Holiday Must-Do's

The Farnsdale Avenue Housing Estate Towns Women’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of A Christmas Carol

Joplin Little Theatre, 3009 W. First St., Joplin.
Dec. 10-14
joplinlittletheatre.org
Christmas inevitably means another version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge. With so many annual renditions, from made-for-TV movies to school plays, most versions are of a quality that seems… let’s say questionable. But rarely are they purposefully so.

This year, the Joplin Little Theatre is poking a little fun at the multitude of amateur Carols, and allowing the audience to laugh at the missteps of the Farnsdale Dramatic Society’s own disastrous rendition. Everything that could go wrong does, and the troupe struggles to keep the show together long enough for Scrooge to see the light. Hilarity ensues.

The Great Russian Nutcracker

Joplin Memorial Hall, 212 W. Eighth St., Joplin. Tickets $20-$60.
Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.
ticketsage.com/memorial-website
A Christmas tradition, The Nutcracker has become perhaps the most popular ballet performed in America. But, though you’ve probably seen it before, it’s a safe bet you’ve never seen it performed with the extravagance and grandeur of the Moscow Ballet’s version.
From the battle with the Mouse King to the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy, watch Tchaikovsky’s whimsical masterpiece performed the way it was meant to be: by Russians.

Glowy the Elf, an Elf Story

The Skinny Improv, 301 Park Central East, Springfield.
Dec. 6-21, 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday
theskinnyimprov.com
Glowy can’t catch a break. He tries hard to fulfill his elven duties, but the harder he tries, the worse things seem to get –Santa’s reindeer even end up on EBay. After all his screw-ups, can Glowy fix them all in time to save Christmas? Either way, the kids in the audience will hopefully laugh so much they don’t realize they’re learning lessons about being themselves and never giving up.

Michael Martin Murphy’s Cowboy Christmas

Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, 525 s. John Q Hammons Pkwy, Springfield.
Tickets $19-$22
Dec. 15, 8 p.m.
What’s Christmas without a little rawhide?

The million-selling cowboy songwriter is bringing his cattle-wrangling sensibilities to the stage at Hammons Hall for the 11th time in as many years. Promising a family-friendly good time full of music and down-home Christmas cheer, even a modified orchestra pit for audience dancing, it’s the perfect event for any jolly buckaroo.

Andy Williams Christmas Show

Moon River Theatre, 2500 W Hwy 76, Branson.
Tickets $39
Nov. 1-Dec.13, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
AndyWilliams.com
Whether or not you’ve been around long enough to have seen Andy Williams perform his Christmas show on primetime television, you’ve probably at least seen a clip of the sweater-clad crooner singing any number of his hit renditions of classic holiday songs. Though it’s no longer broadcast nationally, the show—still a tradition for countless fans—is faithfully reproduced each winter season at the Moon River Theatre in Branson.

In addition to Andy’s silky stylings, each show features the Adagio Dance Troupe thrilling audiences with their dancing and quick-change illusions, and the warm, folksy sounds of the Warnock Family. If there’s any time of the year to wait ‘round the bend at Moon River, it’s got to be Christmas.