Christmas musicals for the holidays

Christmas musicals on stage

• Irving Berlin's White Christmas

  2008 · Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, book by David Ives and Paul Blake

  A stage version of the 1954 film, first staged at The Muny in St. Louis in 2000 and seen on Broadway in 2008 and 2009. Two army buddies turn a struggling Vermont inn into a holiday show. It earned two 2009 Tony nominations, for choreography and orchestrations.

• Elf

  2010 · Music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin

  Based on the 2003 film, this is the story of Buddy, a human raised at the North Pole who travels to New York to find his father. It opened on Broadway in 2010 and returned in 2012 and 2024, always for the holidays. It is the easiest pick for a family night out.

• A Christmas Story: The Musical

  2012 · Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Joseph Robinette

  Ralphie's quest for a Red Ryder BB gun, adapted from the 1983 film and Jean Shepherd's stories. It began in Kansas City in 2009, was rewritten with a new score by Pasek and Paul, and played Broadway in 2012. It earned three Tony nominations, including Best Musical.

• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

  2006 · Music by Mel Marvin, book and lyrics by Timothy Mason

  A Whoville stage show built on the 1957 book, with Patrick Page as the Grinch on Broadway in 2006 and 2007. The Old Globe in San Diego first staged it in 1998 and made it a holiday tradition, and touring productions have crossed North America in many seasons since.

• A Christmas Carol

  1994 · Music by Alan Menken, lyrics and book by Lynn Ahrens, book also by Mike Ockrent

  A big, ghost-filled musical version of Dickens's story. It played the Theater at Madison Square Garden every December from 1994 to 2003, with a long line of well-known actors as Scrooge. It has since been seen in London concert and staged-concert productions.

• Scrooge: The Musical

  1992 · Music, lyrics and book by Leslie Bricusse

  Bricusse adapted his own score from the 1970 film, which included "Thank You Very Much" and "I Hate People." The stage show opened in Birmingham in 1992 and played the West End in 1996 and 1997 with Anthony Newley. Tommy Steele later led a long UK tour.

• Meet Me in St. Louis

  1989 · Music and lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, book by Hugh Wheeler

  The stage musical of the 1944 Judy Garland film opened at the Gershwin Theatre in 1989. Its Christmas act has the Smith family facing a move to New York, and keeps "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from the film. It is gentle and nostalgic.

• Annie

  1977 · Music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, book by Thomas Meehan

  Set in New York in 1933, the story runs up to Christmas at Oliver Warbucks's mansion and ends with the finale "A New Deal for Christmas." It is a holiday staple for family audiences, even though most of its songs are not about the season.

  Movie vs musical: what changed

• Rent

  1996 · Music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Larson

  Not a cozy holiday show, but the story is framed by the calendar: it opens on Christmas Eve in the East Village, passes through New Year's Eve, and closes on Christmas Eve a year later. Fans often revisit it in December for that reason alone.

  Movie vs musical: what changed

• Here's Love (Miracle on 34th Street)

  1963 · Music, lyrics and book by Meredith Willson

  Willson's musical of the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street ran on Broadway from 1963 to 1964. It combined his 1951 song "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" with new numbers, and is now licensed as Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical.

• She Loves Me

  1963 · Music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joe Masteroff

  A Budapest perfume shop romance whose pen pals discover each other in the Christmas Eve finale. It was not a big hit in 1963, then grew into a cult favorite with Broadway revivals in 1993 and 2016. Choose it for a romantic comedy with holiday timing.

• Holiday Inn

  2016 · Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, book by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge

  Roundabout's 2016 Broadway adaptation of the 1942 film, set at a Connecticut farm that becomes an inn open only on holidays. It keeps "White Christmas" and "Happy Holiday" and adds other Berlin numbers such as "Blue Skies" and "Cheek to Cheek," so each holiday gets its own song.

• Mame

  1966 · Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee

  Not a Christmas story overall, but it gave the season "We Need a Little Christmas." The 1929 crash wipes out Mame's fortune, and after she loses yet another job she and her household decide to celebrate Christmas early. Angela Lansbury introduced it in 1966.

• Radio City Christmas Spectacular

  1933 · Created at Radio City Music Hall by producer Leon Leonidoff with designer Vincente Minnelli

  A revue rather than a book musical, but for many New Yorkers it is the Christmas show. It stars the Rockettes, and its Living Nativity scene has appeared in every edition since 1933. Include it if you want songs, dance and spectacle rather than a plot.

Christmas movie musicals

• White Christmas

  1954 · Directed by Michael Curtiz, songs by Irving Berlin

  Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen save a Vermont inn with a holiday show. It was the top-grossing film of 1954, and the title song first appeared in Holiday Inn.

• Holiday Inn

  1942 · Directed by Mark Sandrich, songs by Irving Berlin

  Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire play romantic rivals around a Connecticut inn that opens only on holidays. This is where "White Christmas" was first sung, and the song won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

• Meet Me in St. Louis

  1944 · Directed by Vincente Minnelli, songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

  Judy Garland sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to her little sister, just before the family decides to stay in St. Louis. The Christmas scene is the emotional center of an otherwise year-round story.

• Scrooge

  1970 · Directed by Ronald Neame, songs by Leslie Bricusse

  Albert Finney won a Golden Globe as Scrooge in this musical Dickens adaptation. "Thank You Very Much" earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Its songs later became the score for the stage musical.

• The Muppet Christmas Carol

  1992 · Directed by Brian Henson, songs by Paul Williams

  Michael Caine plays Scrooge among the Muppets, with Paul Williams writing the songs. It was Brian Henson's feature directing debut, and it remains one of the more affectionate Dickens adaptations for families.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas

  1993 · Directed by Henry Selick, songs by Danny Elfman

  Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, tries to take over Christmas. Based on a Tim Burton idea, this stop-motion musical is a Halloween and Christmas double feature, and it entered the National Film Registry in 2023.

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

  1966 · Directed by Chuck Jones and Ben Washam, music by Albert Hague, lyrics by Dr. Seuss

  The animated TV special narrated by Boris Karloff, with "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" sung by Thurl Ravenscroft. It is the source of the songs people associate with the story, and the stage musical borrows from it.

• Annie

  1982 · Directed by John Huston, songs by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin

  Aileen Quinn made her film debut as Annie, with Albert Finney, Carol Burnett and Bernadette Peters in the cast. It was nominated for two Oscars, for art direction and for score.

  Movie vs musical: what changed

• Rent

  2005 · Directed by Chris Columbus, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson

  The film opens on Christmas Eve 1989 and spans a year in the East Village. Six of the eight original Broadway leads returned to their roles, so it is as close as you can get to the original cast on screen.

  Movie vs musical: what changed

• Spirited

  2022 · Directed by Sean Anders, songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

  A new musical take on A Christmas Carol on Apple TV+. Will Ferrell plays the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ryan Reynolds the cynical man he tries to reform, and it jokes about earlier versions of the story.

• A Christmas Story Live!

  2017 · Directed by Scott Ellis and Alex Rudzinski, songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

  A live Fox broadcast based on the stage musical, with Maya Rudolph and Matthew Broderick. Reviews were largely negative, but the song "In the Market for a Miracle" earned an Emmy nomination.

Holiday shows playing in 2026

Engagements confirmed on each production's official page. Dates can change, so check the link before you buy tickets.

Christmas musicals: common questions