Many holiday theater offerings in the Bay Area have become seasonal traditions.
Around the World in 80 Days: TheatreWorks’ holiday production is the wild show based on the novel by Jules Verne in which fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg circles the globe in the 1870. Tuesdays-Sundays, through Dec. 31, $40-$100. Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, theatreworks.org
Avenue Q: New Conservatory Theatre Center stages the sassy, Tony Award-winning hits musical, with puppets, in popular fifth annual holiday production. Tuesdays-Sundays, through Jan. 7, $35-$60. Decker Theatre, 25 Van Ness Ave., S.F., nctcsf.org
The Secret Garden: 42nd Street Moon’s holiday production is the 1991 musical based on the classic English children’s novel. Wednesdays-Sundays, through Dec. 24, $15-$75. Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St., S.F., 42ndstmoon.org
Beach Blanket Babylon: Steve Silver’s popular San Francisco revue dresses up for the holidays, with tap dancing Christmas trees and its gigantic Yuletide hat. 5 and 8 p.m. most Wednesdays, 8 p.m. most Thursdays, 6 and 9 p.m. most Fridays-Saturdays, 2 and 5 p.m. most Sundays, through Dec. 30, Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd., S.F., $25-$155, www.beachblanketbabylon.com
The Golden Girls-The Christmas Episodes: The annual show features four drag queens performing episodes from the classic TV show live onstage. Thursdays-Sundays, through Dec. 23, $25-$40. Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St., S.F., www.goldengirlssf.com
Winter Walk Drag Cabaret: Performers from House of MORE! appear in the show at the holiday pedestrian mall presented by the Union Square Business Improvement District and food truck purveyors, Off the Grid. 7 p.m. Dec. 7, free. Stockton, between Ellis and Geary streets, S.F., https://offthegrid.com/winterwalk2017/
Drag Queens on Ice: Donna Sachet hosts The City’s “fiercest drag queens” including Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for skating and special performances. 8 p.m. Dec. 7, $20-$25. Union Square Ice Rink, 333 Post St., S.F., www.unionsquareicerink.com
KML Presents A Big Bag of Dickens: Killing My Lobster sketch comics promise an evening of “good bloody cheer.” 7 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, through Dec. 16. $10-$15. PianoFight, 144 Taylor St., S.F., www.pianofight.com
A Christmas Carol: Center REPertory Company stages its popular version of the holiday classic. Dec. 7-17, $28-$50. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, www.CenterREP.org
Coney Island Christmas: Coastal Repertory Theatre presents Donald Margulies’ show about a Jewish girl, Shirley Abramowitz, who is cast as Jesus in her school’s Christmas pageant. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 17, $17-$30. 1167 Main St., Half Moon Bay, www.coastalrep.com
A Christmas Carol: American Conservatory Theater stages the popular holiday classic for the 41st year, with James Carpenter and Anthony Fusco as Ebenezer Scrooge and Ken Ruta as the Ghost of Jacob Marley. Most days, except Mondays, through Dec. 24, $20-$135. ACT, 415 Geary St., S.F., www.act-sf.org
The Jewelry Box: Storyteller Brian Copeland tells what happens when, as a youngster in the 1970s, he headed to the “mean streets” of Oakland to buy his mom a Christmas present. 8 p.m. Fridays, 5 p.m. most Saturdays, through Dec. 23, $20-$100. Marsh, 1062 Valencia St., S.F., www.themarsh.org
The Christmas Revels: This year, the musical theatrical celebration of the winter solstice is set in Scotland. Dec. 8–10 and Dec. 15-17, $20-$65. Scottish Rite Temple, 1547 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, (510) 452-9334, www.californiarevels.org
Holiday Snapshot: Expert improvisation actors with BATS Improv invite audiences: “You provide the photos. We’ll make up the stories.” 8 p.m. Fridays, through Dec. 29, $17-$20. Bayfront Theater, Building B, Fort Mason, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, S.F., www.improv.org
Circus Center Winter of Love: The family-friendly circus show tells all about what happened after that famous San Francisco summer 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 2 p.m. Dec. 10, $5-$25. 755 Frederick St., S.F., http://circuscenter.org/mainstage
Songs of Sixpence: BATS offers a brand new, improvised on-the-spot holiday musical set in the world of Charles Dickens. 8 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 30, $17-$20. Bayfront Theater, Building B, Fort Mason, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, S.F., www.improv.org
La Posarela: Bay Area Theatre Co. stages the musical comedy, the teatronovela of José y María (Joseph and Mary) who, after leaving their home behind to find a safe life for baby Jesús, must obey absurd immigration orders of a mad emperor. 8 p.m. Dec. 14-16, 2 p.m. Dec. 17, $15-$40. Brava Theater, 2781 24th St., S.F., www.sfbatco.org/la-posarela
Very Merry Christmas Cabaret: Kat Robichaud and her band’s “night of decadence, bawdiness and damsels“ includes burlesque, drag, circus, magic, musical theater, rock ‘n’ roll and vaudeville. 8 p.m. Dec. 15-16, Dec. 22-23 and Dec. 29-30, $25-$250. Great Star Theatre, 636 Jackson St., S.F. https://verymerrymisfit.eventbrite.com
Sleeping Beauty, the Panto: The “outrageous, vaudevillian, musical U.K. tradition” has romance and drag, offering “holiday fun for all ages.” Daily, except Christmas, Dec. 20-31, $25-$40. PantoSF @ Custom Made Theatre, 533 Sutter St., S.F., www.brownpapertickets.com
Fool La La!: Unique Derique appears in a circus-inspired family holiday show with physical comedy and body percussion. Dec. 20-23, Dec. 27-30 and Jan. 2-6. $15-$100. Marsh, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, www.themarsh.org
Mittens and Mistletoe–A Winter Circus Cabaret: The charming circus-theater troupe Sweet Can Productions’ eighth annual holiday show is back by popular demand. Dec. 22-Dec. 28, $18-$60. Mission Dance Theater, 3316 24th St., S.F., www.sweetcanproductions.com
Cinderella: The African-American Shakespeare Company’s enchanting take on the fairy tale has become a popular holiday tradition. 8 p.m. Dec. 22, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 23, and 1 p.m. Dec. 24, $25-$30. Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F., www.african-americanshakes.org
Kung Pao Kosher Comedy: The 25th annual event — Jewish comics doing stand-up in a Chinese restaurant — features co-headliners Cathy Ladman, Wendy Liebman and Gary Gulman, and hostess Lisa Geduldig. 5 and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 23-25, $52-$72. New Asia Restaurant, 772 Pacific Ave., S.F., www.koshercomedy.com
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