Attending a lavish stage production in Atlanta is a wonderful holiday tradition. The obvious choices have long been "The Nutcracker" or "A Christmas Carol," but let's be honest. Tiny Tim and the Sugar Plum Fairy aren't everyone's cup of eggnog.
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For those people, and the ones who want to stick with the traditional but also expand a bit, here are popular Atlanta holiday shows for 2019 that aren't "The Nutcracker" or "A Christmas Carol.”
Nov. 15-24, $20 seniors/military, $25 adult, $30 VIP
Marietta's Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Ave. NW, Marietta. 770-426-4800.
N. Emil Thomas adapted this O. Henry classic tale to portray a streetcar driver struggling during the 1950 Atlanta Transit Strike. It has all the feels of "A Christmas Carol" but a different message, one of hope and sacrifice. In its second year of production, it's well on its way to becoming an Atlanta holiday show tradition itself.
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2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Nov. 24, tickets start at $75
Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-881-2100.
Classic and classy, this production is a nice switch-up for "The Nutcracker" crowd. Just seeing a show at the Fox is a Christmas tradition in and of itself.
Noon or 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, base ticket price begins at $35.50
Cobb Energy Performing Art Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta. 770-916-2800.
Sassy, spirited, and brand spanking new, this musical conveys a multi-generational family's journey to recapture the Christmas spirit.
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7:30 p.m., Dec. 5, tickets starting at $42.50
Cobb Energy Performing Art Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta. 770-916-2800.
Another new holiday production, this one comes from the producers of Broadway's "The Illusionists" and combines cirque artists with Christmasy song and dance.
Dec. 5-8; 13-15, 19-24, 27-29, tickets $35 general, $30 senior/military, $22.50 children under 12
Marietta's Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Ave. NW, Marietta. 770-426-4800.
Rollicking music, magical staging make this a natural pick for younger kids and their adult relatives who relish musicals. It's an updated plot that includes the "jolly happy soul" as rendered by a homeless man and an orphan intent on building a snowman to fulfill a promise. The setting is mostly Central Park.
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