Theater Talk for November

It’s not too soon to start thinking about the holidays and the limited-run shows that arrive this time of year.

Of course, no holiday season is complete without the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the famed Rockettes, which runs from November 4^th through January 4^th.

At the Perelman Performing Arts Center, the Tony-awarded Old Vic musical version of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol returns from November 20^th through January 3^rd.

One of the longest-running off-Broadway shows comes to Broadway with a new version of its “signature blend of comedy, art, and immersive theatrical experience,” namely Blue Man Group – A New Holiday Surprise, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre from November 12^th through January 3^rd.

Finally, there’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, a staged version of Frank Capra’s classic film, starring Megan Hilty, Andrew Rannells and Tituss Burgess, at the Broadhurst Theatre from November 4^th through January 3^rd.

Here are a pair of musicals coming up early in the new year that sound promising:

Dirty Dancing: The Musical, based upon the popular 1987 film set at a Catskills resort, finally arrives on Broadway at the Lena Horne Theatre on February 12^th. It has been kicking around since its premiere in Australia in 2004, with a successful West End run and revival, but somehow never made it to New York. The present version, directed by Lonny Price, is currently on a national tour where it has been receiving mostly favorable reviews.

After a successful West End run, a revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, starring Olivier winner Rachel Zegler, will arrive on Broadway at the Winter Garden starting February 27^th.

A little farther down the road we can look forward to revivals of two popular Broadway musicals – The Sound of Music, coming to Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater on March 23^rd and Damn Yankees, starting March 24^th at the Marquis Theatre. The scheduled production of The Full Monty, beginning April 3^rd at Roundabout’s Todd Haimes Theater, has been postponed to a future date and will be replaced by the Broadway premiere of Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, in a starry production from A.R.T in Cambridge. Tickets for the first two are already on sale.

I suggest that you keep an eye on the off-Broadway listings on Playbill.com. They frequently are announced too close in for me to include them in this column, but you might well find something to your interest that gives you a lot more bang for your buck than a Broadway show.

Whatever you choose, get out there and see a show! There’s nothing like live theater.

Remember, to book tickets go to the official website for each show. Also, check TodayTix for discounts.