Mannheim Steamroller to 'Nutcracker,' 36 holiday shows bringing Oklahoma Christmas cheer

Brandy McDonnell, Oklahoman

November 7, 2022 at 10:28 AM·10 min read

Even if you’re still sifting through your Halloween candy, the sights and sounds of the holiday season are already coming to a stage near you.

From the beloved ballet “The Nutcracker” and the Dickensian drama of “A Christmas Carol” to popular seasonal concert tours like Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Oklahoma boasts more plum options for live yuletide entertainment this season than Santa Claus could stuff into his sack.

Here’s a look at 35 live shows you can catch in the Sooner State this Christmas season:

1. Straight No Chaser

When and where: Nov. 9, Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center in Midwest City.

Tickets: https://www.okcciviccenter.com/event-calendar/get-tickets.

The chart-topping a cappella group, best known for its singular version of "The 12 Days of Christmas," brings its 25th Anniversary Celebration tour to the Sooner State.

Performers portraying dancing chefs twirl to the song "Hot Chocolate" on the Oklahoma City "The Polar Express" Train Ride Nov. 13, 2021.

2. 'The Polar Express' Train Ride

When and where: Nov. 11-Dec. 27, Oklahoma Railway Museum.

Tickets: okcthepolarexpressride.com.

A real-life train is the stage as the popular book- and movie-based holiday experience returns to OKC with more opportunities for riders to partake of "Hot Chocolate" and "Believe" in Santa's magic.

3. 'Million Dollar Quartet Christmas'

When and where: Nov. 12, Oklahoma City Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.

Tickets: tickets.occc.edu.

The holiday rock ‘n’ roll musical will play two OKC shows and depict future music legends Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley coming together for a wintry evening in their famed Memphis recording studio, Sun Records.

Matthew Sipress and Adam Brand, from left, set up a stage prop for the Lyric Theatre's outdoor production of "A Christmas Carol" at Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.

4. Lyric Theatre's 'A Christmas Carol'

When and where: Nov. 16-Dec. 23, Harn Homestead.

Tickets: https://lyrictheatreokc.com.

For the third and final season, the professional theater is staging its faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved yuletide tale outside, whisking audiences to a Victorian holiday village and literally walking them through the familiar "Ghost Story of Christmas" at the living history museum.

5. 'Hansel & Gretel: A Fairytale Opera'

When and where: Nov. 18-20, Oklahoma City University's Kirkpatrick Auditorium.

Tickets: https://www.okcu.edu/main/tickets.

German composer Engelbert Humperdinck's kinder, gentler verion of the Grimm fairy story has been a Christmas favorite since it premiered in 1893.

6. Mannheim Steamroller

When and where: Nov. 22, Civic Center.

Tickets: https://www.okcbroadway.com.

The brainchild of Nebraska record producer and composer Chip Davis, the Grammy Award-winning holiday staple rolls into OKC for one night only.

The Grammy-winning a cappella quintet, which includes former University of Oklahoma student Kirstin Maldonado, will make a pre-Thanksgiving Oklahoma stop on their "A Christmas Spectacular!" 2022 tour when they play Tulsa's BOK Center Nov. 23.

7. Pentatonix

When and where: Nov. 23, BOK Center in Tulsa.

Tickets: https://bokcenter.com/events.

The Grammy-winning a cappella quintet, which includes former University of Oklahoma student Kirstin Maldonado, will make a pre-Thanksgiving Oklahoma stop on their "A Christmas Spectacular!" 2022 tour.

8. 'A Territorial Christmas Carol'

When and where: Nov. 25-Dec. 23, The Pollard Theatre in Guthrie.

Tickets: https://thepollard.org.

As part of its 35th season, the theater is bringing back its popular yuletide title for the first time in five years. The nonprofit theater has staged its signature seasonal show — adapted by the late Oklahoman Stephen Scott from the classic novel by Charles Dickens — for 1,000 performances and 150,000 patrons over 30 years.

9. 'The Pan American Nutcracker Suite'

When and where: Nov. 25-26, UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond.

Tickets: https://www.ucojazzlab.com/events.

Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Alliance Big Band and the Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra will present a world premiere reinvention of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." Co-arranged by University of Central Oklahoma graduate Vince Norman, the piece is inspired by an array of musical stylings, from Duke Ellington to traditional Chinese drumming.

10. 'Home Alone in Concert'

When and where: Nov. 26, Civic Center.

Tickets: https://www.okcphil.org.

This add-on concert to the Oklahoma City Philharmonic's Pops season will feature the orchestra performing John Williams beloved score to the 1990 holiday blockbuster.

11. Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas

When and where: Nov. 27, Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa, and Dec. 16, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in OKC.

Tickets: https://www.michaelmartinmurphey.com/tour.

The Grammy-nominated Texas native will bring his long-running Western holiday tradition back to Oklahoma for two presentations.

12. Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith Christmas

When and where: Dec. 1, Tulsa Theater.

Tickets: https://tulsatheater.com/events/.

The Grammy winners will be accompanied by special guest Michael Tait of the Newsboys.

13. 'Elf in Concert' with Tulsa Symphony Orchestra

When and where: Dec. 1, McKnight Center for the Performing Arts in Stillwater

Tickets: https://mcknightcenter.org.

The classic Christmas movie will be shown in high-definition while the orchestra plays John Debney’s score live.

14. OKC Philharmonic's 'Coming Home for Christmas'

When and where: Dec. 2-3, Civic Center.

Tickets: https://www.okcphil.org.

After 16 years, the OKC Philharmonic will debut a new holiday show on its Pops season. The yuletide spectacular will feature Grammy- and Emmy-nominated pianist, singer and entertainer Michael Feinstein, known as “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook," and Elk City native, singer and television personality Susan Powell, who was crowned Miss American in 1981.

RACE Dance Collective will perform its "RACE's Hip Hop Nutcracker" Dec. 2-3 and 10-11 at Oklahoma City Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center.

15. 'RACE's Hip Hop Nutcracker'

When and where: Dec. 2-3 and 10-11, OCCC's Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.

Information: https://www.racedance.com.

RACE Dance Collective — a professional hip-hop, contemporary and jazz dance company based in Oklahoma City — is bringing back its original reimagining of the seasonal favorite, featuring students from Oklahoma City Public Schools. For its 10th anniversary, RACE is premiering two performances in Spanish that will be free to the community at 2 p.m. Dec. 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 10.

16. 3rd Act Theatre Company's 'The Christmas Express'

When and where: Dec. 2-18, Shoppes at Northpark.

Tickets: https://www.facebook.com/3rdActTheatreCo.

The community theater continues its fourth season, which boasts the theme "Regenerate," Pat Cook's nostalgic play that centers on a group of eccentric small-town characters wise-cracking their way to finding the true wonder of Christmas.

17. The Swingles

When and where: Dec. 3, McKnight Center for the Performing Arts in Stillwater.

Tickets: https://mcknightcenter.org.

The Grammy winners are performing folk- and jazz-inspired original songs along with traditional carols and festive favorites on their "Together for the Holidays" tour.

18. JD McPherson

When and where: Dec. 4, Beer City Music Hall.

Tickets: https://beercitymusichall.com.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist, who hails from Broken Arrow, is again unrolling his "Socks: A Rock N’ Roll Christmas Tour," featuring songs from his 2018 original holiday album "Socks," in his home state.

19. 'Canterbury Christmas'

When and where: Dec. 4, Civic Center.

Tickets: https://canterburyokc.com.

This Oklahoma City holiday tradition will brighten the season with joyful yuletide songs, along with a visit from Santa Claus and carols performed in the Civic Center lobby. The concert also will include a couple of audience sing-alongs, which have become a favorite aspect of the performance.

20. The 395th Army Band Holiday Concert

When and where: Dec. 4, OCCC's Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.

Tickets: tickets.occc.edu.

One of the 13 Army Reserve Bands in the United States, the group will play a free seasonal show. Tickets are required and limited to four per household.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to OKC Dec. 8 on its "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve Tour."

21. Trans-Siberian Orchestra

When and where: Dec. 8, Paycom Center.

Tickets: https://www.paycomcenter.com/events.

The rocking holiday favorite returns to OKC on its "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve Tour."

22. Star Dance Company Holiday Spectacular

When and where: Dec. 8-11, OCU's Kirkpatrick Theatre.

