story of a department store Santa who claims to be the real deal Dec. 8-10 and 15-17. Tickets are going fast. woodfordtheatre.com, 859.873.0648.

• “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical” comes to the EKU Center for the Arts in Richmond at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8. ekucenter.com, 859-622-7469.

• The voices of the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre join for the “Alltech Celebration of Song” at 4 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena. kyhorsepark.com/event/celebration-of-song.

• The Lexington Philharmonic’s “Cathedral Christmas,” featuring the Lexington Singers, is at 8 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington. The concert is already sold out, but there is a waitlist at lexphil.org or 859-233-4226.

Lexington, Central Kentucky ‘Nutcracker’ ballet performances

As has been the case for several decades, there are multiple local and touring productions of the classic holiday ballet set for this year. They include:

• “Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet,” a touring production coming to the University of Kentucky’s Singletary Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. Nov. 21. nutcracker.com, 859-257-4929.

• Kentucky Ballet Theatre takes its “Nutcracker” on the road for one performance at Somerset’s Center for Rural Development Nov. 28 (centertech.com, 606-677-6000) and then comes to the Lexington Opera House for six performances Dec. 9, 10, 16, and 17. kyballet.com, 859-233-3535.

• The Bluegrass Youth Ballet continues its short-attention-span tradition of “Nutcracker in One Act” at the Singletary Center Dec. 15 and 16. Blugrassyouthballet.org, 859-257-4929.

• The Lexington Ballet’s 50th Anniversary production of “The Nutcracker” takes the stage of EKU Center for the Arts in Richmond Dec. 22 and 23. lexingtonballet.org, 859-233-3925.

These are some highlights of the local arts calendar, but this list is not exhaustive. Make sure to check with your favorite local arts organization, house of worship, and other entities to make sure you don’t miss anything.