Top 10 Stage Performances to Stream December 22-January 1
Molly Hernández in Lookingglass Alice, which is streaming on PBS. Photo by Liz Lauren.
Even though in-person theatre and dance are back in full swing, in the name of accessibility we’re continuing to round up performances to watch online from the comfort of home. Our carefully curated list spotlights the ten best performances to stream over the holidays, Friday, December 22 to Monday, January 1, 2024, for free or at low cost.
MAX: Spirited Away: Live on Stage
Recorded live on stage in Japan and directed by Tony winner John Caird (Les Misérables), this eye-popping adaptation of the 2001 Studio Ghibli movie uses 32 performers and 50 puppets to conjure the fantastical tale of a 10-year-old girl who gets lost in an eerie world with her mom and dad. After her parents are turned into pigs, she must learn to survive and save her family. Performed in Japanese with English subtitles. Don’t have MAX? It’s also available to rent via Amazon for $6.
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The Playwrights’ Center: Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again
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Live from 54 Below: Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway: Yuletide Revelry!
Live-streaming on Wednesday, December 27 at 7 p.m. ET for $25.
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MAX: Oprah and The Color Purple Journey
In tandem with the release of the movie musical The Color Purple, MAX is streaming the new documentary Oprah and The Color Purple Journey. Hosted by Oprah, who starred in the original 1985 Color Purple film, the doc gives fans a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the starry film and celebrates the legacy of Alice Walker, the author of the eponymous novel.
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Live from 54 Below: Christine Pedi: Snow Bizness
Live-streaming on Friday, December 29 at 9:45 ET for $25.
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PBS: Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Celebration
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A Cornucopia of Nutcrackers
In honor of the sparkly season, All Arts is streaming different iterations of the classic Christmas ballet, including The Hip Hop Nutcracker choreographed by two-time Tony nominee Jennifer Weber; The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by French dance-maker Bouba Landrille Tchouda; and a version starring students from the Interlochen Arts Academy.
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Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist
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Lookingglass Theatre Company: Lookingglass Alice
Chicago’s lauded Lookingglass Theatre Company may be on pause, but one of the troupe’s most beloved productions, Lookingglass Alice, is on PBS. A thrilling, 90-minute reinvention of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, this circus-and-dance infused take was adapted and directed by David Catlin and recorded live on stage last year.
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Apple TV+: Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas
Ted Lasso may have turned Hannah Waddingham into a household name but theatre lovers on both sides of the pond have loved the sassy and statuesque singer for years thanks to her acclaimed performances in Spamalot, A Little Night Music and Into the Woods. For this music-and-mirth-filled holiday special, which was recorded live at the London Coliseum, she’s joined by many of her Ted Lasso crew along with special guests such as Hamilton Tony winner Leslie Odom, Jr. and erstwhile Gaston, Luke Evans. Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is free to stream for Apple TV+ subscribers. Not a subscriber? You can get a seven-day free trial.
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