Tickets: https://www.okcu.edu/dance/performance/homeholidays.

More than 120 performers from OCU's Ann Lacy School of American Dance will put on a high-energy holiday celebration.

Cast members Nick Hone, left, and Matthew Moreillon dance with attendees at Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park's 2019 production of "Jane Austen's Christmas Cracker," an interactive holiday production.

23. 'Jane Austen's Christmas Cracker'

When and where: Dec. 9-23, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park's indoor black box theater.

Tickets: https://www.okshakes.org/indoor-black-box.

Oklahoma Shakespeare closes its 38th season indoors with the merry comeback of its original holiday production, which local playwright Erin Woods has adapted from Austen's iconic novels.

24. Christmas Vespers

When and where: Dec. 9-10, First Presbyterian Church OKC.

Tickets: https://oklahomacity.csstix.com.

More than 250 choral singers and orchestral musicians will join forces for OCU's 43rd annual celebratory concert, including scripture, poetry, congregational singing of cherished carols and a candlelit finale.

Oklahoma City Ballet dancers appear in the snowflake scene from "The Nutcracker." The company will perform the holiday classic Dec. 11-19 at the Civic Center Music Hall.

25. OKC Ballet's 'The Nutcracker'

When and where: Dec. 10-18, Civic Center.

Tickets: https://www.okcballet.org.

With new Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye refreshing the choreography, the company will continue its cherished yuletide tradition, with the OKC Philharmonic and Canterbury Voices returning to perform Pyotr Tchaikovsky's treasured score live.

OKC Ballet is offering its first sensory-friendly performance with its 6 p.m. Dec. 15 presentation, and dance devotees can enjoy tasty treats, a special performance and a visit with Santa at the annual Nutrcracker Tea from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 17 in the Civic Center's Meinders Hall of Mirrors.

26. Voctave

When and where: Dec. 10, Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center.

Tickets: https://www.brokenarrowpac.com/spotlight.

The 11-member a cappella group from Central Florida will share its "Sounds of the Season."

27. 'Elf - Interactive Movie'

When and where: Dec. 10, Chickasha Community Theatre.

Tickets: https://www.chickashatheatre.org.

The 2003 film will be accompanied by sing-alongs, dancing and callbacks.

28. 'World Ballet Series: Nutcracker'

When and where: Dec. 10, Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center in Midwest City.

Tickets: https://www.okcciviccenter.com/event-calendar/get-tickets..

A multinational touring cast of 50 professional ballet dancers will perform the Christmas classic.

29. A Drag Queen Christmas

When and where: Dec. 15, Tulsa Theater.

Tickets: https://tulsatheater.com/events/.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" standout Nina West will host the Oklahoma stop on this 36-city tour.

30. 'A Christmas Story: The Musical'

When and where: Dec. 15-18, Chickasha Community Theatre.

Tickets: https://www.chickashatheatre.org.

Based on the treasured 1983 movie, the musical tells the 1940s tale of a boy named Ralphie who tries to convince his parents, teacher and Santa that an official Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot, range model air rifle would be the perfect Christmas gift.

The Tequila Songbirds will perform a Christmas show Dec. 16 at the Blue Door.

31. Tequila Songbirds Christmas Show

When and where: Dec. 16, Blue Door.

Tickets: http://www.bluedoorokc.com/calendar.

The local singer-songwriters will flock together to play an all-ages holiday concert.

32. Martina McBride

When and where: Dec. 16, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

Tickets: https://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/entertainment/hard-rock-live.

The country music star brings her "The Joy of Christmas Tour 2022" to the Sooner State.

33. 'The Oklahoma Nutcracker'

When and where: Dec. 17-18, Nancy O'Brian Center for the Performing Arts in Norman.

Information: www.TicketStorm.com.

Since 2002, Norman Ballet Company has presented this local family favorite, which intertwines Oklahoma history and themes of nature with the traditional storyline and musical score of the original "The Nutcracker." The 20th anniversary production will feature Emilie Gerrity and Chun Wai Chan, guest artists from the New York City Ballet.

34. Cirque Dreams Holidaze

When and where: Dec. 18, BOK Center in Tulsa.