This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated between Dec. 14 and 22, and Civic Theatre of Allentown will present a family friendly holiday show filled with puppets that celebrates the Jewish Festival of Lights.
The theater will bring to life “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins” with actors and puppetry in Civic’s intimate black box Theatre514, which is located at 514 N. 19th St. in Allentown.
The play is based on Caldecott Honor children’s picture book written by Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman in 1989. In 1999, Minneapolis theater Z Puppets Rosenschnoz adapted the book for the stage.
“We thought it would be a nice compliment to “A Christmas Carol,’” said William Sanders, Civic’s artistic director. “There’s not a lot of plays that celebrate the joy of Hanukkah. There’s a lot of stuff for adults around the [Lehigh] valley during the holidays, so we thought it would be nice to change it up a bit.”
The show features the Jewish folk hero and trickster figure Hershel of Ostropol challenging and defeating through guile a series of goblins over the course of the eight nights of Hanukkah, culminating in a showdown with the King of the Goblins himself on the final night.
When Hershel arrives in a village where goblins have cast a spell to extinguish Hanukkah, it will take all his bravery and a good dose of clever trickery to banish them and bring back the light. Each night, a new goblin appears, stranger and more menacing than the last. But Hershel refuses to give up, determined to outsmart the mischievous creatures and save the holiday for everyone.
The production is directed by Nick Conti and Kelcie Kosberg, who also is creating the puppets of the goblins. Kosberg’s puppetry was last seen on stage in Civic’s fall production of “Shrek The Musical.”
The cast features Armand Reiser as Hershel, Jamie Bleasdale as Simon, Shaun Hayes as Risby, Nico Rodriguez as Little Goblin, Joy Studium as Pickel Goblin, Steph George as Shammes, and Omar Sanchez as a townsperson.
Tickets cost $10 to $35.
Performances will be at 6 p.m. on Friday and Dec. 18, 19, and 20; at 2:30 and 6 p.m. on Sunday; and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 21.
Christmas in Leipzig
The Bach Choir of Bethlehem will surround audiences with the wonder of Bach’s own Advent and Christmas in 18th-century Leipzig. The choir will present “Christmastime in Leipzig” on Saturday and Sunday.
The choir will take its audience on a journey to discover what Christmas sounded like 300 years ago. The program will transport the audience through the dramatic arc of Advent and the joyous arrival of Christmas, with music originally performed in the historic churches of Bach’s own city.
The program will begin with two of Bach’s stunning Advent cantatas, BWV 62, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Saviour of the Nations, Come!) and BWV 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and soul, life and deeds), which includes the beloved Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.
Next will be Bach’s exuberant Christmas cantata BWV 110, Unser Mund sei voll Lachens (May our Mouths Be Filled with Laughter), written exactly 300 years ago and brimming with trumpets, timpani, and irrepressible joy.
This year’s concert also will feature the premiere of a carol by Larry Lipkis. As always, the concert will conclude with the audience joining in on cherished carols.
Tickets cost $50.
Performances will be at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Egner Chapel, which is located on the campus of Muhlenberg College in Allentown; and at 4 p.m. on Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.
MunOpCo is back
MunOpCo Music Theater will return after more than a year with a holiday show. It will present “Tree of Lights: A Musical Celebration of Christ’s Birth” at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday at Northampton Community College’s Lipkin Theatre.
MunOpCo is holding its first production since it staged “Rock of Ages” in September 2024. The company, Allentown’s oldest community theater, postponed its production of “Urinetown, The Musical,” which was scheduled for February 2025, because of “financial impacts and timing considerations,” according to the board of directors.
Last spring, the company sent out a survey looking for suggestions from the public about the future of the organization.
Newly elected board president Daniel Petrovich said the company’s 98th season will open with the holiday show, and the new board is reviewing shows for late spring or early summer. The board also includes Cheryl Dreas as vice president and Darice Hoffman as secretary.
Terri Williams
“Tree of Lights” is a a contemporary Christian cantata compiled and directed by Terri Williams.
Terri and her late husband, Larry Williams, were leaders of MunOpCo for 22 years before moving to Florida in 2015. After Larry died in 2019, Terri founded Green Room Productions and presented the first “Tree of Lights” as a socially distanced one-act concert in Palm Coast, Florida, in 2020.
It became a Christmas tradition in Palm Coast, and this year, Terri decided to bring it to Pennsylvania for the first time to present at MunOpCo.
Pulled from various cantatas written and arranged by Phil Barfoot, “Tree of Lights” takes audiences on a journey through the biblical Bethlehem using pop, gospel, and country versions of Christmas classics and new creations.
Tickets cost $20.
MunOpCo was established in 1927. It is the sixth-oldest municipal opera company in the country and the oldest linked to a recreation commission.
Charter Arts winter concert
Kimberly Mora
The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts’ (Charter Arts) music department will hold its winter concert series with performances featuring the school’s various choirs and ensembles.
The Winter Choral Concert will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15. This year’s concert will showcase the talents of more than 120 student vocalists under the direction of David Macbeth, Erica Dickson, and Talia Sheehan.
The performance will feature four of the school’s distinguished ensembles, the 9/10 Choir, 11/12 Choir, Treble Choir, and Touring Choir, in a program that highlights both contemporary and classical choral repertoire. Featured composers include Eric Whitacre, Elaine Hagenberg, John Rutter, and Ola Gjeilo, offering audiences a rich and varied musical experience.
A highlight of the evening will be the Charter Arts Touring Choir’s presentation of an excerpt from Handel’s “Messiah,” offering the audience a preview of the larger community performance it will present with the Concord Chamber Singers later this month at First Presbyterian Church.
The concert will conclude with all ensembles uniting on stage to perform “Laudate” by Christopher Alexander, a vibrant and festive work set in Latin that promises to deliver a powerful finale.
The winter instrumental concert will be 7 p.m. on Dec. 19. For this year’s concert, the Charter Arts Wind Ensemble will perform “Minnesota Portraits” by Pennsylvania native Sam Hazo. The percussion ensemble will showcase two contrasting works — “Starfall” and “Identity Crisis” — featuring some unexpected “instruments.” The orchestra will perform a blend of contemporary and nostalgic selections, including the ever popular “Sleigh Ride,” and the guitar ensemble will be featured in a special pre-recorded performance to be projected on the screen.
Tickets cost $8 to $14 and can be purchased online. Charter Arts is located at 321 E. Third St. in Bethlehem.
RTP play reading
Adam Richter
The Reading Theater Project will present the first play reading of the 25/26 season with “Jacob and Ebenezer: A Love Story” at 7 p.m. on Thursday at GoggleWorks’ Boscov Theater, which is located at 201 Washington St. in Reading’s Entertainment Square. The play, written by Adam Richter, is a prequel to “A Christmas Carol” that Charles Dickens couldn’t have written and fits perfectly into the “Disruption” theme of RTP’s play reading series.
Jacob Marley and Ebenezer Scrooge are two of the most ruthless businessmen London has ever seen. They are hated by everyone and hate everyone in return, but they have each other.
The cast features Corey Clark, Joel Gori, George Hatza, and Richard Bradbury.
The performance is directed by John Gancar and stage managed by Sean Sassaman.
Richter of Wyomissing has had two one-act plays, “Eye Contact” and “Clips,” win the Phillip’s Mill Emerging Playwright Award.
Admission is “pay what you will,” with a recommended price of $10. Those who are able to are encouraged to pay the $20 pay-it-forward price.
Nutcracker at Zoellner
Hub Willson
Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem will present the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” at Baker Hall. This beloved holiday tradition will feature a live orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and will showcase a cast of nearly 100 dancers.
“The Nutcracker” captures the wonder and joy of the season through dazzling choreography, stunning costumes, and magical storytelling. Audiences will be transported into Clara’s dreamworld, filled with swirling snowflakes, shimmering decorations, and the elegant Sugar Plum Fairy. This year’s production will feature guest artists from world-renowned ballet companies performing alongside the talented young dancers of the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.
Presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Lehigh University’s music department, this annual production blends professional artistry with community tradition.
Performances will be at noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets range from $35–$59.
Original play at Genesius
Douglas Carter Beane will begin his new role as artistic director of Genesius Theatre in Reading with a new work he’s written and is directing, a play about art and Pennsylvania titled “The Behavior of Light.”
Beaner, who is a Tony-nominated writer, is returning to his childhood playhouse. It was on the Genesius stage where a young Beane first discovered his lifelong passion for theater in the 1970s.
Beane described “The Behavior of Light” as a “battle cry for art” that reminds audiences that “learning to take the frustrations of life and turn them into a creative expression is one of the joys of life. It reminds us of the power of kindness.”
The story, set in West Reading in 1972, follows the staff and adult students of a night school’s art class. The students are mostly mill workers trying to avoid imminent layoffs by earning their GEDs; their effervescent but inexperienced teacher, Caroline, is determined to convince them of the value of art, despite the skeptical beliefs of their cynical and overly analytical principal, Robert. But it’s an apparent background character who brings the most color to the canvas: Teddy, a shy young janitor with schizoid personality disorder, is inspired by the classes he observes from the shadows. Soon, two parallel stories unfold – gray reality and technicolor fantasy – as Teddy uses art to make sense of the world around him.
A cast of seven local performers whom Beane described as, “tremendous and inspiring,” play a cornucopia of characters.
“We are trying to tell this as freely and simply as possible,” Beane said. “There is no New York City production of this play yet. There is nothing for us to emulate. We only have our heart, our experiences and our instincts to guide us.”
Cast members include James Haggerty as Teddy, Sarah Althen-Haggerty as Caroline, Jonathan Erkert as Robert Norton, Becka-Anne Malanios as Helen, Daphnee McMaster as Rowena, Alvin Green-Lewis as TJ, and Abby Hannis as Gina.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Dec. 18, 19, 20, 26, and 27, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Genesius Theatre is located at 135 N. 10th Street in Reading.
‘Miracle’ at Wind Creek
The first-ever national tour of Meredith Willson’s “Miracle on 34th Street The Musical” is being staged at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.
Based on the cherished holiday film, this heartwarming musical tells the story of a Macy’s Christmas Santa, who may be the real Santa Claus (Kris Kringle), and a little girl (Charlotte Surak) who learns to believe in the impossible.
The production features members of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra as well as Bethlehem native Hanna Scotch as swing/assistant dance captain.
Featuring the beloved song “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Miracle on 34th Street The Musical” is adapted from the classic holiday film starring Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood, and Maureen O’Hara.
Performances will be at 2 and 8 p.m. Thursday and Saturday; at 8 p.m. on Friday; and at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.